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DOE OSTI2024

Solid State Quantum Refrigeration Superconducting, Absorption and Measurement Based (Final Technical Report)

During this DOE grant, DE-SC0017890, in place for the past six years, all proposed research was carried out and published in peer-reviewed papers, as well as other projects that emerged during the research. In that effort the research team accomplished all proposed research, as well as many closely related research projects discovered and conceived of during the grant. These works included “Efficient Quantum Measurement Engines”, a work published in Physical Review Letters, giving a theory of quantum measurement-based engines, which uses quantum measurement as a resource. These engines are designed to efficiently convert energy from the stochastic quantum measurement process into useful work. Further publications include “Experimental Realization of a Quantum Dot Energy Harvester”, a joint theory and experimental work in collaboration with the group of Charles Smith in Cambridge, UK, as well as long time theoretical collaborators, Rafael Sánchez and Björn Sothmann. This work, featured as an Editor’s Suggestion in Physical Review Letters, realized an earlier theoretical proposal of ours, whereby two resonant tunneling quantum dots are connected to a central electronic cavity that is heated by a hot energy source. We also published “Superconducting Quantum Refrigerator: Breaking and Rejoining Cooper Pairs with Magnetic Field Cycles” a work done in collaboration with experimentalist Francesco Giazotto from ENS Pisa, Italy, which also resulted in a patent. This paper, published in Phys. Rev. Applied, advanced the concept of a cyclic fridge based on the normal/superconducting phase transition together with layered materials separated by tunnel junctions. We also completed the proposed research on a heat transistor, publishing “Thermal transistor and thermometer based on Coulomb-coupled conductors”, carried out as a collaboration between my group and theorists Splettstoesser (Lund U., Sweden), Sothmann (U. Duisburg-Essen, Germany), and Sánchez (U. Autónoma de Madrid, Spain). We carried out an analysis of a quantum coupled to a quantum point contact as a sensitive thermometer and heat transistor. We found the optimal statistical estimator for the temperature and compared it with experiments on the same type of devices. We also investigated autonomous quantum absorption refrigerators using quantum dots to cool by using a very hot thermal reservoir to drive heat between two other reservoirs. In the article “Quantifying the quantum heat contribution from a driven superconducting circuit”, we demonstrated that for a driven superconducting circuit, we showed heat flow provided by a hot source to the qubit can be switched on and off by varying external parameters, the frequency and the intensity of the driving. In the work “Stochastic thermodynamic cycles of a mesoscopic thermoelectric engine”, we reconsidered the autonomous thermoelectric heat engine in terms of underlying cycles. Rather than periodic behavior, the cycles were stochastic in nature. Nevertheless, by undertaking a graph theoretical analysis of the elementary transport processed, great quantitative and qualitative insight could be found. We also considered the quantum measurement process and showed that a quantum version of Maxwell’s demon could be related to the work extraction of a quantum system, closely related to arrow-of-time measures for quantum measurement, as described in our article “Thermodynamics of quantum measurement and Maxwell's demon's arrow of time”. This work was selected in Phys. Rev. A as an Editor’s Suggestion. A recent preprint titled “Cyclic Superconducting Quantum Refrigerators Using Guided Fluxon Propagation” accomplished an important piece of this grant: to propose a new kind of quantum refrigerator using the dynamics of fluxons in a type II superconductor. This invention envisioned a race-track type geometry where fluxons are confined. By applying a gradient of magnetic field together with electric current in a Corbino geometry, the circulating fluxons can actively cool a cold reservoir, realizing a new type of cyclic superconducting refrigerator. We also investigated the possibility of thermal control from different points of view. The application of quantum measurement to the system gives a new kind of control on the system of interest – we have pioneered this approach and shown that measurement can boost the thermal power of quantum engines as described in “Continuous measurement boosted adiabatic quantum thermal machines”. The ability to have heat flows on demand is an outstanding challenge, and we have provided new solutions to this problem in Thermal control across a chain of electronic nanocavities” for a chain of electron cavities using gating voltage control. The control methods using qubit/qubit coupling to create absorption fridges at their most fundamental level have also been developed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2024

Performance Test of Mini LVDT - ELVIS

The Institute for Energy (IFE) Technology has been a pioneer in the development of Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDTs) for in-pile testing, deploying over 2,200 units in various reactor environments with less than a 10% failure rate after five years of operation. This report focuses on the performance testing of IFE’s Mini LVDT, a compact sensor ideal for material test reactor experiments. The Mini LVDT, with a limited range of +/- 1.5 mm, offers excellent performance comparable to larger LVDTs, making it valuable in space-constrained applications. The development of an Enhanced Linear Variable Intrinsic Sensor (ELVIS) with internal temperature monitoring capabilities represents a significant advancement, addressing the critical need for real-time, accurate measurements in high-radiation and high-temperature environments. Two ELVIS prototypes were evaluated in terms of both temperature and displacement, showcasing promising results, though challenges with noise during temperature measurements were identified. This report summarizes the rigorous testing performed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and highlights the potential applications of Mini LVDTs and ELVIS in nuclear and other high-precision industries.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Baselining the Indirect Effect by Improving Quantification of Sea Spray and Marine Sources at Ascension Island (Final Report)

Oceans cover two-thirds of the Earth and understanding the interactions of aerosols with clouds in these large marine regions requires quantifying the man-made contributions to the budget of cloud-drop forming particles (known as cloud condensation nuclei, or CCN) relative to the non-manmade “baseline” conditions and understanding the meteorology of boundary layer clouds. Modeling studies have shown substantial uncertainties and sensitivities to natural marine CCN sources, meaning that to reduce uncertainties in indirect effects we must be able to better quantify the CCN budget in ocean regions. While models provide important constraints on these uncertainties, actually reducing uncertainties requires substantial observations in open-ocean and coastal regions in order to establish the baseline on which manmade emissions are added. The tropical South Atlantic Ocean is one of the least-sampled regions of the planet, making the comprehensive measurements of the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Layered Atlantic Smoke Interactions with Clouds (LASIC) campaign provides the longest record of aerosol size distribution measurements from a differential mobility analyzer in a cloud-influenced marine location in the ARM database, with 17 months of ground-based aerosol size distribution measurements. This project addressed the research topic of Aerosol-Cloud Interactions (ACI) by supporting three publications from the LASIC measurements: 1. The ARM measurements were combined with a new value-added technique that was pioneered by the Russell group for quantifying sea salt. This quantification of sea salt uses supermicron scattering measurements for retrieving reasonable sea spray mass concentrations, providing the best-available, observationally-constrained estimate of the sea spray mode properties when supermicron size distribution measurements are not available. 2. The fitted modes of the distribution were used to investigate the signatures of cloud processing for very clean to very smoky aerosol conditions, revealing not only differences in the particles that activate in clouds but also in the mechanisms that control that droplet formation process. In clean air, the size required to form a cloud droplet is influenced by the number of particles, as well as how quickly particles take up water during growth in cloud. 3. Building on this aerosol characterization, cloud and meteorological conditions were used to evaluate aerosol-related changes in cloud albedo and optical depth. We introduced a new method of decomposing the impact of aerosols on clouds known as the Twomey effect by incorporating retrieved supersaturation from two independent sets of observations to constrain the feedback of aerosol particles on cloud properties. The method quantifies the reduction of the Twomey effect at high aerosol concentrations, which has never been explained quantitatively by observations. In addition, the results provide the first direct validation for the conditions observed in the tropical South Atlantic of a parcel-based approach that is embedded in many climate models. Together these findings illustrate how ARM extended field campaigns in stratocumulus-covered regions can be used to constrain ACI processes with direct observations, providing specific radiative effects without models. By making such process-specific constraints available to improve ACI in global climate models, ARM observations play a key role in supporting model development.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Using interfaces to: create strongly-coupled magnetic-ferroelectrics

Starting at the level of electrons and atoms our long-term goal is to rationally design complex oxide heterostructures and interface-materials with targeted emergent behaviors. This is not a matter of simply optimizing material parameters, but rather begins with understanding a mechanism to control the interplay between the diverse microscopic degrees of freedom prevalent in complex oxides in order to create targeted macroscopic phenomena and ends with the design of new material realizations. These realizations are in turn created with atomic-layer precision, structurally assessed to see that they are the intended realization, and finally their relevant properties are measured. During this program we have developed the scientific ideas necessary to apply this materials-by-design paradigm to the creation of materials offering electrical control of magnetism. At the heart of our approach lies a partnership between theory, synthesis, and characterization. These are the areas of expertise of the three co-PIs, who have worked closely together since their arrival at Cornell. During this project bold ideas on where to put the atoms to provide electrical control of magnetism were met with the latest methods of synthesis science and electron microscopy in an attempt create targeted new multiferroics. Our work applying this materials-by-design methodology to multiferroics has enjoyed multiple successes. The Co-PIs have invented new mechanisms for multiferroics, which provide strong coupling between polarization and magnetism, and reduced them to practice. Specifically, we pioneered multiferroics based on spin-phonon coupling, rotation-driven multiferroicity, and novel geometric multiferroics. Importantly, the latter two of these mechanisms enable the deterministic switching of magnetism by an applied electric field, which is key to the application of multiferroics to future device technologies. Most recently, we performed detailed theoretical analysis on a system involving the combination of magnetoelectric and colossal magnetoresistance behaviors and predict that electrical control of a metal-insulator transition is possible in appropriately strained SmBaMn2O6. The research enabled by this grant led to 63 publications in leading refereed journals including Nature, Nature Materials, Physical Review Letters, and Advanced Materials demonstrating a materials-by-design paradigm to the creation of materials offering electrical control of magnetism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP) (Final Report)

The Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP) was a multi-PI program located at the Northwestern University Center for Catalysis and Surface Science from 2006-2024. Over several renewal cycles and several organizing themes, ICEP addressed fundamental questions in catalysis science. In turn, the scientific questions addressed were directly relevant to the efficient use of the nation’s resources to produce fuels and commodity chemicals, harness alternate energy sources for chemical reactions such as light or electricity, reduce emissions and waste, and minimize the impact of our use of plastics. Selective oxidation, (oxidative) dehydrogenation, deNOx, CO 2 reduction, hydrogen release, polymer decomposition / depolymerization, and many other reactions of intense interest to the US Department of Energy were studied in the center. Major ICEP strengths were in catalyst synthesis, in measurements that elucidated catalyst properties, in reaction mechanisms and kinetics, and in predictive theory and modeling. ICEP researchers were often the inventors or developers of materials and methods that were brought to bear on the Institute’s catalytic systems. Key characterization tools advanced through this project included resonance Raman and related techniques, sum frequency generation, and X-ray standing wave spectroscopy. Center members relied extensively on computational tools such as density functional theory and microkinetic modeling to fully investigate catalyst structures and catalytic mechanisms. ICEP researchers were early developers of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for catalyst synthesis and were early pioneers of metal organic frameworks for catalysis. ICEP innovations are found in areas of intense research such as single-atom catalysts, catalytic deconstruction of plastics, and catalytic MOFs, to name a few. Research areas initiated by ICEP indirectly led to DOE EFRCs, startup companies, and other achievements. Over its 18 years of existence, ICEP involved two different PIs (Stair and Notestein) and 24 senior investigators across several academic disciplines at Northwestern University. There were tight collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory, including specialized equipment and experiments permanently located there. The center supported ~400 person-years of effort by graduate students and postdocs, either directly through DOE support or indirectly by leveraging independent support provided to the trainees, e.g. through the NSF GRFP or internal fellowships. The project resulted in 328 manuscripts and numerous conference presentations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Concepts for High Gradient Acceleration (Final Technical Report)

We have conducted an intensive, pioneering program to demonstrate novel concepts for achieving high gradient acceleration at frequencies from the conventional microwave bands up to the millimeter wave /THz bands. High gradient accelerators hold the promise of smaller and less costly accelerators for applications ranging from the largest scale accelerators used for discovery science down to the smallest accelerators used for industrial, homeland security and medical applications. The research consisted of two major research thrusts: 1.) Structure-based wakefield accelerator (SWFA) research in collaboration with the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator research group and 2.) Millimeter Wave / THz high gradient acceleration in collaboration with SLAC. The specific goals of the research program were: Design novel metallic metamaterial structures that increase the beam-wave coupling for the accelerator mode and reduce the effect of high order modes; test novel metamaterial structures to achieve higher output power, > 1 GW at X-Band (11.7 GHz), in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA); determine the experimental breakdown threshold for nanosecond-scale pulses at X-Band in testing at the AWA; test a 110 GHz accelerator structure with a field emission electron gun, built at SLAC, using pulses from a 1 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron; design, build and test a 110 GHz quasi-optical, resonant-ring pulse compressor to compress microsecond pulses from the 1 MW gyrotron into > 20 MW, 5 ns output pulses for accelerator structure testing. The proposed research program built on our successes in our research program including: Generation of 510 MW, 2.1 ns (FWHM) pulses at 11.7 GHz from a metallic metamaterial structure in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator using a train of eight 65 MeV electron bunches spaced at 1.3 GHz with a total charge of 280 nC. The metamaterial structure consisted of 100 copper unit cells each consisting of a “wagon-wheel” plate and a spacer plate with a total structure length of 0.2 m. The 510 MW pulse generated an on-axis wakefield of 130 MV/m that could be used to accelerate a trailing witness bunch. Demonstration of coupling of an unprecedented rf power level of 575kW into a 110 GHz accelerator structure using a quasi-optical setup. The standing structure consisted of a central copper cavity located between two matching cavities fed by a TM01 mode. The 6 ns input pulses were sliced from 3 microsecond pulses from the gyrotron using a laser-driven silicon switch. We obtained an unprecedented high gradient up to 230MV/m corresponding to a peak surface electric field of more than 520 MV/m.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Differentiable Multiphysics Codes: A Breakthrough Technology for Simulation and Computing

This document summarizes the findings of a strategic planning exercise commissioned by the Weapons Simulation and Computing, Computational Physics (WSC/CP) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in FY24. During the year, the committee met with multiple stakeholder communities to gather input, opinions, suggestions and concerns which have been incorporated throughout this document. The key findings from this exercise are summarized: • The development of multiphysics modelling and simulation (mod/sim) codes and software technologies, their deployment on exascale compute platforms, and their broad adoption across the NNSA is a major success of the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program and the Exascale Computing Project (ECP). Sustained investment in these core technologies is essential. • Today’s state of the art involves running ensembles of O(100K) simulations to perform uncertainty quantification (UQ) and design studies using multiple statistical methods such as Bayesian optimization to understand sensitivities of our models and explore parameterized design spaces. Even with exascale computing, we are practically limited to O(10) parameters in these studies since the number of simulations required to sample the space scales exponentially with the number of design parameters. • The data from these simulation ensembles is increasingly being used to train machine learned (ML) surrogates (or reduced order models, ROMs) which can then be used for optimization or real time design exploration. However, the trained surrogates are still limited in the number of parameters they can represent due to the sampling limitations previously noted. • Augmenting our suite of integrated multiphysics simulation codes, both current and emerging, with the ability to compute gradients (solution derivatives) of arbitrary simulation outputs with respect to (some or all) simulation inputs would be a breakthrough technology, opening the door to a new era of efficient and automated inverse design based on verified and validated mod/sim capabilities. • This capability, which we refer to as differentiable multiphysics codes (DMCs), would revolutionize both UQ and optimization studies by breaking the curse of dimensionality that presently limits our “gradient-free” ensemble based computing approach. A similar breakthrough occurred in the AI/ML community once the ability to compute gradients of arbitrary loss functions using back-propagation became commonplace. Gradient information from the multiphysics codes can also be used to dramatically improve the efficiency and scale of training of ML/ROM surrogates for rapid assessments. • Achieving this in our suite of codes will be a grand challenge, similar to the amount of effort that was required to transition from CPU to GPU computing. It will require buy-in from the entire WSC/CP program and beyond, including all integrated codes, physics and engineering models, third-party library dependencies and performance portability abstractions. It will also require investment in research and development of numerical methods for computing adjoints of coupled physics across multiple adaptively refined moving meshes and of stochastic (Monte Carlo) and mesh free (SPH) methods. • New software and numerical techniques, largely pioneered by the AI/ML community, make this feasible. Chief among these is automatic differentiation (AD), the ability to employ AD at point-wise locations in a physics calculation (instead of traditional black-box approaches) and the ability to perform “back-propagation in time” (or reverse mode AD) for non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs). Fundamentally, the conclusion of this strategic planning exercise is that the time is right to undertake a large scale effort in WSC, centered on the existing integrated codes, to continue the natural evolution of mod/sim in the age of AI/ML. Instead of attempting to replace mod/sim with purely data driven AI/ML models, we believe the key to success is to integrate AI/ML by building on top of the decades of hard-won knowledge and the verified/validated multiphysics modelling capability that is the hallmark of the ASC program.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Developing tools and process controls to manufacture energy-efficient powders for additive manufacturing feedstocks: Computational analysis of metal powder manufacturing via machining

Traditionally, metal powders have been produced through methods such as grinding, atomization, and electrolysis. In contrast to these techniques, Metal Powder Works, Inc. has pioneered a methodology based on metal cutting. This innovative approach utilizes a vibrating cutting tool to machine metal particles, in the form of chips, from a workpiece. This technique allows for control of powder particle size, morphology, and avoids any thermally induced material changes. This collaboration aims to elucidate metal cutting characteristics and assess performance on tough materials like Inconel alloys. Computational models, using FEA and SPH techniques, will be developed initially, focusing on aluminum alloy (Al 7075-T6) for studying mesh sensitivity, cutting forces, and chip morphology.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Remembering Robert S. Fitzhugh, 1932-2007

Robert S. Fitzhugh, a Laboratory pioneer and mainstay of the Laboratory’s nuclear testing program, died January 7, 2007, just two days after celebrating his 85 th birthday. An engineer dedicated to craft, Fitz was one of the longest serving Laboratory employees and one of the most respected. His pension, because of his long tenure, was higher than his salary. Born January 5, 1922, in Philadelphia, Fitz graduated high school in 1939 and from Michigan State University with a BS in Electrical Engineering in June 1943. He enlisted in the United States Army in May 1943 and, after completing basic training, attended the University of Iowa as part of the Army Specialized Training Program. When the ASTP program was disbanded in early 1944, Fitz was sent to Columbia University as a laboratory technician and then on to Oak Ridge, where he worked on the thermal diffusion program. Fitz did not like Oak Ridge, describing the Zeppelin-like hanger he worked in as “a horrible place.”

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2025

SAFARI - Secure Automation For Advanced Reactor Innovation (Final Technical Report)

The Secure Automation For Advanced Reactor Innovation (SAFARI) project was a pioneering initiative aimed at fundamentally changing how nuclear power plants are operated and maintained. Recognizing that current nuclear plants often rely on extensive manual procedures and large staffs, leading to higher costs compared to other energy sources like natural gas, SAFARI sought to introduce smart, automated technologies to make nuclear energy more efficient, cost-effective, and safer. This report details the research and development efforts of the SAFARI project, bringing us closer to a future where advanced nuclear reactors can operate more autonomously, adapt flexibly to energy demands, and predict their maintenance needs before issues arise. One of the key achievements of the SAFARI project is its contribution to our understanding of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sophisticated computer models, known as Digital Twins, can be effectively integrated with the complex physics of nuclear reactors.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Developing tools and process controls to manufacture energy-efficient powders for additive manufacturing feedstocks

Traditionally, metal powders have been produced through methods such as grinding, atomization, and electrolysis. In contrast to these techniques, Metal Powder Works, Inc. has pioneered a methodology based on metal cutting. This innovative approach utilizes a vibrating cutting tool to machine metal particles, in the form of chips, from a workpiece. This technique allows for control of powder particle size, morphology, and avoids any thermally induced material changes. This collaboration aims to elucidate metal cutting characteristics and assess performance on tough materials like Inconel alloys. Computational models, using FEA and SPH techniques, will be developed initially, focusing on aluminum alloy (Al 7075- T6) for studying mesh sensitivity, cutting forces, and chip morphology.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Inclusive Shared Solar Initiative (ISSI) (Final Technical Report)

Between 2020 and 2024, the Inclusive Shared Solar Initiative (ISSI) served as a forum for three states to navigate the design and development of LMI-accessible community solar projects. A collaboration between the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), ISSI provided financial and technical assistance to teams of State Energy Offices and State LIHEAP Agencies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The key goals guiding ISSI were to develop four new community solar frameworks in three new states and create greater momentum among state governments, community solar developers, and the finance community in scaling and investing in community solar projects that are affordable and accessible to LIHEAP households. Ultimately, in addition to developing and launching four new shared solar projects serving LMI subscribers, the ISSI state partners pioneered community solar policy and program design strategies that increased protections for low-income consumers, reduced barriers to enrollment and project development, and fostered inter-program coordination.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

As part of its commitment to advancing safety and reliability assessment methodologies, Argonne National Laboratory pioneered the use of an evaluation method called the Success Path Method (SPM) to improve risk management for offshore oil and gas operations. The development of the SPM at Argonne has been driven by the need to improve existing risk assessment methodologies by focusing on the steps necessary for success rather than failure modes alone. This is particularly important for industrial environments like offshore facilities that perform multiple functions under a continuously evolving set of operational conditions – such as water depth and temperature, currents, and weather conditions. In these dynamic environments, the traditional Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) approach is far too complex as it focuses on what can go wrong – which comprises an infinite failure space that must be fully explored and understood. By shifting the focus to a finite space of success paths, the SPM enables operators and decision makers to prioritize a manageable number of steps that must go right to ensure success. Building on its five decades of experience in safety assessments for the nuclear industry, Argonne made major adaptations to existing risk assessment methods utilizing features similar to fault trees that are traditionally used in PRA to map all pathways in which the system can malfunction. In contrast, SPM identifies the components and processes that must function correctly to achieve specific outcomes – such as preventing the uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons during drilling operations. The SPM framework integrates equipment, procedures, software, processes, and human actions to ensure that physical barriers meet critical safety functions in dynamic operational conditions. This approach helps identify failure modes and improve operational risk management by narrowing the focus to key success elements, which in turn reduces uncertainty and helps users understand, manage, and respond to failures.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Enabling The Next Generation of Smart Sensors in Coal Fired Power Plants using Cellular 5G Technology

Ohio University (OHIO), West Virginia University (WVU), and American Electric Power (AEP) proposed to study and report on the benefits of 5G wireless cellular technologies for coal-fired power plants. The significant advantages, cost savings, and potential of 5G wireless data communications based sensors promised to usher in a new era of reliable, inexpensive, and powerful embedded systems that had not previously been available for coal-fired power plants. The team built upon existing experience with cellular-based systems, power plant water quality sensing, and high temperature sensors developed during past projects. Principal Investigator Wilhelm had been developing cellular-based sensor data systems with a commercial partner for 10 years, pioneering innovative solar-powered devices that began with 2G technology. The lessons and knowledge gained served as a foundation to demonstrate innovations and potential impacts specific to coal fired power plants enabled by 5G technology, along with integration with existing sensors and systems.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Glass Furnace Decarbonization Technology Stack (Final Technical Report)

This report summarizes the objectives, approach, and outcomes of the Glass Furnace Decarbonization Technology Stack project undertaken by Owens-Brockway Glass Container Incorporated under award number DE-CD0000093. The project aimed to implement a pioneering combination of furnace technologies at the Zanesville, OH manufacturing site to reduce carbon intensity (CI) by 20–40% compared to baseline operations. The proposed Furnace Technology Stack included a Gas/Oxy-fuel system, OPTIMELT™ Heat Recovery System, raw material pre-heating, electric boosting, and forehearth electrification—designed to demonstrate commercial feasibility and drive industry-wide decarbonization.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Advanced Moderator Module (AMM)

The U.S. nuclear sector is now focusing on advancing and deploying microreactors that blend efficiency, compactness, and safety. For thermal neutron microreactors designed for high temperature operations, employing a metal hydride-based moderator presents a valuable opportunity to enhance neutron efficiency. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has pioneered an Advanced Moderator Module (AMM) featuring an innovative containment strategy.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Abstract for CRADA between NETL and Rivalia Chemical Co

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will assist Rivalia Chemical Co (Participant) with system analyses to aid the Participant with setting priorities and securing funding. The Participant is an early-stage startup pioneering new chemical extraction technology to solve two important problems: critical mineral scarcity and coal ash waste management. The U.S. generates coal fly ash from coal combustion for power generation and has amassed over two billion metric tons of ash, which contains valuable rare earth elements. The ash is often stored in unlined ponds and frequently contaminates the local environment. The Participant’s patent-pending process harvests rare earths from ash, then transforms the residual ash for use in green concrete, providing an economic pathway for utilities to empty and remediate the ash ponds. Founder Laura Stoy created the company in July 2022 after developing the core intellectual property during her Ph.D. at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Stoy is currently participating in the Chain Reactions Innovations (CRI) program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) where she will be optimizing the core technology and scaling from bench scale to demonstration scale. The technology has been validated at bench scale (TRL3); the goal is to approach TRL5 by the conclusion of the CRI program and prepare to raise capital investment for a pilot facility. NETL and the Participant will develop an updated technoeconomic analysis (TEA) and identify key sustainability performance parameters to inform ’s research and development priorities and de-risk the technology. NETL will also provide the Participant with guidance to prepare a more detailed life cycle assessment (LCA), and a narrative on the Participant’s product markets. These tools will aid the Participant with the next steps of commercialization.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2025

White Paper: Scalable Digital Twin Capabilities for Aging and Surveillance of Engineered Systems

This white paper presents a multi-year initiative to develop practical, secure, and scalable digital twin capabilities for engineered systems in aging and surveillance contexts—an approach pioneered at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) that maps directly onto the needs and ambitions of the Navy for ship- and fleet-level digital twins. LLNL’s work in building part- and process-level digital twins for advanced manufacturing, with a vision to scale up to entire factory floors and, ultimately, enterprise-wide digital twins, offers an adaptable pathway for the Navy as it seeks to modernize lifecycle management, readiness, and predictive maintenance across ships and fleets. For our application, we integrate physics-based modeling with automated data ingestion, processing, and AI-driven calibration, creating hybrid models that are both interpretable and data responsive. We modernized legacy workflows, established centralized data infrastructure, automated experimental pipelines, and demonstrated end-to-end coupling of accelerated aging data with finite element simulations via optimization and surrogate modeling. The result is a generalizable framework that supports part-level digital twins today and lays the groundwork for future system-level twins suitable for Navy applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗