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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

RELAP5-3D Modeling of High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) Test PG-26

The High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) at Oregon State University (OSU) is a scaled integral effects experiment designed to investigate transient behavior in high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors with prismatic fuel and reflector blocks. Several tests have been completed, and more are still planned to at the HTTF, including depressurized conduction cooldown (DCC) and pressurized conduction cooldown (PCC) transients. This report analyses test PG-26, a progression of the Double Ended Inlet-Outlet Crossover Duct Break transient that is referred to as a DCC. PG-26 has been performed at the HTTF between May 30 and June 30, 2019. Core initial conditions (i.e., before the DCC started) have been met using low power (<100 kW) and two of ten available electric heaters. The DCC transient was initiated during the 50 th hour of the test. The break valves were opened, and hot helium from the core and cold helium from the reactor cavity simulation tank (RCST) started mixing. The gases flowed in a countercurrent fashion, where the top half of the hot duct contained hot helium that flowed in one direction and cold helium that flowed in the other direction in the bottom half of the duct. After the pressure and density reached equilibrium, the event entered a diffusion mode. The onset of a reverse natural circulation was not observed during the DCC period of the test. Version 4.4.2ie of the RELAP5-3D computer code has been used to model the HTTF PG-26 test, and results have been compared to available high-quality measured data. The model used in this study is the quality-controlled HTTF RELAP5-3D model (HTTF base 2018-04-19 QA), originally developed by P. Bayless. The report includes RELAP5-3D results of the “base calculations” as well as some sensitivities to important uncertain model inputs, such as primary helium mass flow rate, core ceramic thermal properties, as well as heat evacuation and loop friction models. Using the base RELAP5-3D model predicts a countercurrent helium flow in the hot duct observed at the beginning of the DCC, but instead of going into a molecular diffusion mode, the model predicts the onset of natural convection. Increasing friction in the core and hot duct prevents the natural convection from happening in some of the simulations. Although some temperatures are well predicted (and even overpredicted), the general tendency is to underpredict the ceramic and helium temperatures and heat removal rates during the DCC, resulting in many of the assessment findings being in minimal or insufficient agreement with the data. It is worth noting that the described discrepancies between measured data and RELAP5-3D predictions are not RELAP5-3D code limitations. More so, they reflect limitations in boundary condition and thermal property knowledge. While the RELAP5-3D calculations of the test provide some insights into what happens during the transient, and point to missing or potentially uncertain data to which the experimenters can direct their attention, the principal conclusion is that the PG-26 test data are insufficient for a system code assessment.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Advancements Toward ASME Nuclear Code Case for Compact Heat Exchangers

Our research team proposes to advance the state of the ASME section III code (nuclear service) for Compact Heat Exchangers (CHX). This work will improve the technical state of CHXs and lay the foundation necessary for these heat exchangers to be certified for use in nuclear service. During the course of this work, we will advance the understanding of the performance, integrity, and lifetime of the CHXs for use in any industrial application, making their use more attractive and accessible to the industry. We will do this by developing qualification and inspection procedures that utilize Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and advanced in-service inspection techniques, with insight from the industrial utility leader EPRI. We have enlisted colleagues at MPR Associates (MPR), an elite nuclear code consulting firm, who are experts on the ASME section III code and who, with input from members of the ASME section III committee, will direct the testing and help develop a series of documents that define the rules and regulations for use of the CHX. Colleagues at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Oregon State University (OSU) will conduct extensive tensile, creep, and fatigue experiments on diffusion bonded samples (manufactured by US-based Vacuum Process engineering) along with modeling using the elastic perfectly plastic assumptions and comprehensive full inelastic finite element analysis (FEA). This work will allow analysis by design and confidence in the strength of different internal structures. To ensure industry acceptance and long term confidence, team members at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW), University of Michigan (UM), Georgia Tech (GT), and the University of Idaho (UI) will extensively test prototypic heat exchangers manufactured by US-based manufactures CompRex and Vacuum Process Engineering (VPE), a leader in the development of advanced CHX. This testing will include the use of various working fluids (salt, sodium, helium, and sCO2) to evaluate operational issues as well as structural integrity under the most severe conditions. Post-test analysis of the tested CHXs coupled with pre/in-service/post NDE (ultrasonic and radiography) led by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will be incorporated into the development of the rules and regulations for their use in nuclear service.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

BSSD Performance Metric report: LLNL Soil Microbiome SFA (Q1 2021)

The LLNL “Microbes Persist” Soil Microbiome Scientific Focus Area (SFA) seeks to determine how microbial soil ecophysiology, population dynamics, and microbe-mineral-organic matter interactions regulate the persistence of microbial residues and the formation of soil carbon. Our SFA research program is now four years old; it evolved and benefited from previously-funded BSSD projects in the Firestone (UCB), Banfield (UCB), Sullivan (OSU) and Hungate (NAU) labs. We use stable isotope probing in combination with ‘omics to measure how changing water regimes shape activity of individual microbial populations and ecophysiological traits that affect the fate of microbial and plant C. Using measures of population dynamics and microbiome-mineral interactions, we are working to synthesize both genomescale and ecosystem-scale models of soil organic matter (SOM) turnover, to predict the long-aspired connection between soil microbiomes and fate of soil C.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Machine Learning Guided Operational Intelligence from Synchrophasors (Final Report)

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and Oregon State University (OSU) received over 27 terabytes of electrical power system phasor measurement unit (PMU) data for the Eastern, Western, and ERCOT interconnections. The dataset includes measurements spread across 446 PMUs from early 2016 to mid 2018 depending on the interconnect. The full dataset was split into a training and test (holdout) dataset by PNNL. All data was received in the Apache Parquet format. The overarching goal of this project is to develop and execute a strategy to mitigate data anomalies, perform analysis on the dataset, and detect anomalous events in the data.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Using Machine Learning to Identify Optimum Prospects for Offshore Geologic CO 2 Storage and Enhanced Oil Recovery in the Gulf of Mexico

The SECARB Offshore Partnership is a government-industry partnership focused on assembling the knowledge base required for secure, long-term, large-scale CO 2 subsea storage in saline formations and mature oil reservoirs. The SECARB Offshore Partnership is evaluating potential storage opportunities in the Central and Eastern planning areas of the outer continental shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico. The evaluation focuses on active and depleted oil and gas fields and potentially associated CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery (CO 2 -EOR), as well as, deep saline storage resources. As part of Subtask 3.0 (Offshore Storage Resources Characterization) and Subtask 4.0 (Risk Assessment, Simulation, and Modeling), Oklahoma State University (OSU) is developing a machine learning system that employs the SAS Institute’s Viya platform with visual data mining and machine learning to identify and characterize optimum prospects for enhanced oil recovery and stacked storage in saline reservoirs. This report summarizes this effort to date and discusses the many variables that can be used to characterize these storage objectives, as well as, the design vision of the Viya machine learning system.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2022

LaserNetUS Collaboration Network—University of Rochester (Final Report)

LaserNetUS Collaborative Network established in 2018 is a network of high-power laser facilities supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) and operating effectively as a user facility. Its mission is to advance and promote intense laser science and applications by providing scientists and students with broad access to unique facilities and enabling technologies, advancing the frontiers of laser-science research, and fostering collaboration among researchers and networks from around the world. Users who submit proposals through an annual call are selected by an external and independent proposal review panel (PRP) not involving personnel from any of the facilities. Besides the Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE), the network during this project period includes high-intensity laser facilities from six other universities and three national laboratories, namely, the Colorado State University (CSU), the University of Michigan (UM), the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL), The Ohio State University (OSU), Université du Québec, the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), respectively. The network facilities span a wide range in laser pulse energy, pulse duration, repetition rate, and experimental diagnostic equipment enabling innovative research in a variety of exciting areas. Details of the LaserNetUS facilities, organization and committees, events, and accomplishments can be found at the network website (https://lasernetus.org/). A very important role that the LaserNetUS fulfills is the training of students and young scientists who will be key for the future development of laser-plasma science and high-power laser technology itself. The network provides these students not only with access to the most advanced instrumentation and laser facilities, but also the opportunities to interact and collaborate with students from other institutions and with a large group of experienced scientists. As the largest university-based laser users’ facility in the world, the Omega Laser Facility at the UR/LLE has served the high-energy-density physics (HEDP) and inertial fusion science community for nearly 40 years. The multi-beam multi-kJ OMEGA EP Laser System brings unique capabilities to the LaserNetUS network. The combination of high intensity and high energy in short- and long-pulse operation together with solid or gas-jet targets and externally applied magnetic fields provides users a wide domain of experimental conditions. This award provides a total of eight shot days on OMEGA EP for LaserNetUS users. During the award period of performance (June 2019–November 2021), seven teams have fully utilized the eight shot days for their unique science experiments on OMEGA EP with a total of 83 target shots. These experiments involve 13 graduate students, two undergraduate students and six postdoctoral researchers. Results have been widely disseminated at international conferences including LaserNetUS annual meeting (~20 presentations including three invited), and in peer-reviewed journal publications (three published with several manuscripts in preparation).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Oklahoma State University – Industrial Assessment Center (Final Report)

Our first primary objective is to provide industrial assessments to clients in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and north and northwest Texas, including the Texas Panhandle (about 10% of the state of Texas). This geographical region extends about 400 miles north and south and about 600 miles east and west. In addition, the partnership links two universities, Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Wichita State University (WSU) within our region together in a significant collaboration focused on improving our region’s industrial competitiveness. Our second primary objective is to produce competent, motivated energy engineers. Student training will be a combination of classroom work, individual mentoring, and on-the-job training. The focus will be on energy conservation technologies, in conjunction with increased productivity, the economics of the same, and client relationships including client recruiting, on-site assessment, reporting, and client-related communications. Finally, we will work to provide resources and expertise to complement the first two primary objectives. The effectiveness and efficiency of our IAC will be measured, internally, by four broad criteria: (1) client benefits, (2) student development and acceptance after graduation, (3) regional/national contribution to lowering energy use and reducing pollutants, and (4) compliance with DOE/FM requirements. Client-related benefits include client contacts, timeliness of assessments and reports, the value of recommendations provided, and the value of recommendations implemented. Student development includes many students trained and the level of training provided in energy, waste, and productivity-related technologies as well as teamwork and communication skills. The contribution to lower national energy use and waste production is a natural outcome of the program. Compliance with DOE/FM requirements includes timeliness of reports, participation in Best Practices activities, contributions to EERE goals and objectives, and other requirements as communicated to the IAC.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

Transformational Membranes for Pre-Combustion Carbon Capture (Final Report)

The objectives of this project are to develop a cost-effective design and fabrication process of a novel transformational membrane and its membrane modules that capture CO 2 from coal derived syngas. We have synthesized transformational membranes, scaled up the membrane to a prototype size of 14 inches wide by 20 feet in continuous roll-to-roll fabrication, fabricated at least 9 prototype membrane modules (each with about 2.5-inch diameter, 14-inch length, and 800 cm 2 membrane area) for testing with simulated syngas at OSU to achieve capture with at least 95% CO 2 purity. The membrane modules are in commercial spiral-wound (SW) configuration with a minimal pressure drop (<0.103 bar/meter (1.5 psi/meter)).

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2022

High Strength Steel-Aluminum Components by Vaporizing Foil Actuator Welding

This project aimed to address the challenge of effectively welding dissimilar materials—high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum for creating lightweight, multi-material automotive components. For automotive companies, reducing weight of a vehicle is critical task regulated by the government to solve the issue of greenhouse gas emissions. Production of lightweight cars and trucks can be achieved by substitution of current all-steel structures with multi-material lightweight structures that include high strength-to-weight-ration materials such as high-strength steels, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys, coupled with lightweight designs. This requires dissimilar metal welding, which is challenging for state of the art joining processes such as resistance spot welding. The cycle of melting-cooling-freezing during traditional welding that can easily ruin the designed outstanding properties of the advanced base metals, such as aluminum alloys, making the welded area much weaker than the base metals. To weld two different metals with great difference in melting points, such as aluminum and steel, it’s even more difficult or impossible because of the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the welded interface. In this project, a novel welding method, developed at OSU, was selected for validation and development. This novel technology enables welding by impact without melting and proves to be robust to join various dissimilar lightweight metals. Termed as vaporizing foil actuator welding or VFAW, the technology uses a thin aluminum foil that is rapidly vaporized by a high current pulse to produce an explosive-like pressure pulse to drive one metallic piece into another at the high speed required for impact welding. This project entailed development of the early-stage welding technology in terms of (a) the consumables, the welding apparatus and the power sources, (b) coupon scale screening of many material combinations including corrosion studies, (c) computational modeling and design of the welded interface as well as of the multi-material prototype component, and (d) mechanical testing for strength and durability at coupon scale and to a certain extent the prototype scale. The all-steel engine cradle of 2016 Chevrolet Cruze was chosen as the baseline prototype component. The target set for the project was to demonstrate a 20% weight reduction at a cost premium of less than $\$ $5/lb saved without compromising on baseline mechanical properties. At project completion, a 12% lighter prototype component was demonstrated with an estimated cost premium of $\$ $9.8/lb saved. Besides prototype level demonstration of the technology, this project also enabled elevation of the technology’s readiness level to where a hydraulically actuated welding head was developed and made ready for deployment at a research and development facility for Tier 1 automotive supplier.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Novel Transformational Membranes and Process for CO 2 Capture from Flue Gas (FE0031731)

The objectives of this project are to develop a cost-effective design and fabrication process for a novel transformational membrane and its membrane modules that capture CO 2 from flue gas. Optimization of the novel transformational membrane, scale-up of the membrane to a prototype size of about 20" wide in continuous roll-to-roll fabrication, and construction and testing of a skid for the integrated membrane process will be performed. For the design of this membrane, we use a cost-effective polymer support and coat a thin top layer of the membrane. The simplicity of this membrane design offers a low cost for the membrane element in commercial spiral-wound (SW) configuration (<$2.00/ft 2 or $21.5/m 2 ). The prototype membrane will be used to fabricate 6 pilot-size membrane modules (each about 20" length, 3 modules each at the commercial-size diameter of 8 inches with 35 m 2 membrane area for Stage 1 and 3 modules each at 5-inch diameter with 12 m 2 membrane area for Stage 2) for testing with simulated flue gas at OSU and with actual flue gas at the National Carbon Capture Center, Wilsonville, AL using the skid to capture the CO 2 (at 60 – 90%) with at least 95% CO 2 purity. The prototype membrane modules will be in commercial SW configuration with a minimal pressure drop (<0.103 bar/meter (1.5 psi/meter)). These objectives have been achieved successfully.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Biomass Gasification for Chemicals Production Using Chemical Looping Techniques (Final Report)

The Ohio State University (OSU) is investigating the Biomass to Syngas (BTS) chemical looping technology to produce syngas for chemical production applications from biomass under US Department of Energy (DOE) Award #DE-EE0007530. The BTS process aligns with the programmatic area of interest of “Conversion, via biological, thermal, catalytic or chemical means, of acceptable feedstocks into advanced biofuels and/or biobased products including intermediate and end-use products”. Compared to conventional biomass gasification processes, the BTS process eliminates the need for air separation units and tar reforming reactors, which leads to energy efficiency improvement and capital cost reduction. The overall objective is to ascertain the potential of biomass gasification based on the chemical looping technique through mitigation of the possible techno-economic challenges in the steps of scale up for commercialization. The scope of work consists of 1) designing, constructing and operating a 10 kWth commercially scalable sub-pilot BTS system and; 2) completing a comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the BTS process using methanol production as an example. Over the course of the project, the project team completed the design, fabrication, and operation of a 10 kWth sub-pilot scale test unit for the BTS process. Corn cob and wood pellets were successfully tested in the unit for high purity syngas generation in extended test campaigns that totals over 200 hours. Syngas purity (H2 and CO) of >70% was achieved with a CH 4 concentration of <6%. The H 2 /CO ratio was greater than 1.8. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis was performed to compare the BTS process and a reference indirectly heated gasification process for methanol synthesis. The result, updated with experimental results for BTS process performance, shows a methanol required selling price (MSP) of $\$ $1.15/gal, compared to $1.28/gal for the reference case.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling of Prismatic High Temperature Reactors in Pronghorn

Pronghorn is a Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) based thermal-hydraulics code developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for advanced reactor analysis. It has been previously applied to model Pebble-Bed High Temperature Reactors (High Temperature Reactor (HTR)s), Liquid-Metal Cooled Reactors, and Molten Salt Reactors, among others. This work applies the coarse-mesh thermal hydraulics capabilities in Pronghorn to model Prismatic-Core HTRs. In particular, the Oregon State University (OSU)’s High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) is modeled with Pronghorn. The HTTF is a 1:4 height scaled-down facility of General Atomics’ Modular High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation-Hardened GaN HEMT and Cell Design, Modeling, and Fabrication for Nuclear Instrumentation Applications

Recent advances in nuclear power generation technologies show great promise for efficient, safe generation of carbon-free power in the near future. Consequently, many new generation reactor designs are being pursued by government and industry groups, including both fission- and fusion-based technologies. Radiation- and temperature-tolerant sensor technology continues to advance, yet development of the electronics/instrumentation technologies suitable for these environments have fallen behind. Industry has adequately addressed harsh environment electronics needs for low earth orbit satellites, but the much more extreme conditions associated with electronics placed near or in a reactor core remain unaddressed. This project investigates the use of gallium nitride (GaN) circuit technology to address the unique needs for sensor interface electronics and communications in reactor environments. This report provides a summary of the first year’s project activities related to developing and optimizing devices and circuits for this GaN high electronic mobility transistor (HEMT) process. Activities reported include multiple analog and digital circuit designs simulated using custom Verilog-A models generated from measured GaN devices fabricated in the target process. Digital circuit designs included fundamental logic circuits such as an inverter, NAND, NOR, AND and OR gates, as well as a 5-stage ring oscillator. Each design was simulated using an open-source SPICE simulator, and an integrated circuit layout was produced of each design for use in future fabrication. Analog circuit designs focused on the fundamental building blocks to be used to construct sensor interface and communications circuits. These included current mirrors, matched differential pairs, and a Gilbert cell mixer design, each with an associated integrated circuit layout. Layout tools used for these designs included two open-source packages—KLayout and Magic—which were customized for specific use with the OSU GaN process layers. Design rules and preliminary device extraction capabilities were built for the Magic tool to enable device extraction and subsequent netlist generation for SPICE simulation. Finally, future research directions for year two are summarized. When the year-two directions are implemented, the project will be in position to advance the state of the art in electronics for near- or in-reactor sensor interfacing and communications.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

GaN HEMT Fabrication for Radiation-Hardened Sensing and Communications Electronics

Gallium nitride (GaN), a wide bandgap semiconductor, has vast potential to address two environment conditions associated with the application of electronics to nuclear power: elevated temperatures, and high levels of radiation. A process was developed at The Ohio State University (OSU) to enable fabrication of complex digital and analog electronics circuits for application to nuclear power environments such as locations near or in the reactor core or in spent nuclear fuel casks. Radio frequency (RF)-grade GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices were fabricated as part of this process. These were fabricated as depletion mode and enhancement mode devices. They have been electrically characterized and have demonstrated the expected performance. Behavioral models (Verilog-A) were developed from these device measurements to enable electrical simulation of GaN HEMT devices and circuits using common electronics simulation tools based on Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE). A similar set of GaN HEMT devices is being developed to provide lower speed devices for logic and analog functions. These accomplishments position this technology for effective application to sensor interfacing, signal processing, and data communications in nuclear power plants, including operation in or near the reactor core.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

T-Type Modular DC Circuit Breaker (T-Breaker) for Future DC Networks

The developed T-Type Modular DC Circuit Breaker (T-Breaker) technology offers an all-in-one solution to challenges in DC networks. This includes swift fault detection and protection, power transient stability, and power quality improvement, achieved through the utilization of wide bandgap (WBG) power semiconductors and energy storage devices. The T-Breaker not only facilitates rapid fault current detection and interruption but also implements fault current limiting through active insertion of storage devices or by operating WBG devices in the saturation region. Additionally, with the assistance of energy storage devices, potential overvoltage issues on power devices induced by control signal misalignment can be mitigated. The T-Breaker can be regulated to perform shunt current injection/absorption using the vertical arm and series voltage insertion via the horizontal arm, thereby enhancing DC system stability during voltage or load power fluctuation transients. The OSU team and Raytheon team actively worked together on designing, fabricating, assembling, and testing of two T-Breaker prototypes. The first prototype is rated at 1 kV, 500 A with half-bridge (unipolar) structure to validate the T-Breaker concept. The second prototype is rated at 20 kV, 50 A with full-bridge (bipolar) topology which can reach an efficiency of 99.977%, realize a power density of 60.2 MW/m3, and eliminate the 500-A fault current with a fault response time of around 20 µs. The prototypes show great feasibility of adopting this technology in multiple applications including electrified aircraft, super charging stations, data centers, etc.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-Head Bypass Fish Passage Investigations: Year One (Final Report)

The goal of this first year study is to investigate the effects of downstream passage on fish health by comparing two methods: downstream fish passage at a high head dam through a bypass system, and downstream fish passage at a collection facility with vehicle conveyance to understand which method best supports achieving biological performance metrics, and what structural design or operational changes can be implemented to reduce stress and mortality in juvenile Chinook salmon. This study will occur at Green Peter Dam (or Green Peter). To achieve this goal, we will evaluate stress, injury, and mortality rates of downstream migrating juveniles after passage through a bypass system compared to holding fish in a collection facility and vehicle conveyance (trap and haul). This study will be conducted by researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in collaboration with researchers from Oregon State University (OSU). Results from this study will be used to inform the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Product Delivery Teams (PDTs) charged with designing improvements for downstream juvenile fish passage at high head dams in the Willamette River basin. The broader intent is to support management decisions on long-term measures and operations to rebuild populations of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook salmon listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microchannel-based Membrane-less Extraction of Li from Unconventional Lithium Sources & the Separation of REE

This final report provides an overview of the Project's entire duration, covering July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. It primarily focuses on the achievements, technological developments, and unique challenges the team faced while working on separating and extracting Lithium from produced waters. The project's primary aim was to create an integrated, high-throughput, membrane-less, and modular microfluidic platform that could extract Lithium from unconventional sources. We have successfully met all goals and milestones envisioned in the SOPO document. The most critical primary milestones, including the Go-No-Go milestone (refer to the Gantt chart in the Appendices), were successfully accomplished. We demonstrated phase separation (>90%) and extraction (>85%) performance in the MPSE using synthetic, and representative produced water composition feed at 50 ml/min total flow through MPSE 36. We have also performed a parametric study of the MPSE operations, beyond the scope of SOPO, exploring operating conditions of current and broader interest. The extended investigation of operational parameters is concurrent with our efforts to seek further development of the MPSE technology beyond the scope of the Project. Along these lines of development, we have made efforts to be responsive to DOE calls for technological developments of other types of resources (beyond PW) for the recovery of Critical Materials and higher TRL development (beyond TRL 4). During the work on this Project, we developed and implemented three innovative technical approaches that emerged from our efforts to successfully meet the Project milestones. The innovative & original technical approaches developed and implemented in this Project are now the contributions to process engineering that could be clearly credited to the Project. First, Convergent Design Approach is a comprehensive feedforward & feedback loop of four design phases: i) design for functionality, ii) design for manufacturing, iii) design for sustainability, and iv) design for market. Next was Process Intensification. A major aim of this Project was to create an innovative phase separation & extraction microscale-based technology for Li separation – thus the words microchannel-based in the Project title. A microscale-based technology is intrinsically in the center of the Process Intensification domain as defined by its unique principles. Therefore, Process Intensification was implicitly envisioned in the Project’s SOPO. Lastly, Time Scale Analysis is a novel tool for discovering the needs and directions of Process Intensification implementations in any process technology. This Project is fully credited for developing and implementing the three novel technical approaches mentioned above. These are general contributions to process engineering that emerged from this Project. Beyond the original SOPO scope, the OSU-U.Pitt research group utilized a Convergent Design methodology, integrating first-principles mathematical modeling with experimental validation on the Minimum Development Vehicle. By creating these Digital Twins, the team rapidly assessed manufacturing iterations to support TEA analysis. This framework further enabled the development of advanced Surface Modification Techniques, where hydrophobic and oleophobic coating strategies were optimized via Digital Twin tools and validated through rigorous 100-hour longevity testing. TEA Analysis: The closing efforts of this Project were focused on the TEA analysis. TEA analysis had two primary functions: i) enabling critical assessments of design variations withing 10 the Concurrent Design Approach, thus enabling evolution of the MPSE design to reach faster- better-cheaper alternatives; and ii) to create a bridge between the accomplishments of this Project and future projects of higher TRL, beyond TRL 6 level. It is important to note that the TEA model created in the Project stirred the technological solutions for the recovery of critical materials toward a vision of a very profitable modular plant that has unique zero-waste water discharge signature. More importantly, thanks to our experimental performance data and conservative assumptions, the TEA model predicts minimal technological and investment risks. Low cost of a modular unit of a nominal capacity of [1000 tons of Li 2 CO 3 /year] positions the MPSE based technology within the reach of community investors, thus offering a paradigm shift in the development of critical technologies. The project successfully navigated two primary challenges: solvent selection and manufacturing adaptation. Restricted by the SOPO to existing literature for lithium recovery, the team identified a critical need for a "material excellence program" to develop next-generation solvents, eventually concluding with a preliminary investigation into promising Ionic Liquids (ILs). Simultaneously, COVID-19 supply chain disruptions forced a pivot from traditional manufacturing to advanced additive methods at ATAMI-OSU. By transitioning from stainless steel to 3D-printed polymer substrates, the team achieved a transformative three-order-of- magnitude reduction in manufacturing costs and compressed prototyping timelines from several months to just two days. The MPSE technology offers significant energy, environmental, and economic advantages by overcoming the traditional bottlenecks of phase-separation hardware and contactor size. Unlike conventional mixer-settlers or membrane-based systems, MPSE operates without moving parts or fouling-prone membranes, achieving robust performance even with challenging, viscous, or particulate-heavy feeds. Key performance metrics include an energy intensity reduction of 5–50x (3–40 kJ/m 3 ) compared to incumbent technologies and a dramatic reduction of processing time to under 60 seconds, which drastically reduces the physical plant footprint. These technical efficiencies translate into superior economic outcomes; for a 100 t/year Li 2 CO 3 facility, implementing MPSE is projected to nearly halve contactor CAPEX (from $\$$6.08M to $\$$3.01M) and significantly increase the project's Net Present Value (NPV), derisking new investment and enabling distributed critical-mineral processing configurations. The commercialization of MPSE technology is being spearheaded by Vigsur Dynamics Inc., which has adopted a structured, parallel approach to technical and business development since its formation in January 2026. Following extensive customer discovery and engagement with the Oregon State University accelerator, Vigsur Dynamics is working to establish a business model that transitions from pilot demonstrations to modular hardware sales, ultimately aiming for a "build-own-operate" service strategy. Current technical milestones—including 100 hours of continuous operation, superior energy efficiency, and successful 6-unit modular scale-up— provide a foundation for this transition. Backed by ongoing IP licensing and a growing network of industrial and venture advisors, the company is actively de-risking the platform to replace conventional mixer-settler systems in the critical minerals market.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗