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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Gold-tantalum alloy films deposited by high-density-plasma magnetron sputtering

Gold-tantalum alloy films are of interest for biomedical and magnetically-assisted inertial confinement fusion applications. Here, we systematically study the effects of substrate tilt (0°–80°) and negative substrate bias (0–100 V) on properties of ≲3-μm-thick films deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) from a Au–Ta alloy target (with 80 at. % of Ta). Results reveal that, for all the substrate bias values studied, an increase in substrate tilt leads to a monotonic decrease in film thickness, density, residual compressive stress, and electrical conductivity. Larger substrate bias favors the formation of a body-centered cubic phase, with films exhibiting lower column tilt and higher density, electrical conductivity, and residual compressive stress. Furthermore, these changes are attributed to metal atom ionization effects, based on the lack of correlation with distributions of landing energies and incident angles of depositing species as calculated by Monte Carlo simulations of ballistic collisions and gas phase atomic transport. By varying substrate tilt and bias in HiPIMS deposition, properties of Au–Ta alloy films can be controlled in a very wide range, including residual stress from –2 to +0.5 GPa, density from 12 to 17 g/cm 3 , and the electrical resistivity from 50 to 4500 μΩ cm, enabling optimum deposition conditions to be selected for specific applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hierarchical Network Partitioning for Solution of Potential-Driven, Steady-State Nonlinear Network Flow Equations

The solution of potential-driven steady-state flow in large networks is a task which manifests in various engineering applications, such as transport of natural gas or water through pipeline networks. The resultant system of nonlinear equations depends on the network topology, and in general, there is no numerical algorithm that offers guaranteed convergence to the solution (assuming a solution exists). Some methods offer guarantees in cases where the network topology satisfies certain assumptions, but these methods fail for larger networks. On the other hand, the Newton-Raphson algorithm offers a convergence guarantee if the starting point lies close to the (unknown) solution. It would be advantageous to compute the solution of the large nonlinear system through the solution of smaller nonlinear sub-systems wherein the solution algorithms (Newton-Raphson or otherwise) are more likely to succeed. Here, this letter proposes and describes such a procedure, a hierarchical network partitioning algorithm that enables the solution of large nonlinear systems corresponding to potential-driven steady-state network flow equations.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Water and vapor transport in algal‐fungal lichen: Modeling constrained by laboratory experiments, an application for Flavoparmelia caperata

ABSTRACT Algal‐fungal symbionts share water, nutrients, and gases via an architecture unique to lichens. Because lichen activity is controlled by moisture dynamics, understanding water transport is prerequisite to understand their fundamental biology. We propose a model of water distributions within foliose lichens governed by laws of fluid motion. Our model differentiates between water stored in symbionts, on extracellular surfaces, and in distinct morphological layers. We parameterize our model with hydraulic properties inverted from laboratory measurements of Flavoparmelia caperata and validate for wetting and drying. We ask: (1) Where is the bottleneck to water transport? (2) How do hydration and dehydration dynamics differ? and (3) What causes these differences? Resistance to vapor flow is concentrated at thallus surfaces and acts as the bottleneck for equilibrium, while internal resistances are small. The model captures hysteresis in hydration and desiccation, which are shown to be controlled by nonlinearities in hydraulic capacitance. Muting existing nonlinearities slowed drying and accelerated wetting, while exaggerating nonlinearities accelerated drying and slowed wetting. The hydraulic nonlinearity of F. caperata is considerable, which may reflect its preference for humid and stable environments. The model establishes the physical foundation for future investigations of transport of water, gas, and sugar between symbionts.

Potkay, Aaron↗
DOE OSTI2020

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF FUEL PHYSICAL PROPERTY EFFECTS ON SPARK IGNITION ENGINE PERFORMANCE

Alternative fuels are of interest to automakers and regulators due to their potential to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources. Alternative fuels also have fuel properties which may enable advanced combustion modes with higher engine thermal efficiencies. There has been previous work to identify the relationship between various fuel properties and engine performance, but most of this work has been experiments or simulations where the change in properties was obtained through changing the fuel composition, making isolating the effects of individual fuel properties difficult. In this study, numerical simulations have been used to investigate the effects of individual fuel physical properties such as viscosity or heat of vaporization (HoV) on engine performance. Simulations have been performed of two different engine platforms, the first an optical, single-cylinder research engine and the second a multi-cylinder production engine. Both engines are direct-injection spark-ignition engines with pent-roof heads and are designed for automotive applications. Each engine was run at a different operating condition, one stable and one knock-limited. Different base fuels provided a variety of simulated conditions. Up to six different fuel properties were varied as part of Global Sensitivity Analyses performed for each of the engines with multiple performance targets including thermal efficiency, combustion efficiency and combustion phasing. Results show trends that are largely consistent with previous experimental findings using multiple fuels. The engine thermal efficiency was primarily sensitive to the fuel's HoV, with other fuel physical properties having smaller effects. For optical engine results, the magnitude of the effect was greater in this study than expected based on previous experimental results were many fuel physical and chemical properties were varied simultaneously. However, for the multi-cylinder production engine, the relationship between thermal efficiency and HoV was slightly smaller.

engine simulation↗
DOE OSTI2021

Using AI to build a hydrobiogeochemical soil model

Soil water content is a function of inputs from precipitation and outputs via evaporation, transpiration, lateral flow, and vertical percolation, and is sensitive to biogeochemical processes. As such, soils serve as an ideal integrator of atmospheric, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes affecting the water cycle. In addition, soil water retention capacity, infiltration rates, and hydraulic conductivity can buffer or exacerbate the effects of extreme precipitation events (e.g., flooding, runoff, subsurface transport, erosion, greenhouse gas emissions) and mitigate the impact of droughts and heat waves on land systems (e.g., fire, crop failure). However, integrating water cycle measurements spanning different land atmosphere compartments across scales is a fundamental barrier for numerical model predictability. A significant challenge is that each domain (soil, hydrology, biology, and atmosphere) typically collects different sets of data at different temporal and spatial frequencies/scales, and even different dimensionalities (2D vs 3D). To implement soil as an integrator of the water cycle in land models, we suggest that novel machine learning (ML) tools can be developed to effectively simulate complex landscapes across various domains and scales, extended to regions with sparse or no data. The ultimate goals are to improve predictive understanding of land-atmosphere interactions and to extend the predictability of current Earth System Models (ESMs) through better integration of hydrological and biogeochemical data. We envision a framework in which: (1) ML-aided data reconstructions enable the merger of data sources into a unified geospatial product; (2) automated detection techniques are used to improve the knowledge of complex soil processes and interactions; and (3) this knowledge is leveraged and incorporated into models through AI-based emulators to distinctly connect the land and atmospheric compartments of the water cycle in models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multi-Constituent Airborne Contaminants Capture with Low Cost Oxide Getters and Mitigation of Cathode Poisoning in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

The technical effort and scientific findings, discussed in this report, documents operational barriers and associated long term performance stability challenges posed by the presence of trace airborne multi-constituent contaminants present in high-temperature electrochemical systems, including Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs), Ion Transport Membranes, and Gas Separation systems. Above systems, offering promises for cleanliness and energy efficiency, face challenges with electrode poisoning stemming from the presence of trace contaminants including gaseous Cr/B/Si vapors in the presence of intrinsic contaminants SO 2 /CO 2 /H 2 O gases. The study indicates that the long-term electrical performance degradation in SOFC systems can be traced to electrochemical, structural, and mechanical changes across cell, stack, and balance of plant components resulting from interactions with trace contaminants leading to increase in both ohmic and non-ohmic polarizations. The degradation primarily results from solid-state and gas-phase materials migration, electrode poisoning, and interactions at the cell and stack levels. Cathode degradation emerges as a significant factor impacting overall SOFC performance, especially related to the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic airborne impurities such as SOx, CrOx(OH)y, SOx, Si(OH)x, and HBOx. Although at trace levels, prolong systems operation at higher airflow (3-10X stoichiometric) allow the accumulation of contaminants within the cell components leading to electrical performance degradation through poisoning and electrode deactivation.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Characterization of Lab-Grown Cracks for Aerosol Transmission Testing

Motivation: Determine the length and opening of two lab-grown cracks, designated as LT-14 and LT-28, representative of stress corrosion cracks in spent nuclear fuel dry storage casks to supplement future testing of gas and aerosol transport. Problem: The extreme aspect ratio of the crack length to opening requires that imaging occurs in stages with the results merged before final analysis. Method: High magnification (1500x) optical images of both sides of the two plates were acquired. 20x stitched images with LSCM were acquired, fully stitched along the length, and leveled with newly developed PLATES Method in MATLAB®. Conclusion for LT-14: Side 1 is 47.25 mm long and has 366 separate crack features with an average length of 23.50 µm and an average opening of 8.27 µm. Side 2 is 69.44 mm long and has 550 separate crack features with an average length of 81.63 µm and an average opening of 67.70 µm. Conclusion for LT-28: Side 1 is 71.95 mm long and has 1,127 separate crack features with an average length of 42.27 µm and an average opening of 10.31 µm. Side 2 is 74.88 mm long and has 520 separate crack features with an average length of 98.13 µm and an average opening of 14.99 µm. The adjacent crack on side 1 is 18.95 mm long and has 37 separate crack features with an average length of 17.46 µm and an average opening of 10.42 µm. The adjacent crack on side 2 is 26.40 mm long and has 55 separate crack features with an average length of 87.26 µm and an average opening of 48.29 µm. Each adjacent crack is approximately 26 mm from the main crack.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Poly(oxymethylene) Ethers as a High Cetane, Low Sooting Biofuel Blendstock for Use in Medium to Heavy Duty Mixing Controlled Compression Ignition Engines

Compression ignition (CI) engines are currently the most common prime mover for medium and heavy duty vehicles; these engines contribute roughly a quarter of US greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, and even higher percentages of particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions. As a result, there have been significant efforts made to reduce these emissions, particularly through selection of low-emissions alternative fuels. Oxymethylene ethers (OMEs) are a class of molecule, typically structured R-O-(CH2O)n-R', which have been considered as a possible blendstock in CI fuels for the goal of soot reduction. Generally, past work has focused on methyl-terminated OMEs, CH3-O-(CH2O)n-CH3, which by virtue of containing no C--C bonds, produce negligible soot. These molecules show significant reductions in soot emission from engines when blended in moderate to high ratios with traditional diesels, however, they have been shown to have inferior physical properties and poor compatibility with some legacy systems. Recent theoretical work has shown that OMEs with non-methyl alkyl groups may have superior performance, albeit at the cost of increased soot formation. In this work, a variety of OMEs with terminating alkyl groups from methyl to butyl are considered for their suitability as CI fuels. The synthesis of these extended OMEs is studied, including formation of n=1 OMEs from common chemical sources, and extension of the chain length to heavier molecules, via reactions over acidic ion exchange resins. Following the synthesis, the properties of these OMEs are studied with respect to their engine applicability. It is found that heavier (propyl- and butyl-terminated) OMEs have superior properties for diesel compatibility, particularly in reactivity, volatility, and water solubility. Extended-alkyl OMEs are found to have higher soot production than methyl-terminated OMEs, but remain superior to diesel soot production on a per-unit-energy basis. A sample of a butyl-terminated OME mixture, n=2-4, is selected as the ideal OME blend for close compatibility with legacy diesel systems. This mixture is blended with certified diesel and tested for ASTM D975 compatibility, passing all required tests but lubricity; decreased heat of combustion is observed but not governed by the diesel standard. Fundamental combustion tests of various mid-weight OMEs are performed in a rapid compression machine, where it is shown that low-temperature chemistry causes a region of decreased dependence of ignition delay on temperature, consistent with methyl-terminated OME behavior. An isopropyl-terminated OME is observed to have low reactivity compared to other OMEs; this fuel is investigated via further rapid compression machine testing and CFR engine testing. It is found that this OME has strong negative-temperature-coefficient ignition behavior - a first for OMEs - and has reactivity lower than other OMEs, but insufficient for direct spark ignition engine testing.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

New sterically hindered polyvinylamine-containing membranes for CO 2 capture from flue gas

Amine-containing facilitated transport membranes can have both high permeability and selectivity due to the reversible reaction between CO 2 and amino groups for effective carbon capture from flue gas. In this study, we have developed an improved method for the synthesis of high-molecular-weight sterically hindered polyvinylamine (PVAm) as the new fixed-site carrier in thin-film composite membranes for CO 2 capture. Commercially available PVAm was N-monomethylated into poly-N-methyl-N-vinylamine (PVAm-CH 3 ) using the stepwise reductive amination with a highly polar fluorinated alcohol as the solvent to enhance the equilibrium shift to the formation of the imine intermediate. The method prevented over-alkylation, resulting in the increased yield of the target product. PVAm-CH 3 exhibited excellent CO 2 facilitation with a CO 2 permeability of 445.7 Barrer (1 Barrer = 3.349 x 10 –16 mol m m –2 s –1 Pa –1 ) and a CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 70.3, which are above the Robeson 2008 upper bound. The PVAm-CH 3 solution retained a sufficiently high viscosity after incorporating the aminoacid salt, 2-(1-piperazinyl)ethylamine sarcosinate (PZEA-Sar), as the mobile carrier for the membrane coating on nanoporous polyethersulfone (PES) substrates without any penetration issues. The resultant thin-film composite PVAm-CH3/PZEA-Sar membrane with a thickness of approximately 170 nm exhibited a superior CO 2 performance of 1071 GPU (1 GPU = 3.349 x 10 –10 mol m –2 s –1 Pa –1 ) and a CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 183 at 57°C and a feed gas pressure of 111.64 kPa (1.5 psig). This PVAm-CH 3 /PZEA-Sar membrane surpassed the latest redefined 2019 CO 2 /N 2 upper bound and outperformed other polymer-based membranes. Density functional theory calculations also demonstrated that PVAm-CH 3 showed a stronger preference, relative to PVAm, toward the more efficient bicarbonate pathway. Thus, the steric hindrance effect of PVAm-CH 3 enhanced the solubility of CO 2 in the polymer matrix and resulted in the higher CO 2 permeance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dry Printing Pure Copper with High Conductivity and Adhesion for Flexible Electronics

Additive manufacturing of functional devices on various rigid and flexible substrates is rising rapidly due to their design flexibility, rapid manufacturing, and lower cost. Current printing technologies are ink-based and focused on printing silver (Ag) as conductive lines due to its matured ink formulation process, low sintering temperature, ease of printing, and low oxidation rate. However, Ag is the 68th most abundant element on Earth, while copper (Cu) is the 25th, making it much cheaper (>100×) while having a comparable conductivity to Ag. Therefore, printing Cu has become technologically and economically more attractive than Ag. Nevertheless, Cu printing is still a significant challenge in ink-based printing methods due to the higher sintering temperature relative to the glass-transition temperature of most flexible substrates, the higher oxidation rate, the challenging ink formulation process, and ink stability concerns. Here, we demonstrate printing highly conductive Cu on flexible polyimide substrates using a dry printing technique. Cu nanoparticles (~3–30 nm) are generated by on-demand laser ablation of a solid Cu target inside the printer head and under argon background gas. These Cu nanoparticles are then transported through a nozzle and onto the substrate, where they are laser-sintered in real time. The argon gas plays three critical roles in laser plume condensation for nanoparticle generation, transport, and sheath gas to avoid oxidation during sintering. The sintered nanoparticles thus show high electrical conductivity and mechanical stability under static and cyclic tests. Our dry printing technique can potentially revolutionize how electronic devices and sensors are additively manufactured for earth and space applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

A study on computational fluid dynamics modeling of a refrigerated container for COVID-19 vaccine distribution with experimental validation

A key issue with the distribution of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 is the temperature level required during transport, storage, and distribution. Typical refrigerated transport containers can provide a temperature-controlled environment down to -30 °C. However, the Pfizer vaccine must be carefully transported and stored under a lower temperature between -80 °C and -60 °C. One way to provide the required temperature is to pack the vaccine vials into small packages containing dry ice. Dry ice sublimates from a solid to a gas, which limits the allowable transport duration. This can be mitigated by transporting in a -30 °C refrigerated container. Moreover, because the dry ice will sublimate and thereby release CO 2 gas into the transport container, monitoring the CO 2 concentration within the refrigerated container is also essential. In the present work, a 3D computational fluid dynamics model was developed based on a commercially available refrigerated container and validated with experimental data. The airflow, temperature distribution, and CO 2 concentration within the container were obtained from the simulations. The modeling results can provide guidance on preparing experimental setups, thus saving time and lowering cost, and also provide insight into safety precautions needed to avoid hazardous conditions associated with the release of CO 2 during vaccine distribution.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hierarchical analysis of US electric vehicle subsidies for carbon emission mitigation

Electric vehicle (EV) adoptions are promoted with subsidies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ground transportation. In this paper, a hierarchical analysis is presented on the potential of greenhouse gas emission mitigation via the electric vehicle subsidy policy at state level in the US, through research of environmental and economic fundamentals of electric vehicle operations, energy consumptions, battery degradation and service life. It has been found that restructuring the federal subsidies to promote EV adoption can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the US. The reduction costs of greenhouse gas emissions vary between $\$1167.44$/ton in Vermont to $\$6880.13$/ton in Wyoming. A case study reveals that 15.24 % more greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced with a tiered federal subsidy structure. The restructuring of subsidies will also encourage the adoption of clean energies in the grid fuel mix and drive technological advancements to extend the battery lifetime in the future.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Impact of Micro Porous Layer on Liquid Water Evolution inside PEMFC using Lattice Boltzmann Method

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) require a gas diffusion layer to aid in fuel transport to the catalyst sites. A microporous layer (MPL) is often added to the GDL to improve liquid saturation inside gas diffusion media. In this work, the lattice Boltzmann method was applied to four GDL samples with the addition of an MPL. Three injection orientations were used to study liquid evolution through the samples. Each orientation used four different injection pressures, ranging from 5,000 Pa to 8,000 Pa. Saturation data for GDL samples with and without an MPL were compared. Results showed that when adding an MPL, liquid tends to distribute laterally under the MPL until pressure is reached to allow liquid to travel through the cracks of the MPL surface and into the GDL geometry. A more uniform saturation distribution across the sample is seen when comparing both types of GDLs. The outcomes of this work will help research that requires knowledge of the internal liquid transport through gas diffusion media for PEMFC application.

Sepe, M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Comments on “Failure analysis of corroded hydrogen-blended natural gas pipelines based on finite element analysis and genetic algorithm-back propagation neural network” [262 (2025) 111174]

This is a brief commentary paper to highlight and discuss the determination of hydrogen concentration in pipeline steel, effect of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) on the mechanical properties of the material, burst strength of corroded pipelines using finite element analysis (FEA) simulations, and curve-fit models for assessing remaining strength of X80 corroded pipelines for transporting hydrogen blended natural gas. Recently, Xie et al. [1] proposed a methodology to quantify the impact of HE on material properties and numerically determined burst pressure of X80 corroded pipelines. However, their HE quantification overestimated the degradation of tensile strength for hydrogen blending ratios beyond the original data range, and their FEA results of burst pressure are nonconservative. This work thus recharacterized the hydrogen concentration in the steel pipeline and the effect of HE on tensile strength, and then redetermined burst pressures for a set of typical corrosion defect cases considered by Xie et al. [1] based on an experimentally validated FEA modelling method. With the new FEA results, two empirical corrosion models were proposed for X80 corroded pipelines for hydrogen service. At zero hydrogen blending ratio, the novel empirical models predict burst pressures to be consistent with the industry-accepted corrosion models. Furthermore, both the numerical simulation method and the novel corrosion models are significant contributions to the pipeline industry and the hydrogen community. Application of these results will enhance the safety, reliability, and integrity of natural gas pipelines when used to transport hydrogen.

Burst pressure prediction↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for 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. 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.

Miscanthus↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sub-Diurnal Methane Variations on Mars Driven by Barometric Pumping and Planetary Boundary Layer Evolution

In recent years, the Tunable Laser Spectrometer within the Sample Analysis at Mars (TLS-SAM) instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover has detected methane variations in the atmosphere at Gale crater. Methane concentrations appear to fluctuate seasonally as well as sub-diurnally, which is difficult to reconcile with an as-yet-unknown transport mechanism delivering the gas from underground to the atmosphere. To potentially explain the fluctuations, we consider barometrically induced transport of methane from an underground source to the surface, modulated by temperature-dependent adsorption. The subsurface fractured-rock seepage model is coupled to a simplified 1-D atmospheric mixing model to provide insights on the pattern of atmospheric methane concentrations in response to transient surface methane emissions, as well as to predict sub-diurnal variation in methane abundance for the northern summer period, which is a candidate time frame for a MSL Curiosity sampling campaign. Our analysis suggests that there is a lower limit to the subsurface fracture density that can produce the observed methane patterns, below which the atmospheric methane variations would be out of phase with the observations. The best-performing model scenarios indicate a significant, short-lived methane pulse just prior to sunrise, the detection of which by TLS-SAM would be a potential indicator of the contribution of barometric pumping to Mars' atmospheric methane variations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

In-gas-jet laser spectroscopy with S 3 -LEB

The Super Separator Spectrometer-Low Energy Branch (S 3 -LEB) is a low-energy radioactive ion beam experiment under commissioning as part of the GANIL-SPIRAL2 facility. It will be used for the production and study of exotic nuclei by in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS), decay spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Here, we report recent results from the off-line commissioning of S 3 -LEB, including first laser spectroscopy measurements in both the gas cell and the supersonic gas jet, the determination of the transport efficiency of laser ions from the gas cell through the RFQ chain, and time-of-flight measurements with the multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer PILGRIM. The measurements were performed using erbium, introduced by evaporation from a heated filament in the gas environment. The reported laser spectroscopy results include a characterization of the pressure broadening in the gas cell, proof-of-principle isotope shift measurements, and hyperfine-structure measurements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Advanced Syngas Cleanup Using Radically Engineered Modular Systems

The overall objective of this project was to address key knowledge gaps and develop modular sorbent-based warm syngas cleanup designs that will enable 1- to 5-MW REMS-based plants to be cost-competitive with large state-of-the-art commercial plants utilizing all of our abundant domestic coal reserves. We proposed to develop two potential new desulfurization process designs specifically targeted for REMS plants for combined heat and power or polygeneration from coal gasification. The first design is a modification of our commercially offered dual transport reactor design based Warm-gas Desulfurization Process (WDP) where the transport-reactor regenerator is replaced with a fluidized-bed regenerator. This design leverages the learnings obtained from our pre-commercial demonstration testing of the WDP technology for over 3,000 hours and conclusions from the lessons learned workshop. The second design is a fixed-bed process that leverages the successful composition and chemistry of our WDP sorbent to develop an effective fixed-bed sorbent formulation and fixed-bed process design. These two potential desulfurization process designs have a strong technical likelihood of success and offer the best opportunity to effectively employ design standardization, mass production and advanced manufacturing techniques to enable cost competitiveness for syngas cleanup at smaller scale.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗