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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Equitable Resilience: Opportunities to Advance Solar Paired with Battery Storage in Historically Marginalized Communities

This report was produced as part of the Equitable Solar Communities of Practice program through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). Clean Energy Group (CEG) managed the Resilience, Storage, and Grid Benefits Community of Practice, which aimed to research, evaluate, and identify opportunities to scale the meaningful benefits of solar paired with battery storage in historically marginalized communities. The report is designed to 1) educate a broad audience on the benefits of solar paired with battery storage, 2) identify barriers to deploying solar paired with battery storage in historically marginalized communities, 3) amplify early-adopters and innovative programs that support battery storage access across the nation, and 4) recommend best practices for programs and policies to adopt in advancing equitable access to solar and battery storage technologies.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1980

Solar applications analysis for energy storage

The role of energy storage as it relates to solar energy systems is considered. Storage technologies to support solar energy applications, the status of storage technologies, requirements and specifications for storage technologies, and the adequacy of the current storage research and development program to meet these requirements are among the factors discussed. Emphasis is placed on identification of where the greatest potential exists for energy storage in support of those solar energy systems which could have a significant impact on the U.S. energy mix.

Blanchard, T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver

An integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system was developed as part of the Organic Rankine Cycle Solar Dynamic Power System solar receiver for space station application. The solar receiver incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain thermal energy storage (TES) canisters within the vapor space with a toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe. Part of this thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of earth orbit, the stored energy in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube. A developmental heat pipe element was constructed that contains axial arteries and a distribution wick connecting the toluene heater and the TES units to the solar insolation surface of the heat pipe. Tests were conducted to demonstrate the heat pipe, TES units, and the heater tube operation. The heat pipe element was operated at design input power of 4.8 kW. Thermal cycle tests were conducted to demonstrate the successful charge and discharge of the TES units. Axial power flux levels up to 15 watts/sq cm were demonstrated and transient tests were conducted on the heat pipe element. Details of the heat pipe development and test procedures are presented.

Keddy, E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Hydrogen-Enhanced Lunar Oxygen Extraction and Storage Using Only Solar Power

The innovation consists of a thermodynamic system for extracting in situ oxygen vapor from lunar regolith using a solar photovoltaic power source in a reactor, a method for thermally insulating the reactor, a method for protecting the reactor internal components from oxidation by the extracted oxygen, a method for removing unwanted chemical species produced in the reactor from the oxygen vapor, a method for passively storing the oxygen, and a method for releasing high-purity oxygen from storage for lunar use. Lunar oxygen exists in various types of minerals, mostly silicates. The energy required to extract the oxygen from the minerals is 30 to 60 MJ/kg O. Using simple heating, the extraction rate depends on temperature. The minimum temperature is approximately 2,500 K, which is at the upper end of available oven temperatures. The oxygen is released from storage in a purified state, as needed, especially if for human consumption. This method extracts oxygen from regolith by treating the problem as a closed batch cycle system. The innovation works equally well in Earth or Lunar gravity fields, at low partial pressure of oxygen, and makes use of in situ regolith for system insulation. The innovation extracts oxygen from lunar regolith using a method similar to vacuum pyrolysis, but with hydrogen cover gas added stoichiometrically to react with the oxygen as it is produced by radiatively heating regolith to 2,500 K. The hydrogen flows over and through the heating element (HE), protecting it from released oxygen. The H2 O2 heat of reaction is regeneratively recovered to assist the heating process. Lunar regolith is loaded into a large-diameter, low-height pancake reactor powered by photovoltaic cells. The reactor lid contains a 2,500 K HE that radiates downward onto the regolith to heat it and extract oxygen, and is shielded above by a multi-layer tungsten radiation shield. Hydrogen cover gas percolates through the perforated tungsten shielding and HE, preventing oxidation of the shielding and HE, and reacting with the oxygen to form water vapor. The water vapor is filtered through solid regolith to remove unwanted extraction byproducts, and then condensed to a liquid state and stored at 300 to 325 K. Conversion to usable oxygen is achieved by pumping liquid water into a high-pressure electrolyzer, storing the gaseous oxygen at high pressure for use, and diverting the hydrogen back to the reactor or to storage. The results from this design effort show that this oxygen-generating concept can be developed in an efficient system with low specific mass. Advantages include use of regolith as an oxygen source, filter, and thermal insulator. The system can be tested in Earth gravity and can be expected to operate similarly in lunar gravity. The system is scalable, either by increasing the power level and output of a standard module, or by employing multiple modules.

Burton, rodney↗
DOE OSTI2021

Distributed Solar Adoption in Orlando: A Household-Level Model for Distribution Resource Planning

Potential for rooftop solar in Florida is massive (47% of retail sales, 3rd overall nationally), yet adoption lags (12th nationally). A 2018 Florida Public Service Commission ruling authorizing solar third-party ownership (leasing) has substantially increased attention on distributed solar in the state. The city of Orlando has committed to a 100% clean-energy target by 2050 and deployment of solar and storage are expected to contribute significantly to reaching the goal. Deployment of customer-adopted solar, unlike utility-procured solar, is uncertain, but known to be spatially correlated with demographic factors and existing adoption. We develop a new method to adapt NREL's dGen model in order to represent building-level agents in adoption forecasts for the Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) service territory. Using the agent-based model we develop projections of solar adoption, subject to scenarios varying future solar costs and valuation, and aggregate adoption predictions by OUC distribution feeder. We find substantial spatial heterogeneity in the projected level of adoption by OUC distribution feeder. For instance, 25% of all projected adoption through 2050 would be concentrated on just 5% of feeders and 88% of projected adoption on 50% of feeders. Because of the uncertainty in adoption, bottoms-up solar adoption forecasting methods at the household-level are integral to long-term resource planning by anticipating system needs as customers increasingly adopt distributed solar, storage, electric vehicles, and other distributed energy resources.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Particle-based high-temperature thermochemical energy storage reactors

Solar and other renewable energy driven gas-solid thermochemical energy storage (TCES) technology is a promising solution for the next generation energy storage systems due to its high operating temperature, efficient energy conversion, ultra-long storage duration, and potential high energy density. Experimental and theoretical studies suggest that the respective gravimetric and volumetric TCES energy storage densities vary from 200 to 3000 kJ kg –1 and 1–3 GJ m –3 . Solar radiation or heat generated from electric furnaces powered by renewable electricity can be stored in the form of chemical energy through endothermic reactions, while the stored chemical energy can be converted to thermal energy via an exothermic reaction when needed. The design of highly effective reactors requires a deep understanding of materials, thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and transport phenomena. At time of writing, TCES reactors are yet to be deployed at commercially relevant scales, leaving a substantial gap between development efforts and commercial feasibility. Therefore, this review aims to examine the state-of-the-art design and performance of particle-based TCES reactors with different reactive materials. Fundamentals related to TCES reactive materials, reaction conditions, thermodynamics and kinetics, and transport phenomena are reviewed in detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of the reactor design and operation. Five major types of TCES reactors have been comprehensively reviewed and compared, including fixed, moving, rotary, fluidized, and entrained bed reactors. Most reported prototype reactors in the literature operate at lab scale with thermal inputs below 40 kW, and scaled TCES reactors (e.g., at megawatt level) are yet to be demonstrated. The nominal reactor operating temperatures range from 300 to 1500 °C, depending on the selected chemistry, reactive material, and heat sources. To evaluate their designs, the reactors are assessed in aspects of performance, cost, and durability. Discrepancies in performance indicators of energy storage density, extent of reaction, and various energy efficiencies are highlighted. The scale-up of reactors and power block integration, which hold the key to the successful commercialization of TCES systems, are critically analyzed. Furthermore, advanced materials (both reactive materials and ceramic reactor housing materials), effective particle flow control, advanced modeling tools, and novel system design may bring significant improvement to the energy efficiency, storage density and cost competitiveness of particle-based TCES reactors.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2014

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Resource Capturing, Storage, and Utilization

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as helium 3 and hydrogen can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and hydrogen (deuterium, etc.) were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate for hydrogen helium 4 and helium 3, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. Additional supporting analyses were conducted to illuminate vehicle sizing and orbital transportation issues.

Palaszewski, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS2012

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Resource Capturing, Storage, and Utilization

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and hydrogen can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and hydrogen (deuterium, etc.) were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate for hydrogen helium 4 and helium 3, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. Additional supporting analyses were conducted to illuminate vehicle sizing and orbital transportation issues.

Palaszewski, Bryan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Heuristic Dispatch Based on Price Signals for Behind-the-Meter PV-Battery Systems in the System Advisor Model

The economic potential of a behind-the-meter (BTM) PV-battery system depends greatly on how the battery is dispatched. Different utility rates, system sizes, generation and load profiles can all require different dispatch strategies. This paper presents price signals dispatch, a new algorithm for automated economic dispatch of BTM PV-battery systems, which utilizes 24-hour PV and load forecasts, degradation data, and utility rates. The algorithm is integrated with the System Advisor Model (SAM) tool and is tested with a nonlinear generic electrochemical battery model. Price signals dispatch outperforms SAM's existing algorithms in cases requiring a balance between demand charge management and energy arbitrage, and in cases where battery degradation imposes a significant cost.

batteries↗