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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Mitigating life cycle GHG emissions of roads to be built through 2030: Case study of a Chinese province

We report the expansion of road networks in emerging economies such as China causes significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This development is conflicting with China's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality. Thus, there is a need to better understand life cycle emissions of road infrastructure and opportunities to mitigate these emissions. Existing impact studies of roads in developing countries do not address recycled materials, improved pavement maintenance, or pavement-vehicle interaction and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Combining firsthand information from Chinese road construction engineers with publicly available data, this paper estimates a comprehensive account of GHG emissions of the road pavement network to be constructed in the next ten years in the Shandong province in Northern China. Further, we estimate the potential of GHG emission reductions achievable under three scenario sets: maintenance optimization, alternative pavement material replacement, and EV adoption. Results show that the life cycle GHG emissions of highways and Class 1–4 roads to be constructed in the next 10 years amount to 147 Mt CO2-eq. Considering the use phase in our model reveals that it is the dominant stage in terms of emissions, largely due to pavement-vehicle interaction. Vehicle electrification can only moderately mitigate these emissions. Other stages, such as materials production and road maintenance and rehabilitation, contribute substantially to GHG emissions as well, highlighting the importance of optimizing the management of these stages. Surprisingly, longer, not shorter maintenance intervals, yield significant emission reductions. Another counter-intuitive finding is that thicker and more material-intensive pavement surfaces cause lower emissions overall. Taken together, optimal maintenance and rehabilitation schedules, alternative material use, and vehicle electrification provide GHG reduction potentials of 11%, 4%–16% and 2%–6%, respectively.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Geomechanical and flow implications with continued bioconversion of coal to methane: Experiments and modeling

Microbial conversion of coal to methane is a promising technology during transition of coal-based energy from conventional coal mining to natural gas recovery from coal. Significant research advances have been made towards engineering ideal microbial communities and nutrients for bio-stimulation of coal. However, actual field applications require geomechanical and flow behavior characterization of coal during the bioconversion process as well as gas production over the life of the created “biogenic gas reservoirs”. This work presents the results of an experimental investigation to estimate gas/methane production using bioconversion of coal and analyses of variations in bulk modulus, strain and permeability. Bulk modulus of coal demonstrated time-dependent behavior with continued bioconversion of solid coal. The phenomenon was modeled using mass balancing in a closed environment and the logistic equation based biogenic gas production with time. The modeled gas production and changes in modulus of coal showed excellent agreement with the corresponding experimental results. Next, numerical simulation of biogenic conversion of coal in a constant stress in-situ condition, replicating the Huff ‘n Puff method under field conditions, was carried out. The results showed that bioconversion can lead to decrease in effective stress, increase in permeability and decrease in the modulus of coal with time. Repeated recharge of coal with nutrients and recovering the produced gas, that is, sequential cycles of Huff n’ Puff, showed further increase in permeability and decrease in coal strength, potentially leading to coal failure in-situ, further increasing the permeability, thus enhancing the prospect of field application of the technology.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Greenhouse Gas Accounting Procedures in Low Carbon Fuel Policies Overlook the Spatial Variability of Miscanthus-Derived Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Low carbon fuel policies such as the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Canada Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR), and California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) as well as the 45Z tax credit are intended to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation. Cellulosic feedstocks, optimized biorefineries, and favorable farming locations can significantly reduce biofuel carbon intensity (CI). Despite advances in field-to-fuel GHG monitoring and flexibility in resource allocation within biorefineries (e.g., governing net electricity production), rigid CI accounting procedures in current policies may limit CI responsiveness across candidate sites and processing facilities. Here, this work examines a hypothetical biomass-to-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pathway using miscanthus and alcohol-to-jet (i) to demonstrate how GHG accounting requirements drive estimates of biofuel CIs and (ii) to explore potential CI and financial implications of scenario-specific life cycle assessment (LCA). Results demonstrate that GHG accounting using the CFR/LCFS can reasonably account for distinct levels of net electricity production by a biorefinery, but only the CFR yields similar CI sensitivity to spatially explicit factors (feedstock CI, grid electricity CI) as scenario-specific LCA: most GHG accounting frameworks do not capture CI variation across candidate sites in the United States. Ultimately, this work demonstrates the importance of LCA methodological specifications in low carbon fuel policies and tax credits.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electricity consumption variation versus economic structure during COVID-19 on metropolitan statistical areas in the US

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has resulted in changes in productivity and daily life patterns, and as a result electricity consumption (EC) has also shifted. In this paper, we construct estimates of EC changes at the metropolitan level across the continental U.S., including total EC and residential EC during the initial two months of the pandemic. The total and residential data on the state level were broken down into the county level, and then metropolitan level EC estimates were aggregated from the counties included in each metropolitan statistical area (MSA). This work shows that the reduction in total EC is related to the shares of certain industries in an MSA, whereas regardless of the incidence level or economic structure, the residential sector shows a trend of increasing EC across the continental U.S. Since the MSAs account for 86% of the total population and 87% of the total EC of the continental U.S., the analytical result in this paper can provide important guidelines for future social-economic crises.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Research and Development Priorities for Silicon Photovoltaic Module Recycling to Support a Circular Economy

Large-scale deployment of photovoltaic (PV) modules has considerably increased in recent decades. Given an estimated lifetime of 30 years, the challenge of how to handle large volumes of end-of-life PV modules is starting to emerge. In this Perspective, we assess the global status of practice and knowledge for end-of-life management for crystalline silicon PV modules. We focus in particular on module recycling, a key aspect in the circular economy of photovoltaic panels. We recommend research and development to reduce recycling costs and environmental impacts compared to disposal while maximizing material recovery. We suggest that the recovery of high-value silicon is more advantageous than the recovery of intact silicon wafers. This approach requires the identification of contaminants and the design of purification processes for recovered silicon. The environmental and economic impacts of recycling practices should be explored with techno–economic analyses and life-cycle assessments to optimize solutions and minimize trade-offs. As photovoltaic technology advances rapidly, it is important for the recycling industry to plan adaptable recycling infrastructure.

c-Si↗
DOE OSTI2025

EverBESS

SF-25-113 This software is a website for the EverBESS model. This model examines the cost and environmental impacts related to end-of-life management of battery energy storage systems. Users input their system's specifications and the model returns estimates for the costs of decommissioning, transporting, and recycling the system.

Elias, Jakob [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), A↗
DOE OSTI2024

Global disease burden linked to diet high in red meat and colorectal cancer from 1990 to 2019 and its prediction up to 2030

Background Numerous studies have already identified an association between excessive consumption of red meat and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, there has been a lack of detailed understanding regarding the disease burden linked to diet high in red meat and CRC. Objective We aim to offer evidence-based guidance for developing effective strategies that can mitigate the elevated CRC burden in certain countries. Methods We used the data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 to evaluate global, regional, and national mortality rates and disability-adjusted Life years (DALYs) related to diet high in red meat. We also considered factors such as sex, age, the socio-demographic index (SDI), and evaluated the cross-national inequalities. Furthermore, we utilized DALYs data from 204 countries and regions to measure cross-country inequalities of CRC by calculating the slope index of inequality and concentration index as standard indicators of absolute and relative inequalities. Discussion The results show that globally, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized disability adjusted life year rate (ASDR) related to CRC due to diet high in red meat have decreased, with estimated annual percent change (EAPCs) of −0.32% (95% CI −0.37 to −0.28) and-0.18% (95% CI −0.25 to −0.11). Notably, the burden was higher among males and the elderly. The slope index of inequality rose from 22.0 (95% CI 18.1 to 25.9) in 1990 to 32.9 (95% CI 28.3 to 37.5) in 2019 and the concentration index fell from 59.5 (95% CI 46.4 to 72.6) in 1990 to 48.9 (95% CI 34.6 to 63.1) in 2019. Also, according to our projections, global ASDR and ASMR might tend to increase up to 2030. Conclusion ASMR and ASDR for CRC associated with high red meat diets declined globally from 1990 to 2019, but the absolute number of cases is still rising, with men and the elderly being more affected. CRC associated with diets high in red meat exhibits significant income inequality, placing a disproportionate burden on wealthier countries. Moreover, according to our projections, ASMR and ASDR are likely to increase globally by 2030. In order to address this intractable disease problem, understanding changes in global and regional epidemiologic trends is critical for policy makers and others.

Yang, Xuesong↗
DOE OSTI2024

Battery Energy Storage Systems: A Review of Energy Management Systems and Health Metrics

With increasing concerns about climate change, there is a transition from high-carbon-emitting fuels to green energy resources in various applications including household, commercial, transportation, and electric grid applications. Even though renewable energy resources are receiving traction for being carbon-neutral, their availability is intermittent. To address this issue to achieve extensive application, the integration of energy storage systems in conjunction with these resources is becoming a recommended practice. Additionally, in the transportation sector, the increased demand for EVs requires the development of energy storage systems that can deliver energy for rigorous driving cycles, with lithium-ion-based batteries emerging as the superior choice for energy storage due to their high power and energy densities, length of their life cycle, low self-discharge rates, and reasonable cost. As a result, battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are becoming a primary energy storage system. The high-performance demand on these BESS can have severe negative effects on their internal operations such as heating and catching on fire when operating in overcharge or undercharge states. Reduced efficiency and poor charge storage result in the battery operating at higher temperatures. To mitigate early battery degradation, battery management systems (BMSs) have been devised to enhance battery life and ensure normal operation under safe operating conditions. Some BMSs are capable of determining precise state estimations to ensure safe battery operation and reduce hazards. Precise estimation of battery health is computed by evaluating several metrics and is a central factor in effective battery management systems. In this scenario, the accurate estimation of the health indicators (HIs) of the battery becomes even more important within the framework of a BMS. This paper provides a comprehensive review and discussion of battery management systems and different health indicators for BESSs, with suitable classification based on key characteristics.

Nazaralizadeh, Solmaz (ORCID:0009000737004039)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atmospheric processing and aerosol aging responsible for observed increase in absorptivity of long-range-transported smoke over the southeast Atlantic

Biomass burning aerosol (BBA) from agricultural fires in southern Africa contributes about one-third of the global carbonaceous aerosol load. These particles have strong radiative effects in the southeast Atlantic (SEA), which depend in part on the radiative contrast between the aerosol layer in the free troposphere (FT) and the underlying cloud layer. However, there is large disagreement in model estimates of aerosol-driven climate forcing due to uncertainties in the vertical distribution, optical properties, and life cycle of these particles. This study applies a novel method combining remote sensing observations with regional model outputs to investigate the aging of the BBA and its impact on the optical properties during transatlantic transport from emission sources in Africa to the SEA. Results show distinct variations in extinction Ångström exponent (EAE) and single-scattering albedo (SSA) as aerosols age. Near the source, fresh aerosols are characterized by low mean SSA (0.84) and high EAE (1.85), indicating smaller, highly absorbing particles. By isolating marine contributions from the total column during BBA transport across the SEA, our analysis reveals an initial decrease in BBA absorptivity, with mean FT SSA of 0.87 after 6–7 d, followed by increased absorptivity with mean FT SSA of 0.84 after 10 d, suggesting enhanced absorption due to chemical aging. These findings indicate that BBA becomes more absorbing during extended transport across the SEA, with implications for reducing model uncertainties. Our remote-sensing-based results agree well with previous in situ studies and offer new insights into aerosol–radiation interactions and the energy balance over the SEA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

State-Specific Prevalence of Inactivity, Self-Rated Health Status, and Severe Joint Pain Among Adults With Arthritis — United States, 2019

Arthritis is associated with joint pain, disability, and physical inactivity, potentially resulting in poor quality of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate state-specific arthritis prevalence and, among adults with arthritis, the prevalence of physical inactivity, fair/poor self-rated health status, and severe joint pain. Among adults with arthritis, age-standardized prevalences of physical inactivity, fair/poor health status, and severe joint pain were high in all states and highest in southeastern states. Increased promotion and use of evidence-based public health interventions for arthritis may improve health-promoting behaviors and health outcomes among adults with arthritis.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

MODELS FOR ESTIMATING THE AUTOFRETTAGE PRESSURE AND RESIDUAL STRESSES IN WALLS OF TYPE 2 PRESSURE VESSELS

Autofrettage is a manufacturing process used during fabrication of Type 2 pressure vessels designed for usage at high pressures to enhance the fatigue life. The process locks high compressive residual stresses in the vessel’s liner wall that reduce the maximum and the mean stress during service loading. To achieve a consistent residual stress profile across the wall of the vessel, the choice of autofrettage pressure is critical. Several finite element analyses runs were conducted to estimate the correct autofrettage pressure that is a function of the yield strength of the liner material, the wall thickness, and the outside diameter of the liner for a wrap thickness of 17.06 mm (48 wire layers). From the finite element analyses results, models were developed to estimate the correct autofrettage pressure and the residual stress distribution across the liner wall as a function of the yield strength of the liner material, the wall thickness, and the outside diameter of the liner.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of DNA methylation‐based epigenetic age predictors in loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda )

Abstract Biological ageing is connected to life history variation across ecological scales and informs a basic understanding of age‐related declines in organismal function. Altered DNA methylation dynamics are a conserved aspect of biological ageing and have recently been modelled to predict chronological age among vertebrate species. In addition to their utility in estimating individual age, differences between chronological and predicted ages arise due to acceleration or deceleration of epigenetic ageing, and these discrepancies are linked to disease risk and multiple life history traits. Although evidence suggests that patterns of DNA methylation can describe ageing in plants, predictions with epigenetic clocks have yet to be performed. Here, we resolve the DNA methylome across CpG, CHG, and CHH‐methylation contexts in the loblolly pine tree ( Pinus taeda ) and construct epigenetic clocks capable of predicting ages in this species within 6% of its maximum lifespan. Although patterns of CHH‐methylation showed little association with age, both CpG and CHG‐methylation contexts were strongly associated with ageing, largely becoming hypomethylated with age. Among age‐associated loci were those in close proximity to malate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase, and 18S and 26S ribosomal RNA genes. This study reports one of the first epigenetic clocks in plants and demonstrates the universality of age‐associated DNA methylation dynamics which can inform conservation and management practices, as well as our ecological and evolutionary understanding of biological ageing in plants.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Advancing Ethanol-to-Jet cost Effectiveness via direct conversion to n -Butene-Rich olefins and Co-Product Valorization

Ethanol is a promising feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel production; however, conventional routes face significant energy and cost challenges, particularly due to the ethanol dehydration step to ethylene. Here, this study leverages breakthrough experimental data to perform comprehensive techno-economic and life-cycle assessments of an innovative ethanol-to-jet process. The process employs a single-step catalytic conversion, enabled by multifunctional Cu-ZrO 2 /SBA-16 catalyst, to directly upgrade ethanol into a mixed olefin stream rich in n-butene. The single-step conversion eliminates the costly ethanol dehydration step in the conventional process. High selectivity toward n-butene offers key advantages: it simplifies downstream oligomerization into jet-range hydrocarbons and enables the co-production of renewable n-butene alongside sustainable aviation fuel. The analysis estimates a minimum fuel selling price as low as $\$$2.50 per gallon, whether using corn ethanol or cellulosic ethanol from corn stover. Life cycle CO 2 equivalent emissions are projected to be as low as 10.6 g CO 2 eq/MJ sustainable aviation fuel, representing over 70% reduction compared to conventional petroleum-based jet fuel. This one-step ethanol upgrading approach not only facilitates SAF and n-butene co-production but also provides operational flexibility. The ability to tailor product outputs allows the ethanol-to-jet process to adapt to varying feedstocks, incentive programs, and market dynamics, ultimately enhancing the economic viability of sustainable aviation fuel production.

Xu, Yiling [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effect of radiation exposure on survival after first solid cancer diagnosis in A-bomb survivors

Comparison of the estimated effect of atomic bomb radiation exposure on solid cancer incidence and solid cancer mortality in the RERF Life Span Study (LSS) reveals a difference in the magnitude and shape of the excess relative risk dose response. A possible contributing factor to this difference is pre-diagnosis radiation effect on post-diagnosis survival. Pre-diagnosis radiation exposure theoretically could influence post-diagnosis survival by affecting the genetic makeup and possibly aggressiveness of cancer, or by compromising tolerance for aggressive treatment for cancer. We analyze the radiation effect on post-diagnosis survival in 20,463 LSS subjects diagnosed with first-primary solid cancer between 1958 and 2009 with particular attention to whether death was caused by the first-primary cancer, other cancer, or non-cancer diseases. From multivariable Cox regression analysis of cause-specific survival, the excess hazard at 1 Gy (EH 1Gy ) for death from the first primary cancer was not significantly different from zero – p = 0.23, EH 1Gy = 0.038 (95 % CI: –0.023, 0.104). Death from other cancer and death from non-cancer diseases both were significantly associated with radiation dose: other cancer EH 1Gy = 0.38 (95 % CI: 0.24, 0.53); non-cancer EH 1Gy = 0.24 (95 % CI: 0.13, 0.36), both p < 0.001. There is no detectable large effect of pre-diagnosis radiation exposure on post-diagnosis death from the first primary cancer in A-bomb survivors. A direct effect of pre-diagnosis radiation exposure on cancer prognosis is ruled out as an explanation for the difference in incidence and mortality dose response in A-bomb survivors.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mesoscale convective clustering enhances tropical precipitation

In the tropics, extreme precipitation events are often caused by mesoscale systems of organized, spatially clustered deep cumulonimbi, posing a substantial risk to life and property. While the clustering of convective clouds has been thought to strengthen precipitation rate, no quantitative estimates of this hypothesized enhancement exist. In this study, after isolating the effects of mesoscale convective clustering on precipitation, we find that strongly clustered oceanic convection precipitates more intensely than weakly clustered convection. We further show that this enhancement is primarily attributable to an increase in convective precipitation rate when the environment is less than 70% saturated, with increases in the size of the rainy stratiform region being of equal or greater importance when the environment is closer to saturation. Our results suggest that a correct representation of mesoscale organized convective systems in numerical weather and climate models is needed for accurate predictions of extreme precipitation events.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

PV O&M Cost Model [SWR-21-14]

This tool presents a method for calculating costs associated with the operation and maintenance (O&M) of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The tool compiles details regarding the cost and frequency of multiple O&M services to estimate annual O&M costs ($/year) for each year of an analysis period, the net present value ($) of life cycle costs accumulated over the analysis period, and the reserve account amount ($) that might be required to fund unexpected repairs. The reserve account includes parts inventory and is important for providing a source of funds to make repairs quickly and avoid lost production. This method allows a detailed selection of services to perform based on system size, market served (e.g., residential, commercial, or utility), type and configuration of system components (e.g., micro-, string, or central inverter), and site and environmental conditions (e.g., pollen, bird populations) which is an improvement over simple per unit valuations of O&M costs ($/kW/year). This model also distinguishes costs that vary from year to year and increase at different rates over time as modeled by heuristic failure distributions (e.g., Weibull or Lognormal distribution) based on actuarial data for many of the services.

Walker, Andy↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integrated Modeling Report for CO 2 Storage with Enhanced Oil Recovery in Northern Michigan

The Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) was founded in 2003 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership initiative. Since its founding, MRCSP has made significant strides toward making CCUS a viable option for states in the region. The public/private consortium, funded through the DOE Regional Carbon Sequestration Initiative, brings together nearly 40 industry partners and 10 states. Battelle, as the project lead, oversees research, development and operations and coordinates activities among the partners. The incremental, phased approach has built a valuable knowledge base for the industry and paved the way for commercial-scale adoption of CCUS technologies. From 2008 to 2020, MRCSP Phase III focused on the development of large-scale injection projects. This report is part of a series of reports prepared under the Midwestern Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) Phase III (Development Phase). These reports summarize and detail the findings of the work conducted under the Phase III project. MRCSP has been investigating various reservoir characterization and modeling technologies related to Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in conjunction with carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO 2 -EOR) operations in multiple Silurian-age (Niagaran), oil-bearing, carbonate pinnacle reefs in northern Michigan, USA. This report provides a comprehensive discussion of reservoir modeling studies that were conducted for tracking oil production, forecasting CO 2 plume migration, and estimating associated storage in a number of reefs that were at different stages of their CO 2 -EOR life cycle. The modeling process for simulating oil production, CO 2 injection, and associated storage in these reefs entails two phases. The first phase, geologic framework modeling, integrates all pertinent geological and geophysical data (from logs, cores and seismic surveys) about reservoir structure, geometry, rock types, and property distributions (porosity, permeability, water saturation) into a 3-D distributed grid-based static earth model (SEM). The second phase, dynamic reservoir modeling, uses the SEM as a platform to simulate the movement of oil, gas, water, and CO 2 within the reservoir during primary hydrocarbon production, as well as during subsequent phases such as CO 2 -injection assisted EOR, plume migration, and associated storage. In addition, an assessment of coupled process effects is also carried out, where the impacts of geochemical and geo-mechanical processed induced by CO 2 injection are studied.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗