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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Detecting fractures and monitoring hydraulic fracturing processes at the first EGS Collab testbed using borehole DAS ambient noise

Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) require cost-effective monitoring of fracture networks. We validate the capability of using borehole distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) ambient noise for fracture monitoring using core photos and core logs. The EGS Collab project has conducted 10 m scale field experiments of hydraulic fracture stimulation using 50–60 m deep experimental wells at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota. The first EGS Collab testbed is located at 1616.67 m (4850 ft) depth at SURF and consists of one injection well, one production well, and six monitoring wells. All wells are drilled subhorizontally from an access tunnel called a drift. The project uses a single continuous fiber-optic cable installed sequentially in the six monitoring wells to record DAS data for monitoring hydraulic fracturing during stimulation. We analyze 60 s time records of the borehole DAS ambient noise data and compute the noise root-mean-square (rms) amplitude on each channel (points along the fiber cable) to obtain DAS ambient noise rms amplitude depth profiles along the monitoring wellbore. Our noise rms amplitude profiles indicate amplitude peaks at distinct depths. We compare the DAS noise rms amplitude profiles with borehole core photos and core logs and find that the DAS noise rms amplitude peaks correspond to the locations of fractures or lithologic changes indicated in the core photos or core logs. We then compute the hourly DAS noise rms amplitude profiles in two monitoring wells during three stimulation cycles in 72 h and find that the DAS noise rms amplitude profiles vary with time, indicating the fracture opening/growth or closing during the hydraulic stimulation. Our results demonstrate that borehole DAS passive ambient noise can be used to detect fractures and monitor fracturing processes in EGS reservoirs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Combined ambient vibration and surface displacement measurements for improved progressive failure monitoring at a toppling rock slab in Utah, USA

Seismic resonance and surface displacement measurements can be implemented in tandem to improve landslide characterization and progressive failure monitoring. Crack aperture data are frequently used in rock slope stability monitoring and often exhibit recognizable trends prior to failure, such as accelerated crack opening. Alternatively, ambient resonance data offer multiple parameters including modal frequencies, damping, and polarization that can be monitored alongside crack aperture and may respond differently to environmental forcings and complex failure evolution. We analyzed data from continuous ambient vibration monitoring and concomitant crack aperture measurements at the Courthouse Mesa instability, a large toppling sandstone slab in Utah, USA. Three years of data revealed crack aperture increases of 2–4 mm/year with no clearly detectable irreversible changes in modal parameters, including frequency. Annually, frequency and displacement varied by 29% and 19% of the mean, respectively, with average and maximum daily frequency fluctuations of 6.5% and 16%, respectively. These reversible cyclic changes were primarily temperature-driven, but annually, frequency was in-phase with temperature whereas crack aperture lagged temperature changes by ~37 days. Polarization and damping also varied seasonally but were less strongly correlated with temperature. Conceptual 3D finite element modeling demonstrated consistent frequency decreases associated with crack propagation but variable changes in crack aperture measured at a single point; i.e., crack propagation did not always result in increased crack opening but always generated a resonance frequency decrease. Taken together, our data suggest a possible thermal wedging-ratcheting mechanism at the Courthouse Mesa instability, where annual thermoelastic crack closure is impeded by debris infill but the absence of downward crack propagation during the monitoring period is evidenced by no permanent resonance frequency changes. Our study demonstrates that combined seismic resonance and crack aperture data provide an improved description of rock slope instability behavior, supporting refined characterization and monitoring of changes accompanying progressive failure.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Monitoring Terrestrial Water Storage, Drought and Seasonal Changes in Central Oklahoma With Ambient Seismic Noise

Abstract Significant imbalances in terrestrial water storage (TWS) and severe drought have been observed around the world as a consequence of climate changes. Improving our ability to monitor TWS and drought is critical for water‐resource management and water‐deficit estimation. We use continuous seismic ambient noise to monitor temporal evolution of near‐surface seismic velocity, dv / v , in central Oklahoma from 2013 to 2022. The derived dv / v is found to be negatively correlated with gravitational measurements and groundwater depths, showing the impact of groundwater storage on seismic velocities. The hydrological effects involving droughts and recharge of groundwater occur on a multi‐year time scale and dominate the overall derived velocity changes. The thermoelastic response to atmospheric temperature variations occurs primarily on a yearly timescale and dominates the superposed seasonal velocity changes in this study. The occurrences of droughts appear simultaneously with local peaks of dv / v , demonstrating the sensitivity of near‐surface seismic velocities to droughts.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

FY23 Update: Aerosol Sampling for the Canister Deposition Field Demonstration

This report describes the results of preliminary testing of aerosol monitoring equipment that will be used to continuously monitor the aerosol source term for the multi-year Canister Deposition Field Demonstration (CDFD). These data are required inputs for the development and validation of models for the deposition of dust and potentially corrosive salts on the surface of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) dry storage canisters. Surface salt loads correlate with the extent of corrosion damage on a metal surface, and potentially to the likelihood and timing of initiation of stress corrosion cracks. Aerosols will be monitored at the CDFD site using three instruments. A Dekati ® ELPI+ cascade impactor will be used for real-time monitoring of aerosol particle sizes. It will also collect dust in 14 size bins on impactor targets that can be chemically analyzed to determine the soluble salts present as a function of particle size. However, this instrument can only measure dried aerosols, with a diameter of <10 µm. The second instrument is a Topas laser particle size spectrometer, which provides real-time monitoring of aerosol particle sizes up to ~40 µm in size. It monitors both the ambient (potentially deliquesced) aerosol particle size distributions required for the dust deposition models and the distributions of the equivalent dried particles, allowing correlation with the Dekati ® data. However, it does not discriminate between inert dust particles and salt aerosols, and it does not retain samples of the different particle sizes for later analysis. The third instrument that will monitor aerosols at the CDFD site is a Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) tower, which uses a multiple canister system to collect weekly samples for analysis to total suspended aerosol particle compositions and atmospheric gas concentrations. This status report describes work in FY23 to develop the capabilities for using these tools. In two training exercises, the cascade impactor and laser particle sizer were deployed in two different testing environments, one indoor and one outdoor. For the cascade impactor, the tests provided opportunities for the operators to familiarize themselves with impactor substrate preparation, and post-test sample removal and analysis. For the laser particle sizer, the tests were used to evaluate different instrument parameters, to determine the most appropriate settings for capturing transient events. Data and samples were collected for weeks to months for each test, and the results are presented here. In addition to the preliminary testing, contracts were developed with WSP Analytical Labs for sample preparation and analysis of the cascade impactor samples. The impactor tower from outdoor test was delivered to WSP and used to train the staff there in disassembly, sample extraction, sample analysis, and tower reassembly with new target substrates. These are tasks that WSP will be performing routinely for the CDFD project. The CASTNET system cannot be purchased or tested until an actual site has been selected for the CDFD test. Work for this FY has been restricted to preparation of contracts for purchasing the CASTNET tower, and for sample analysis, once the tower is in operation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A study of Cell Cracks Formation During Freight Shipping : Monitoring Shock and Temperature in Real-Time & Assessing Damages With Pre and Post-Transit Characterizations of PV Modules

The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry often experiences module damage during transportation. PV modules stacked horizontally and strapped on wooden pallets may develop failures impacting their efficiency (glass shattering, cracks, frame indentation, etc.), especially when modules are not packed by professionals. The appearance of failures during the shipment from one laboratory to another can be detrimental to research studies. In this study, we tested a reusable plastic pallet designed to ship modules vertically. Five technologies of commercial PV modules were shipped together from Arizona to Florida including: glass/glass bifacial modules (framed and frameless), glass/transparent backsheet bifacial modules and glass/white backsheet modules (framed). Each module technology has a different physical size. Some modules had pre-existing cell-cracks allowing for the study of cell-crack formation and propagation during shipment. Dark current-voltage (I-V), light I-V and electroluminescence characterization were performed before and after shipment. A datalogger was used to monitor shocks and ambient temperature throughout the shipment and identify when the modules were more susceptible to damage. The modules were tilted upon receipt and the pallet were damaged but with no shattered modules. Time series shock data provided by the datalogger were used to determine potential responsible events. Our results reveal a few new post-transportation cracks for some modules. Modules parameters before and after shipment are also compared regarding the module constructions and their position in the pallet.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

EMP, Attachment 1: Sampling and Analysis Plan (Rev.1)

This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) is written for the Environmental Radiation Task activities related to radioactive air emissions (stack) monitoring and environmental radiological ambient air surveillance of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) operations at the PNNL-Richland campus and PNNL-Sequim campus. PNNL is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory in Richland, Washington. This plan is an attachment to PNNL’s Environmental Radiological Air Monitoring Plan (EMP) (PNNL-20919) and addresses a discrete, vital subject area that is subject to revision independent of the main text of the EMP document. This SAP provides the requirements for planning sampling events and the requirements imposed on the services provided by the analytical laboratory to the PNNL Environmental Radiation Task.

40 CFR 61 Subpart H↗
DOE OSTI2023

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) (Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER), Calendar Year 2022)

The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2022. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, evaluation of data collected in 2022 continued to indicate that WVDP activities pose no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2023

The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2023. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, evaluation of data collected in 2023 continued to indicate that WVDP activities pose no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

Record of Decision↗
DOE OSTI2026

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2025

The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2025. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of the DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, the evaluation of data collected in 2025 continued to indicate that WVDP activities posed no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2024

The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2024. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, evaluation of data collected in 2024 continued to indicate that WVDP activities pose no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Imprint of Anthropogenic Sources and Soil Removal on the Surface Concentration of H2 in the Contiguous US

Hydrogen (H2) is experiencing renewed interest throughout the world as a low carbon fuel alternative or complement to fossil fuels. Significant uncertainties remain regarding the environmental impact of increasing H2 usage, in part due to gaps in our understanding of the H2 atmospheric budget, including the H2 release from industrial activities and the H2 soil removal, the most important sink of H2. This study focuses on H2 dry air mole fractions measured by the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory in discrete ambient air samples collected every few days at sites located in the contiguous United States between 2010 and 2022. We take advantage of the long-term observations from this network to study the regional distribution of H2 sources using the potential source contribution function (PSCF). We find that H2 PSCF is consistent with a large anthropogenic source of atmospheric H2 from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel. However, episodic air masses with high H2 dry air mole fractions (>700 ppb) recorded at some sampling locations in the Western and Southeastern US are not associated with elevated CO, suggesting significant noncombustion anthropogenic or geological sources of H2. Air masses depleted in H2 are recorded in rural or remote continental sites. Our analysis of observations from a tall tower in NE Colorado suggests that the degree of H2 depletion not only reflects differences in soil exposure but also the regional inhibition of the soil sink under arid conditions.

Paulot, Fabien↗
DOE OSTI2024

EMP, Attachment 2: Data Management Plan

This Data Management Plan (DMP) is an attachment to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Radiological Air Monitoring Plan (EMP). PNNL is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory. Radioactive effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance for PNNL operations in Washington State are the responsibility of the PNNL Environmental Protection and Regulatory Programs division and are conducted by the Environmental Radiation Task staff. This DMP describes the data management processes for PNNL radioactive air emissions (stack) monitoring and environmental radiological ambient air surveillance activities.

40 CFR 61 Subpart H↗
DOE OSTI2023

2022 Annual Site Environment Report, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

This report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. This report fulfills the annual public reporting requirements of DOE Order 231.1B. The results of PPPL’s 2022 environmental surveillance and monitoring program are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2022. PPPL’s on-site operations started to be restored in 2022, following curtailments in 2020 and 2021 for the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. PPPL has engaged in fusion energy research since 1951 and at its current locations since 1958. The Laboratory’s mission is to develop the scientific knowledge and advanced engineering to enable fusion to power the U.S. and the world, and to develop the understanding of plasmas from the nano- to the astrophysical scale. PPPL’s primary experiment, the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) is a collaboration among national laboratories, universities, and national and international research institutions and is a major element in the US Fusion Energy Sciences Program. Its design tests the physics principles of spherical torus (ST) plasmas, playing an important role in the development of smaller, more economical fusion reactors. Due to previous operational issues, NSTX-U did not operate in 2022. PPPL is engaged in a project to replace key NSTX-U components and systems to enable the operation of this international magnetic fusion user facility. In 2022, PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program measured tritium in the air at onsite sampling stations. Using highly sensitive air monitors, PPPL is capable of detecting small changes in the ambient levels of tritium. The operation of monitors located on D-site is used to demonstrate compliance with the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) regulations. Also included in PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program, are water monitoring – ground, surface, and waste waters. PPPL’s radiological monitoring program characterized the background levels of tritium in the environment and those data are presented in this report. Ground water monitoring continued under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Site Remediation Program regulations. PPPL monitored for non-radiological contaminants, mainly volatile organic compounds (components of common degreasing solvents). In 2022, PPPL complied with permit limits for surface water and sanitary wastewater discharges. PPPL was honored with an award for EPEAT-certified electronics purchasing from the Global Electronics Council.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Annual Site Environment Report for Calendar Year 2023 - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

This report provides the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. This report fulfills the annual public reporting requirements of DOE Order 231.1B. The results of PPPL’s 2023 environmental surveillance and monitoring program are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2023. This report provides the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. This report fulfills the annual public reporting requirements of DOE Order 231.1B. The results of PPPL’s 2023 environmental surveillance and monitoring program are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2023. In 2023, PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program measured tritium in the air at onsite sampling stations. Using highly sensitive air monitors, PPPL is capable of detecting small changes in the ambient levels of tritium. The operation of monitors located on D-site is used to demonstrate compliance with the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) regulations. Also included in PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program, are water monitoring – ground, surface, and waste waters. PPPL’s radiological monitoring program characterized the background levels of tritium in the environment and those data are presented in this report. Ground water monitoring continued under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Site Remediation Program regulations. PPPL monitored for non-radiological contaminants, mainly volatile organic compounds (components of common degreasing solvents). In 2023, PPPL complied with permit limits for surface water and sanitary wastewater discharges. PPPL was honored with an award for EPEAT-certified electronics purchasing from the Global Electronics Council on July 27, 2023.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Annual Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2024

This report provides the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. This report fulfills the annual public reporting requirements of DOE Order 231.1B. The results of PPPL’s 2024 environmental surveillance and monitoring program are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2024. PPPL has engaged in fusion energy research since 1951 and at its current locations since 1958. The Laboratory’s mission is to develop the scientific knowledge and advanced engineering to enable fusion to power the US and the world, and to develop the understanding of plasmas from the nano- to the astrophysical scale. PPPL’s primary experiment, the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) is a collaboration among national laboratories, universities, and national and international research institutions and is a major element in the US Fusion Energy Sciences Program. Its design tests the physics principles of spherical torus (ST) plasmas, playing an important role in the development of smaller, more economical fusion reactors. Due to previous operational issues, NSTX-U did not operate in 2024. PPPL is engaged in a project to replace key NSTX-U components and systems to enable the operation of this international magnetic fusion user facility. In 2024, PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program measured tritium in the air at onsite sampling stations. Using highly sensitive air monitors, PPPL is capable of detecting small changes in the ambient levels of tritium. The operation of monitors located on D-site is used to demonstrate compliance with the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) regulations. Also included in PPPL’s radiological environmental monitoring program, are water monitoring – ground, surface, and waste waters. PPPL’s radiological monitoring program characterized the background levels of tritium in the environment and those data are presented in this report. Ground water monitoring continued under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Site Remediation Program regulations. PPPL monitored for nonradiological contaminants, mainly volatile organic compounds (components of common degreasing solvents). In 2024, PPPL complied with permit limits for surface water and sanitary wastewater discharges. PPPL was honored with an award for EPEAT-certified electronics purchasing from the Global Electronics Council on July 25, 2024.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Self-Sustained CPS Design for Reliable Wildfire Monitoring

Continuous monitoring of areas nearby the electric grid is critical for preventing and early detection of devastating wildfires. Existing wildfire monitoring systems are intermittent and oblivious to local ambient risk factors, resulting in poor wildfire awareness. Ambient sensor suites deployed near the gridlines can increase the monitoring granularity and detection accuracy. However, these sensors must address two challenging and competing objectives at the same time. First, they must remain powered for years without manual maintenance due to their remote locations. Second, they must provide and transmit reliable information if and when a wildfire starts. The first objective requires aggressive energy savings and ambient energy harvesting, while the second requires continuous operation of a range of sensors. To the best of our knowledge, this paper presents the first self-sustained cyber-physical system that dynamically co-optimizes the wildfire detection accuracy and active time of sensors. The proposed approach employs reinforcement learning to train a policy that controls the sensor operations as a function of the environment (i.e., current sensor readings), harvested energy, and battery level. Here, the proposed cyber-physical system is evaluated extensively using real-life temperature, wind, and solar energy harvesting datasets and an open-source wildfire simulator. In long-term (5 years) evaluations, the proposed framework achieves 89% uptime, which is 46% higher than a carefully tuned heuristic approach. At the same time, it averages a 2-minute initial response time, which is at least 2.5× faster than the same heuristic approach. Furthermore, the policy network consumes 0.6 mJ per day on the TI CC2652R microcontroller using TensorFlow Lite for Micro, which is negligible compared to the daily sensor suite energy consumption.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗