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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technology (AMMT): Development of Additive Manufacturing Agnostic Process Parameter Procedure, 316H Stainless Steel Readiness Level Data Sets, and Machine Maintenance Plan

The University of California, Davis is involved in a project to deploy and enhance an artificial intelligence (AI) system for predicting and preventing plasma disruptions on the DIII D tokamak, under the funding from Department of Energy DE-SC0023500 (title: AI/Deep Learning FRNN Software for Prediction & Real-Time Control of DIII-D Plasma Control System (PCS)). The overarching goal is to demonstrate that real-time, AI-guided intervention can proactively modify the plasma state to avoid or mitigate disruptions—a critical challenge for the future of fusion energy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

First characterisation of the MAGO cavity, a superconducting RF detector for kHz–MHz gravitational waves

Heterodyne detection using microwave cavities is a promising method for detecting high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) or ultralight axion dark matter. In this work, we report on studies conducted on a spherical 2-cell cavity developed by the MAGO collaboration for high-frequency GWs detection. Although fabricated around 20 years ago, the cavity had not been used since. Due to deviations from the nominal geometry, we conducted a mechanical survey and performed room-temperature plastic tuning. Measurements and simulations of the mechanical resonances and electromagnetic properties were carried out, as these are critical for estimating the cavity’s GW coupling potential. Based on these results, we plan further studies in a cryogenic environment. The cavity characterisation does not only provide valuable experience for a planned physics run but also informs the future development of improved cavity designs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Economic and Jobs Impacts of Point-Source Carbon Capture in Cement Industry – Case Study

The cement industry accounts for an estimated 8% of global CO2 emissions, which surpasses that of the entire aviation sector. In contrast with other industries, where CO2 emissions can be drastically reduced via electrification or fuels substitution, cement production releases CO2 as part of its process, during the calcination of carbonates to yield oxides. Thus, point-source carbon capture has become a key technology in the cement industry’s decarbonization. Apart from the expected environmental benefits, point-source carbon capture in the cement industry can yield important economic benefits and create jobs. The objective of this study was to perform a preliminary assessment of the economic and workforce impacts associated with the construction and operation of a point-source carbon capture retrofit of an existing cement production facility, using as a basis the data from a front-end engineering design (FEED) study to install a 3.9 million metric tons per year (Mtpy) CO2 capture facility at Holcim Ste Genevieve cement plant in Missouri, United States of America. The advanced carbon capture technology used in this FEED study was Air Liquide’s Cryocap™ FG carbon capture technology. The study evaluated the direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of the construction, operation, and maintenance activities of the project over its lifespan. It also covered how the project will generate new jobs, their nature, and quantity, along with strategies to prepare the workforce. To perform this study, construction, operation, and maintenance cost estimates, as well as construction and operation staffing plans from the FEED study were input into IMPLAN version 7.5 software, licensed by IMPLAN Group LLC (Huntersville, VC), to predict the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of the project using industry multipliers from the software. Additionally, recruitment strategies were developed for hiring individuals who belong to groups that are historically underserved or underrepresented, as well as anticipated recruitment of workers from the local community (whether training will be required or if the skills are associated with an existing labor force). The analysis estimated that the construction and operation of the carbon capture at Holcim Ste. Genevive will result in over 24 thousand work-years of job opportunities, close to USD 10 billion of economic impacts, including over USD 460 million of tax revenue. These results encompass the direct, indirect, and induced effects. A strategy to maximize hiring from the project and neighboring counties was developed, leveraging training agreements with local trade groups and universities. The result of this study can be used for a strategic preliminary assessment of the potential regional economic and job impacts of retrofitting existing cement plants with point source carbon systems, and its methodology can be replicated to individual projects to aid in planning and workforce development.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sustainable urban transformations based on integrated microgrid designs

The impacts of natural hazards on infrastructure, enhanced by climate change, are increasingly more severe emphasizing the necessity of resilient energy grids. Microgrids, tailored energy systems for specific neighbourhoods and districts, play a pivotal role in sustaining energy supply during main grid outages. These solutions not only mitigate economic losses and well-being disruptions against escalating hazards but also enhance city resilience in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. However, disregarding socioeconomic factors in defining microgrid boundaries risks perpetuating inequalities and impeding progress towards other SDG 11 targets, including fair democratic participation. Our approach integrates social and technical indicators to bolster urban microgrid planning. Through a case study in a US county, we illustrate how integrated microgrid planning effectively intertwines urban resilience, well-being and equity while promoting sustainable development. This study underscores the importance of integrated microgrid planning for sustainable and resilient urban transformation amid environmental and societal challenges.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

μRWELL detector developments at Jefferson Lab for high luminosity experiments

One of the future plans at Jefferson Lab is running electron scattering experiments with large acceptance detectors at luminosities > 10^37 cm^−2 s^−1. These experiments allow the measurements of the Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DDVCS) reaction, an important physics process in the formalism of Generalized Parton Distributions, which has never been measured because of its small cross-section. The luminosity upgrade of CLAS12 or the SOLID detector makes Jefferson Lab a unique place to measure DDVCS. One of the important components of these high luminosity detectors is a tracking system that can withstand high rates of ≈ 1MHz/cm2. The recently developed Micro-Resistive Well (𝜇RWELL) detector technology is a promising option for such a tracking detector by combining good position resolutions, low material budget with simple mechanical construction, and low production costs. In this proceeding, we will discuss recent developments and studies with 𝜇RWELL detectors at Jefferson Lab for future upgrades of the CLAS12 detector to study the DDVCS reaction.

Hauenstein, Florian↗
DOE OSTI2025

FORECASTOR – II. Simulating galaxy surveys with the Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and UV Research

The Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and UV Research (CASTOR) is a planned flagship space telescope, covering the blue-optical and UV part of the spectrum. Here, we introduce the CASTOR image simulator, a python GalSim package-based script capable of generating mock CASTOR images from an input catalogue. We generate example images from the CASTOR Wide, Deep, and Ultra-Deep surveys using simulated lightcones from the Santa Cruz semi-analytic model. We make predictions for the performance of these surveys by comparing galaxies that are extracted from each image using Source Extractor to the input catalogue. We find that the Wide, Deep, and Ultra-Deep surveys will be 75 per cent complete for point sources down to $\sim 27$, 29, and 30 mag, respectively, in the UV, u, and g filters, with the UV-split and u-split filters reaching a shallower depth. With a large area of $\sim 2200$ deg$^2$, the Wide survey will detect hundreds of millions of galaxies out to $z\sim 4$, mostly with $M_\ast \gtrsim 10^{9}\,{\rm M}_{\odot }$. The Ultra-Deep survey will probe to $z\sim 5$, detecting galaxies with $M_\ast \gtrsim 10^{7}{\rm M}_{\odot }$. These galaxy samples will enable precision measurements of the distribution of star formation in the cosmic web, connecting the growth of stellar mass to the assembly of dark matter haloes over two thirds of the history of the Universe, and other core goals of CASTOR’s legacy surveys. These image simulations and the tools developed to generate them will be a vital planning tool to estimate CASTOR’s performance and iterate the telescope and survey designs prior to launch.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Improved Decarbonization Planning through Climate Resiliency Modeling

California has set ambitious decarbonization goals concerning both emissions and the portion of energy generated by renewable resources. However, climate change poses considerable uncertainties. Variation in load is driven both by the level of electrification as well as the impact of climate change on weather. Further, climate change stands to make weather more variable, impacting not just load but generation from renewable resources. In this paper, we approach the issue of the impacts of climate change on decarbonization planning from two perspectives. First, we look at the range of decarbonization pathways through 8 pathways that account for differences in socioeconomic development, global emissions, and warming. Second, we develop a more robust way of ensuring the reliability of energy resources planning than the commonly used planning reserve margin. We show that the proposed method can save between 6 and 14 billion dollars in investment and maintenance costs and outline critical policy implications concerning the reliance of power plants for satisfying planning reliability requirements, including the potential retirement of dozens of peaker power plants.

Anderson, Osten P.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Best Practices for Resilience Hub Development and Management

The Carbon League and its community partners in East St. Louis, Illinois, have identified five facilities to serve as resilience hubs. These hubs are intended to support the local community through a range of services and resources during blue-sky (everyday), gray-sky (pre-event), and black-sky (emergency) conditions. Transforming these facilities into fully functional resilience hubs requires a broad operational improvement and programmatic planning roadmap. This memo outlines best practices to guide the development of these resilience hubs in East St. Louis, including recommendations for infrastructure services; safety and physical protection; community services; operational protocols; and a phased implementation strategy aligned with realistic funding and capacity constraints. Infrastructure recommendations include strengthening electric power, communications, water, sanitation, and transportation/logistics capabilities, all of which are essential for hubs that may serve as cooling and warming centers, distribution points, and information hubs during emergencies. Safety recommendations focus on accessibility, emergency action planning, indoor air quality, and secure storage of critical equipment. A phased roadmap provides guidance from immediate, low-cost readiness actions to long-term optimization and community integration. Performance metrics and maintenance protocols ensure continuous improvement and operational readiness. This guidance draws on best practices that can be used to support the development of resilient, community-centered hubs capable of enhancing public safety, health, and well-being during everyday operations and emergencies alike.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development and application of an environmental risk register for marine energy device and project developers

The marine energy industry is steadily advancing as more devices are deployed worldwide. However, several challenges and barriers remain, such as lingering uncertainty regarding the potential environmental effects of marine energy devices on marine animals, habitats, and ecosystems. Concerns have led to difficulty navigating permitting and consenting processes and receiving authorization to deploy devices in the marine environment, including extended timelines and costs. Based on existing risk registers, a novel marine energy environmental risk register was created to help the marine energy industry move beyond these barriers. This risk register aims to aid marine energy device and project developers identify and assess potential environmental risks early in device design or project planning, document and track potential environmental interactions, prioritize risks and determine risk responses, and make decisions throughout device or project development. It can also be used as a tool to assist in communicating with regulators and advisors during permitting processes and to inform stakeholder and community engagement efforts. This paper details the methods and process to develop a risk register specific to environmental effects of marine energy and describes two use cases (one for wave energy and another for tidal energy) to highlight example results. Due to the tool's novelty, the paper showcases its application for the marine energy industry and acknowledges limitations and possible future improvements. Overall, the environmental risk register shows promise to support marine energy developers when identifying, tracking, and addressing potential environmental risks and to help successfully navigate permitting and deploy marine energy devices responsibly.

Environmental effects↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electromagnetic production of kaons on the nucleon

Studies of the electromagnetic production of strange quarks started in the 1950s as something of a curiosity that puzzled experimentalists and theorists alike. Eventually, a nascent understanding of these processes began to take shape through the first pioneering experiments dedicated to explore photo- and electroproduction that were carried out in the period from the 1950s to the 1980s. As the datasets increased, concomitant advances in theoretical models were realized. However, these initial studies also made clear that more precise data was essential to continue to move forward. A paradigm shift occurred in the 1990s with the development of second-generation facilities at ELSA, MAMI, SPring-8, and JLab. High-intensity, high duty-factor accelerators, coupled with novel detector systems and advances in computing and readout electronics, brought nuclear physics experiments forward by orders of magnitude in counting statistics compared to the first-generation efforts. This was an utter boon to strangeness physics investigations, and to date, more than 50 dedicated experiments in kaon photo- and electroproduction have been completed at facilities around the world, leading to a host of experimental observables that have enabled significant advances in the exploration of strongly interacting systems that decay via $s\bar{s}$ quark pair creation. These data have proven to be an essential complementary pathway to study the spectrum and structure of the excited states of the nucleon, and the search for missing and exotic baryon configurations. As well, investigations in these channels are requisite for exploring hypernuclear production as a probe of the $YN$ interaction and for studies of the electromagnetic form factors of strange mesons. This review was designed to provide the first-ever in-depth overview of both the experimental and theoretical progress in the field of the electromagnetic production of strangeness. This work looks back over 70 years of past developments, discusses ongoing work and near-term plans, and details future possibilities being considered for third-generation facilities. Extensive lists of the available datasets and theoretical models are provided, together with a comprehensive supporting bibliography of the field. Throughout this work, the primary impacts of these explorations are highlighted, along with connections to a wide range of related phenomenological applications. An important goal of this review is to provide a complete, (reasonably) self-contained guide into this field prepared at a level that is relevant for both new and seasoned scientists, whether experimentalists, phenomenologists, or theorists, to better understand what has been accomplished by so many dedicated folks-each building on what has come before-and to appreciate the exciting future potential for continued studies in this area.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design of a non-invasive laser-based beam profile monitor system for the new Fermilab PIP-II superconducting H- linac

As part of the new Proton Improvement Plan (PIP-II), Fermilab is undertaking the development of a new 800 MeV, 2 mA H- superconducting RF linac to replace its present normal conducting 400 MeV linac. The PIP-II linac consists of a series of superconducting RF cryomodules from 2.1 MeV to 800 MeV. To limit the potential damage to the superconducting RF cavities, PIP-II will utilize non-invasive laser-based monitors (laserwires) to obtain beam profiles via photoionization. This paper will present the design of this PIP-II laserwire system including the picosecond pulsed laser, optical transport line, 13 individual laserwire stations, laser feedback and timing controls. The paper also describes the signal detection system and operation of the profile measurements.

Scarpine, Victor [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Shared and Ownership Mobility Technologies in the US: Data Availability and Usage Trends

This report supports the vision for a more sustainable transportation future by summarizing and analyzing the latest data on new mobility technologies, including ridesharing, shared and privately owned bikes, e-bikes, and scooters that have emerged over the past two decades. Having access to accurate and current data that is representative of new mobility systems and individual usage of these systems across different parts of the country is critical for researchers, city and regional planning professionals, and current and potential industry technology developers to better understand and forecast usage trends both nationwide as well as across different existing and potential future markets across the country. Building on the previous study published in 2022, this report incorporates the latest available market and usage data on new mobility technologies and compares usage by Chicago and New York City demographic characteristics. Moreover, this report includes recent developments and insights on privately owned micromobility technologies. Our analysis found that more downtown areas in Chicago show high per capita usage for all three modes than in the previous study, likely due to the full launch of shared e-scooter systems citywide in 2022. Notably, the majority of high shared mobility usage is concentrated in high-income, densely populated downtown areas in Chicago, which also have good public transit access. In contrast, TNC and bikeshare usage hotspots in central Manhattan are more widely distributed, though also appear to be shaped by the geography of the public transit system. Analysis of privately owned micromobility shows that the greatest energy savings occurred when e-bikes replaced single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips (i.e., gasoline-powered cars driven alone). Based on the literature review and analysis results, we also make recommendations for supporting the development of both shared and privately owned micromobility programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design of a Non-Invasive Laser-based Beam Profile Monitor System for the New Fermilab PIP-II Superconducting H- Linac

As part of the new Proton Improvement Plan (PIP-II), Fermilab is undertaking the development of a new 800 MeV, 2 mA H- superconducting RF linac to replace its present normal conducting 400 MeV linac. The PIP-II linac consists of a series of superconducting RF cryomodules from 2.1 MeV to 800 MeV. To limit the potential damage to the superconducting RF cavities, PIP-II will utilize non-invasive laser-based monitors (laserwires) to obtain beam profiles via photoionization. This paper will present the design of this PIP-II laserwire system including the picosecond pulsed laser, optical transport line, 13 individual laserwire stations, laser feedback and timing controls.

Scarpine, V. [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

An Educational Program on Concentrated Solar Power and Heliostats for Power Generation and Industrial Processes

The objective of this project was to design and implement a comprehensive educational and applied research program in Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSTP) and heliostat technologies at Northeastern University. In alignment with the U.S. Department of Energy's Heliostat Consortium (HelioCon) goals, the project aimed to expand student and public understanding of CSTP systems while simultaneously contributing to workforce development and the broader decarbonization strategy. A particular emphasis was placed on integrating hands-on student design projects and publicly disseminating educational content relevant to CSTP systems. The project addressed a critical gap in renewable energy education: CSTP and heliostats, despite their importance in utility-scale solar energy, are rarely included in standard mechanical engineering programs. This project established new pathways for students to engage with the topic through the creation of a 4-credit graduate/senior elective course, development of five industry-facing short courses, and the inclusion of CSTP-based capstone design projects. Over two academic years, 36 students across six senior design teams developed and tested technologies such as deformable heliostats, beacon-based tracking systems, and solar-powered pyrolizers for biomass-to-biochar conversion. Concurrently, 30 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled in the new academic course centered around CSTP principles. To ensure the relevance and accessibility of the short course content, the project team engaged with industry professionals, technical policy stakeholders, and potential course participants through structured surveys and informal consultations. Feedback from 28 respondents guided the structure, length, and delivery format of the courses - resulting in a modular design broken into five workshops. The feedback emphasized the need for flexible, asynchronous delivery and practical case studies, particularly in areas such as heliostat control, thermal storage, and solar fuel production. This engagement helped align the courses with the evolving knowledge demands of the renewable energy workforce and ensured that participants from both technical and policy backgrounds could meaningfully benefit from the material. The research and educational activities advanced the understanding of heliostat control systems, optical performance under misalignment, and thermal system integration in solar-driven pyrolysis applications. Methods and designs explored in this project proved to be both technically effective and economically feasible at the lab scale. Prototypes were constructed using commercially available components and custom-fabricated elements, demonstrating that meaningful performance improvements can be achieved with modest material and fabrication costs, supporting the feasibility of student-led research in this field. The public benefit of this project is twofold. First, it cultivates a pipeline of engineers trained to be familiar with CSTP principles, an essential workforce need identified by the Department of Energy for achieving its 2030 cost and deployment targets. Second, it contributes openly accessible educational materials, course content, and experimental frameworks to the broader community, enabling other institutions to adopt or adapt similar programming. Through outreach activities, curriculum integration, and technical exposure, this project contributes to a more informed and capable renewable energy workforce while supporting innovation in heliostat and CSTP system design. A new technical report is being prepared to document the development of the course and its outcomes, with plans to publish it in the ASME Open Access Journal of Engineering to ensure global accessibility, free of cost.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cross Section Evaluation for Exclusive Channels of K+Λ and K+Σ0 Electroproduction off Protons Using CLAS Detector Data

In this work, a method for evaluating the cross sections of electroproduction of K+Λ0 and K+Σ0 off protons in the region of invariant masses of final hadrons MK + MY <W < 2.65 GeV (MK and MY being the masses of the kaon and hyperon, respectively) and squares of four-momentum transfers of virtual photons, i.e., photon virtualities 0 < Q2 < 5 GeV2, is developed based on experimental data of these exclusive channels’ cross sections measured by the CLAS detector in Hall B at Jefferson Lab. A set of algorithms has been implemented to evaluate the differential cross sections of these channels, along with their statistical and systematic uncertainties. A program was developed for the evaluation of differential cross sections and structure functions using C++ and Python libraries. An interactive website was created for working with the program, enabling the analysis of one-dimensional and two-dimensional dependences of structure functions and differential cross sections. The evaluation of differential cross sections for the K+Λ and K+Σ0 electroproduction channels is necessary for extracting the structure function σLT from the data on the polarization asymmetry of electroproduction reactions of these final states with longitudinally polarized electrons. The obtained results are also important for the development of realistic Monte Carlo event generators in planning future experiments and for evaluating the efficiency of detecting final particles when extracting reaction cross sections from experimental data.

Golda, A. V.↗
DOE OSTI2024

FUEL PERFORMANCE STUDIES AT IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY MAKING USE OF THE BYRON FUEL SHIPMENT

In December of 2023 a shipment of commercially irradiated fuel rods from the Byron Generating Station in Illinois was successfully shipped to the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The make-up of the rods includes a mix of cladding types from traditional ZirloTM, advanced zirconium alloys, and chrome coated ZirloTM. Burnups range from regular end of life values to over 70 GWd/MTU rod average. The R&D plan for the rods involves multiple projects from developing licensing data for new claddings to integral transient tests to support burnup extension efforts in the United States. The R&D began in early 2024 with the nondestructive examinations of the rods after which they will be sectioned for microscopy, mechanical testing, and analytical chemistry. Additionally, many rod segments will be refabricated into new test pins and inserted into a static water capsule for integral Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) and Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) testing at the TREAT reactor.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Commissioning Guidance for Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)

This Commissioning Guidance for Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) is DOE’s official guidance for ordering agencies under the current DOE ESPC IDIQ contract. This guidance document explains how commissioning of energy conservation measures (ECMs) and water conservation measures (WCMs) is incorporated into the ESPC process, roles and responsibilities in project commissioning, and key elements of commissioning. This document updates the previous version, released in 2015. This guidance can also be used as applicable in the development of ESPC ENABLE and UESC performance assurance plans.

Walker, Christine↗