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At least 307 records · Page 17

Full-scale altitude engine test of a turbofan exhaust-gas-forced mixer to reduce thrust specific fuel consumption

The specific fuel consumption of a low-bypass-ratio, confluent-flow, turbofan engine was measured with and without a mixer installed. Tests were conducted for flight Mach numbers from 0.3 to 1.4 and altitudes from 10,670 to 14,630 meters (35,000 to 48,000 ft) for core-stream-to-fan-stream temperature ratios of 2.0 and 2.5 and mixing-length-to-diameter ratios of 0.95 and 1.74. For these test conditions, the reduction in specific fuel consumption varied from 2.5 percent to 4.0 percent. Pressure loss measurements as well as temperature and pressure surveys at the mixer inlet, the mixer exit, and the nozzle inlet were made.

Cullom, R. R.↗

Observation of EAS using a large water tank

Using a large water tank (30 m in diameter, 4.5 m in depth) transition of extensive air showers (EAS) was investigated at Taro (200 m above sea level). There are set 150,0.4 sq m proportional counters on the bottom of the water tank. A conventional EAS array of 25 plastic scintillation detectors was arranged within several tens meter from the water tank. A proportional counter (10x10x200 cc x2) is made of a square shaped pipe of iron. Tungsten wire (100 mu m phi) is stretched tight in the center of the counter. A gas mixture of 90% argon and 10% methane is used at 760 mmHg. About 3000 EAS were obtained through 1 m of water since 1984.

Inoue, K.↗

Infrared Extinction and the Initial Conditions for Star and Planet Formation

This grant funded a research program to use infrared extinction measurements to probe the detailed structure of dark molecular clouds and investigate the physical conditions which give rise to star and planet formation. The goals of the this program were to: 1) acquire deep infrared and molecular-line observations of a carefully selected sample of nearby dark clouds, 2) reduce and analyze the data obtained in order to produce detailed extinction maps of the clouds, 3) use the results to measure and quantitatively describe the physical conditions of the dense gas and dust that produce stars and their accompanying planetary systems in molecular clouds. The goals of this project were met and exceeded as described below. 1) The infrared data for the project were obtained in a number of observing runs using the 3.5-meter NTT and 8-meter VLT telescopes of the European Southern Observatory in Chile and the 1.2-meter telescope of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Arizona, the 1 0-meter Keck telescope in Hawaii, the 6.5-meter MMT of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Arizona, and the NASA Hubble Space Telescope. The molecular-line data was obtained in three runs using the IRAM 30-meter telescope in Spain and one run with the ESO-15 meter millimeter-wave telescope in Chile. Millimeter-wave continuum measurements were obtained with the 15-meter JCMT in Hawaii. 2) Considerable effort was expended to reduce the infrared imaging observations including the development of custom software to produce high quality photometry and source astrometry. All the millimeter-line data was reduced using standard reduction routines. The highlights of the infrared analysis were the production of detailed extinction maps and the construction of profiles of the density structure of the B68, Coalsack, B335 and Lupus clouds. 3) The principal scientific accomplishments of this research program include the following: We were able to use our infrared observations to determine the density structure of the B68 cloud to an unprecedented level of precision. This lead to a major breakthrough in the study of molecular cloud structure. For the first time we have been able to characterize the structure of a dark cloud in a detail only exceeded by that known for a star. We determined that the cloud's structure is exquisitely well described by the equations of a Bonner-Ebert sphere (a pressure confined isothermal sphere). We were able to show that the cloud is very nearly in equilibrium with the internal thermal pressure of the cloud balancing gravity and the external pressure of the surrounding interstellar medium. We were able to determine for the first time the gas-to-dust ratio in a dense cloud core. We also demonstrated a new method to determine extremely precise distances to such clouds by combining knowledge of the properties of Bonner-Ebert Spheres with our infrared and millimeter-wave observations.

Lada, Charles J.↗

Solar PV Oil and Gas Pipeline Setbacks: Ordinances (2022) and Extrapolated Trends

This dataset represents solar energy setback requirements from oil and gas pipelines. A setback requirement is a minimum distance from a pipeline that an energy project may be developed. As of April 2022, no ordinances were discovered for any counties. Such ordinances are likely to arise as regulations continue to expand. Therefore, this dataset applies a 30-meter setback, sourced from trends in other infrastructure. A TIF data file and a PNG map of the data are provided, showing areas where solar energy is prohibited or permitted across the contiguous United States. For further details and citation, please refer to the publication linked below: Lopez, Anthony, Pavlo Pinchuk, Michael Gleason, Wesley Cole, Trieu Mai, Travis Williams, Owen Roberts, Marie Rivers, Mike Bannister, Sophie-Min Thomson, Gabe Zuckerman, and Brian Sergi. 2024. Solar Photovoltaics and Land-Based Wind Technical Potential and Supply Curves for the Contiguous United States: 2023 Edition. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL/TP-6A20-87843.

Array↗

Assessing reservoir performance for geologic carbon sequestration in offshore saline reservoirs

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technological strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions from hydrocarbon-based energy production and non-energy industrial emitters, like fertilizer and cement production. To expand the geographic opportunities for CCS, offshore geologic settings are increasingly considered for saline CO 2 storage, particularly where legacy oil and gas infrastructure may be repurposed for CO 2 transport and injection. In this context, the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), United States (U.S.), may offer tremendous opportunity for CCS because the surrounding states are among the largest CO 2 producers in the U.S. and there has been extensive oil and gas development over the last half century. Nevertheless, there remains significant uncertainty in how GoM reservoir/seal systems will respond to industrial-scale CO 2 injections, particularly in the context of meso-scale (1–10s of meters) permeability variations that are difficult to identify prior to injection. Such permeability variations can have significant impacts on CO 2 migration and fluid pressure propagation, both of which govern the overall effectiveness of the CCS project. This research uses ensemble simulation methods to quantify the influence of spatially variable and a priori unknown permeability fields on CO 2 plume development and fluid pressure propagation when CO 2 is injected at 1 MMt per year for ten years. Results show a number of characteristic patterns that reveal the substantial influence of both near- and far-field permeability on reservoir performance. By focusing on basin characteristics that are common among offshore basins worldwide, results from this study suggest that offshore CCS may be a feasible carbon management strategy in regions where offshore basins are proximal to industrial CO 2 sources.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Fabrication of experimental three-meter space telescope primary and secondary mirror support structure

The fabrication of prototype titanium alloy primary and secondary mirror support structures for a proposed experimental three-meter space telescope is discussed. The structure was fabricated entirely of Ti-6Al-4V tubing and plate. Fabrication included the development of procedures including welding, forming, and machining. Most of the structures was fabricated by gas-shielding tungsten-arc (GTA) welding with several major components fabricated by high frequency resistance (HFR) welding.

Mishler, H. W.↗

Geologic Characterization of the South Georgia Rift Basin for Source Proximal CO2 Storage

The project Geologic Characterization of the South Georgia Rift Basin for Source Proximal CO2 Storage is one of 9 site characterization projects that were implemented as part of ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). Data from this project was used to improve resolution of data in NATCARB in the area of study. Data related to this study has already been incorporated in NATCARB Atlas. The South Carolina Research Foundation and partners evaluated the feasibility of CCS in the Jurassic/ Triassic (J / TR) saline formations of the buried Mesozoic South Georgia Rift (SGR) Basin that extends from South Carolina into Georgia. The J / TR sequence, based on preliminary assessment of limited geologic and geophysical data, appears to have both the appropriate areal extent and multiple horizons to permanently and safely store CO2 The presence of several igneous rock layers within the sequence may potentially provide adequate seals to prevent upward CO2 migration into the Coastal Plain aquifer systems. Approximately 81 kilometers of 2-D seismic reflection data were collected by Bay Geophysical, Inc. to explore a portion of the SGR located in southern Georgia. The 81 kilometers were divided into two lines approximately 40.5 kilometers each, with Line 1 intersecting Georgia well GGS 3457. Line 2 intersects Line 1 at the southern portion of Line 1 to maximize the extent of coverage away from GGS-3457 (a deep well drilled in the 1980s for oil and gas exploration). This well had a set of usable logs, including gamma and neutron logs that provided promising results related to CO2 storage. Results showed sandstone with porosity values greater than 10 percent and a thickness of 120 meters. The design of the seismic shot was to extrapolate information away from the well and to better define the extent of the SGR and the necessary reservoir and caprock for a successful CO2 injection. A numerical simulation model of CO2 Injection and migration was developed based on the geology log for the GGS-3457 well. The simulation model was used to investigate the feasibility of injecting 30 million metric tons of CO2 into SGR J / TA sediments and integrity of the diabase layers as seals to prevent CO2 migration.

2-D seismic↗

SWIFT - Shaped-Waveform Interrogation of Fluids Technique

Researchers at Los Alamos have developed the Shaped-Waveform Interrogation of Fluids Technique (SWIFT), a technology enabling unprecedented process control capability. This technology provides important composition, flow rate, and pipe thickness measurements in real-time, at an extremely low cost and maintenance cycle. By utilizing a specialized shaped-waveform, as well as state-of-the-art signal processing, this information can be gathered without any frequency-domain signal processing, allowing for simplified electronics compared to nearly any other meter on the market. Since this technology is in expensive and non-invasive, with the capability of measuring liquids in both flow pipes and sealed containers, it is perfect for several industrial applications in the oil and gas, beverage, chemical, and pharmaceutical spaces. We are seeking a commercialization partner to license the technology or fund us through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to a further develop a usable product for commercial purposes.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Fort Erie On-Demand Transit Case Study

Rural and smaller-sized communities in North America face unique mobility challenges due to their low population density, lower public transit spending per capita compared to major cities, and a high reliance on private vehicles. In recent years, communities such as Fort Erie, Ontario have restructured or advanced their public transit systems using on-demand services. Fort Erie is a relatively sparsely populated region of 32,901 residents, spread across a land area of 166 square kilometers (64 square miles), for an average population density of 193 residents per square kilometer (500 per square mile). In October 2021, the town implemented a mobility-on-demand system integrated with smartphone software to replace its fixed-route community bus system, which consisted of four buses with three routes, each with a roughly one-hour, one way loop. The new service utilizes a fleet of six minivans, two of which are retrofitted with wheelchair-accessible ramps. The system may require that a passenger requesting a standard van walk up to 400 meters (a quarter mile) to their pickup location to optimize vehicle routing while providing origin-to-destination service. The on-demand system proved effective in providing service, eclipsing pre-pandemic ridership by 40%, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions per ride by 63%, and decreasing the cost per ride to the town by 29%. This report documents both the previous system and the new system in terms of routes, ridership, costs, fuel, and other notable system parameters. This work is part of an ongoing series of case studies on providing small communities with on-demand, right-sized vehicle service coupled with a smartphone application.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Cryogenic Thermal Emittance Measurements on Small-Diameter Stainless Steel Tubing

The Mid Infrared Instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescope includes a mechanical cryocooler which cools its detectors to their 6 K operating temperature. The refrigerant flows through several meters of 2 mm diameter 304L stainless steel tubing, with some sections gold plated, and some not, which are exposed to their environment. An issue of water freezing onto the tube surfaces is mitigated by running a warm gas through the lines to sublimate the frozen water. To model the effect of this process on nearby instruments, an accurate measure of the tube emittance is needed. Previously we reported the absorptance of the gold plated stainless steel tubing as a function of source temperature (i.e. its environment). In this work the thermal emittance of the uncoated tubing is measured as a function of its temperature between 100 and 280 K. These values lead to an accurate prediction of the minimum length of time required to thermally recycle the system. We report the technique and present the results.

stainless steel↗

Fort Erie Case Study - Transition from Fixed-Route to On-Demand Transit

Rural and smaller-sized communities in North America face unique mobility challenges due to their low population density, lower public transit spending per capita compared to major cities, and a high reliance on private vehicles. In recent years, communities such as Fort Erie, Ontario, have restructured or advanced their public transit systems using on-demand services. Fort Erie is a relatively sparsely populated region of 32,901 residents, spread across a land area of 166 square kilometers (64 square miles), for an average population density of 193 residents per square kilometer (500 per square mile). In October 2021, the town implemented a mobility-on-demand system integrated with smartphone software to replace its fixed-route community bus system, which consisted of four buses with three routes, each with a roughly 1-hour, one-way loop. The new service utilizes a fleet of six minivans, two of which are retrofitted with wheelchair-accessible ramps. The system may require that a passenger requesting a standard van walk up to 400 meters (a quarter mile) to their pickup location to optimize vehicle routing while providing origin-to-destination service. The on-demand system proved effective in providing service, eclipsing pre-pandemic ridership by 40%, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions per ride by 63%, and decreasing the cost to the town per ride by 29%. This report documents both the previous system and the new system in terms of routes, ridership, costs, fuel, and other notable system parameters. This work is part of an ongoing series of case studies on providing small communities with on-demand, right-sized vehicle service coupled with a smartphone application.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,ENERGY PLANNING, POLIC↗

NREL On-Demand Transit Research and Fort Erie Case Study

On-demand systems have increased in popularity in recent years, especially in rural and smaller-sized communities. This presentation provides a brief introduction to NREL's on-demand mobility research and an in-depth case study of the town of Fort Erie, Ontario. Fort Erie is a relatively sparsely populated region of 32,901 residents, spread across a land area of 166 square kilometers (64 square miles), for an average population density of 193 residents per square kilometer (500 per square mile). In October 2021, the town implemented a mobility-on-demand system integrated with smartphone software to replace its fixed-route community bus system, which consisted of four buses with three routes, each with a roughly 1-hour, one-way loop. The new service utilizes a fleet of six minivans, two of which are retrofitted with wheelchair-accessible ramps. The system may require that a passenger requesting a standard van walk up to 400 meters (a quarter mile) to their pickup location to optimize vehicle routing while providing origin-to-destination service. The on-demand system proved effective in providing service, eclipsing pre-pandemic ridership by 40%, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions per ride by 63%, and decreasing the cost to the town per ride by 29%. This presentation documents both the previous system and the new system in terms of routes, ridership, costs, fuel, and other notable system parameters. This work is part of an ongoing series of case studies on providing small communities with on-demand, right-sized vehicle service coupled with a smartphone application.

emerging technology↗

Gas sampling method for determining pollutant concentrations in the flame zone of two swirl-can combustor modules

A gas sampling probe and traversing mechanism were developed to obtain detailed measurements of gaseous pollutant concentrations in the primary and mixing regions of combustors in order to better understand how pollutants are formed. The gas sampling probe was actuated by a three-degree-of-freedom traversing mechanism and the samples obtained were analyzed by an on-line gas analysis system. The pollutants in the flame zone of two different swirl-can combustor modules were measured at an inlet-air temperature of 590 K, pressure of 6 atmospheres, and reference velocities of 23 and 30 meters per second at a fuel-air ratio of 0.02. Typical results show large spatial gradients in the gaseous pollutant concentration close to the swirl-can module. Average concentrations of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide decrease rapidly in the downstream wake regions of each module. By careful and detailed probing, the effect of various module design features on pollutant formation can be assessed. The techniques presently developed seem adequate to obtain the desired information.

Duerr, R. A.↗

Sampling and Representativeness for a Spaceborne Wind Lidar

The capability of an Earth-orbiting lidar to produce a reliable windfield sampling with an error of 1-3 ms(exp -1) and that is relevant to numerical forecasting and climate studies is discussed. The spatial and temporal resolutions range from 100 km to 1000 km and 3 hr to 1 month respectively. In this respect cloud obstruction is of great concern, as it can prevent the lidar probing whole parts of the atmosphere, for both short and long periods of time. A worldwide analysis of cloudiness from either visual observations made from the ground or else from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) instrument, has shown that the average cloud cover is 60 percent. This analysis is only valid at large scales (time and space) compatible with the currently operating satellites. However, a lidar footprint is only about a hundred meters or less, and it was observed from ground based lidars that, even when the cloudiness is 100 percent, some lidar shots get through. A complete analysis of the probability of probing through clouds by a spaceborne lidar is presently beyond our capacities. Hence, no small scale cloudiness data set is yet available representing all kinds of meteorological situations at all latitudes.

Lieutaud, F.↗

Cryogenic Thermal Emittance Measurements on Small-Diameter Stainless Steel Tubing

The Mid Infrared Instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescoep includes a mechanical cryocooler which cools its detectors to their 6 K operating temperature. The refrigerant flows through several meters of approximately 2 mm diameter 304L stainless steel tubing, with some sections gold plated, and some not, which are exposed to their environment. An issue of water freezing onto the tube surfaces is mitigated by a running a warm gas through the lines to sublimate the water. To model the effect of this process on nearby instruments, an accurate measure of the tube emittance is needed. Previously we reported the abosprtance of the gold plated stainless steel tubing as a function of source temperature (i.e. its environment). In this work the thermal emittance of the uncoated tubing is measured as a function of its temperature between 100 and 300 K. This value leads to an accurate prediction of the minimum length of time required to thermally recycle the system. We report the technique and present the results.

cryogenic↗

CO2 lidar backscatter experiment

The Aerosol/Lidar Science Group of the Remote Sensing Branch engages in experimental and theoretical studies of atmospheric aerosol scattering and atmospheric dynamics, emphasizing Doppler lidar as a primary tool. Activities include field and laboratory measurement and analysis efforts by in-house personnel, coordinated with similar efforts by university and government institutional researchers. The primary focus of activities related to understanding aerosol scattering is the GLObal Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) program. GLOBE was initiated by NASA in 1986 to support the engineering design, performance simulation, and science planning for the prospective NASA Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS). The most important GLOBE scientific result has been identified of a background aerosol mode with a surprisingly uniform backscatter mixing ratio (backscatter normalized by air density) throughout a deep tropospheric layer. The backscatter magnitude of the background mode evident from the MSFC CW lidar measurements is remarkably similar to that evident from ground-based backscatter profile climatologies obtained by JPL in Pasadena CA, NOAA/WPL in Boulder CO, and by the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in the United Kingdom. Similar values for the background mode have been inferred from the conversion of in situ aerosol microphysical measurements to backscatter using Mie theory. Little seasonal or hemispheric variation is evident in the survey mission data, as opposed to large variation for clouds, aerosol plums, and the marine boundary layer. Additional features include: localized aerosol residues from dissipated clouds, occasional regions having mass concentrations of nanograms per cubic meter and very low backscatter, and aerosol plumes extending thousands of kilometers and several kilometers deep. Preliminary comparison with meteorological observations thus far indicate correlation between backscatter and water vapor under high humidity conditions. Limited intercomparisons with the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) limb extinction sounder shows differences in the troposphere, however, it should be noted that in general SAGE measurements have not yet been validated in the troposphere.

Jarzembski, Maurice A.↗

Estimating the impacts of natural gas power generation growth on solar electricity development: PJM's evolving resource mix and ramping capability

Abstract Expansion of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) and natural gas‐fired generation capacity in the United States has put a renewed spotlight on methods and tools for power system planning and grid modernization. This article investigates the impact of increasing natural gas‐fired electricity generation assets on installed distributed solar PV systems in the Pennsylvania–New Jersey–Maryland (PJM) Interconnection in the United States over the period 2008–2018. We developed an empirical dynamic panel data model using the system‐generalized method of moments (system‐GMM) estimation approach. The model accounts for the impact of past and current technical, market and policy changes over time, forecasting errors, and business cycles by controlling for PJM jurisdictions‐level effects and year fixed effects. Using an instrumental variable to control for endogeneity, we concluded that natural gas does not crowd out renewables like solar PV in the PJM capacity market; however, we also found considerable heterogeneity. Such heterogeneity was displayed in the relationship between solar PV systems and electricity prices. More interestingly, we found no evidence suggesting any relationship between distributed solar PV development and nuclear, coal, hydro, or electricity consumption. In addition, considering policy effects of state renewable portfolio standards, net energy metering, differences in the PJM market structure, and other demand and cost‐related factors proved important in assessing their impacts on solar PV generation capacity, including energy storage as a non‐wire alternative policy technique. This article is categorized under: Photovoltaics > Economics and Policy Fossil Fuels > Climate and Environment Energy Systems Economics > Economics and Policy

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Influences of CO2 sublimation/condensation processes on the long-term evolution of the Martian atmosphere

The accumulation process of frozen CO2 within the Martian regolith is analyzed. The boundary conditions are taken to be the periodically variable temperature at the Mars surface and the constant heat flux at the bottom of the regolith layers, some hundred meters thick. The mean value of temperature as well as its amplitude are assumed to be dependent on latitude and could be variable with the geological time scale. The flux of gaseous CO2 within the regolith is controlled by the mechanism of gas transport through the porous medium. An appropriate initial geometry of distribution of pores is assumed. The porosity and flux change due to condensation/sublimation processes. The equations of heat and mass transfer are solved numerically for a given latitude. Next, the local (over the parallel of latitude belt) annual balance of CO2 is calculated. The procedure is repeated over the whole Martian surface and next the total annual net flux is calculated.

Kossacki, K.↗