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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Strategic Plan: Decrease Critical Minerals Waste Through Enabling Advanced Manufacturing Techniques

In this report we developed a strategic outlook derived from previous findings by our Phase-2 Scorecard Report and the Critical Mineral Evaluation Report. In addition, Phase 2 Materials Scorecards have been developed in 2022 to provide a detailed justification and traceability for the adoption of additively manufactured structural materials and ceramics for nuclear deployment. The report provides a strategic vision to harvest the benefits of reduced material and energy demands by enhanced deployment of advanced manufacturing in nuclear technology. The objective of this report is to address the needs for imminent experimental/computational studies to optimize the deployment of advanced manufacturing for its energy-, cost-, and critical materials saving potentials. We display what further actions are needed to minimize supply risks of critical minerals and to lower the economic vulnerability when implementing the additional nuclear capacity projected by 2050, in support of the U.S. goal of net-zero carbon emission. The critical minerals essential for Gen-IV nuclear technology show either low disruption potential (supply risks) combined with high economic vulnerability, such as: copper, nickel, and chromium; or low supply risks combined with medium economic vulnerability, such as: manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, tantalum, and zirconium. Enhancements in quality and yield of critical mineral recycling and the recovery of critical minerals from solid and industrial waste streams are needed to enhance supply security for stainless-steel production and to shift the time to scarcity for society to future years.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling Small Modular Reactors in GCAM

This study uses the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) to examine the critical role and future of nuclear energy in the global energy system, with a focus on the United States. We also analyzed the U.S. government’s new strategic vision for the nuclear energy sector.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ultimate Colliders

Our understanding of the Universe critically depends on the fundamental knowledge of particles and fields, which represents a central endeavor of modern high-energy physics. Energy frontier particle colliders - arguably, among the largest, most complex and advanced scientific instruments of modern times - for many decades have been at the forefront of scientific discoveries in high-energy physics. Due to technology advances and beam physics breakthroughs, the colliding beam facilities have progressed immensely and now operate at energies and luminosities many orders of magnitude greater than the pioneering instruments of the early 1960s. While the Large Hadron Collider and the Super-KEKB factory represent the frontier hadron and lepton colliders of today, respectively, future colliders are an essential component of a strategic vision for particle physics. Conceptual studies and technical developments for several exciting near- and medium-term future collider options are underway internationally. Analysis of numerous proposals and studies for far-future colliders indicate the limits of the collider beam technology due to machine size, cost, and power consumption, and call for a paradigm shift of the particle physics research at ultra-high energy but low luminosity colliders approaching or exceeding 1 PeV center-of-mass energy scale.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

FY24 Laboratory Directed Research and Development Annual Report

The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program yields foundational scientific research and development (R&D) essential to growing SRNL’s core competencies, in alignment with SRNL’s Strategic Plan to provide long-term benefits to the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and other customers and stakeholders. Five strategic goals are outlined in SRNL’s strategic plan: 1) Provide applied science and engineering for EM’s active clean-up sites and LM’s post closure management sites 2) Provide science-based solutions for gaps identified in nonproliferation strategic vision and support the government in activities impacting national security 3) Lead Science, Technology & Engineering as the central technical authority for processing tritium loaded reservoirs and support production of plutonium pits 4) Align science and energy security programs by focusing modern modeling, simulation, and data analytics tools on materials engineering and performance applications 5) Build a workforce for the future

Clark, Sue [Savannah River National Laboratory (SR↗
DOE OSTI2020

Energy Paths for the Yurok People

The Yurok Tribe has been working for more than two decades to bring adequate, cost-effective energy services to their Tribal members. With the completion of the electric line extension to Wautec, they are well on their way to an effective and sustainable energy future. However, there is still much work to be done; many Tribal households in the Upper Reservation are still without reliable, affordable electric power. Now the Tribe needs to determine the next steps to realize their energy vision. This Yurok Tribe energy strategic planning study examined electricity usage, costs and infrastructure, as well as electricity needs on the Reservation. It also assessed the Tribe’s energy resources. Equipped with this information, the project team conducted an energy options analysis that examined different project opportunities and identified key projects that are both feasible to implement and will help the Tribe reach its stated Energy Vision. There are still numerous households in the Upper Reservation and adjacent lands that are without grid electric power, and it is likely that most of them will remain disconnected from the grid because of their remoteness. To provide these community members with reliable, affordable, modern energy services their homes will need to be electrified via a robust off-grid energy services program that installs and maintains off-grid energy systems. This is the key need that is explored and addressed in this plan.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Physics Division Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024

The vision of the Physics Division (PHY) at Argonne National Laboratory is to continue enhancing its role as a world-leading institution in basic nuclear physics research and its applications. Key to this vision is for PHY to continue to safely and effectively operate and evolve the capabilities of the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) facility to best serve its users. ATLAS is the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerator facility for low-energy nuclear physics research. The research carried out by PHY covers many themes in contemporary science but can be distilled into five areas of focus. These themes are interconnected, with continuously evolving synergies between the various groups and facilities in PHY and the broader Laboratory. This five-year strategic plan serves to illustrate our current capabilities and new directions related to these five areas of focus (ATLAS also develops an independent strategic plan): Accelerator research and design. The goal of this theme is to design, fabricate, test, and implement novel accelerator systems, with a focus on high-intensity ion and electron systems. These R&D activities have led to enhancements in the ATLAS accelerator system. Among others, the division’s accelerator systems are in use or planned for use at Fermilab, the Advanced Photon Source, and in a broad variety of applications at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Atom trapping and fundamental symmetries. The goal of this theme is to explore and exploit the uses of advanced laser cooling and trapping techniques to manipulate atoms. There are three main areas of focus. First is in the application of the atom trap trace analysis (ATTA) technique for age determination of groundwater and ice by using radio-krypton dating. The next two trapping-based programs involve tests of fundamental symmetries in nature: the cooling and trapping of radium-225 with the aim of determining limits on an observation of its electric dipole moment and precision measurements of the beta decay properties of helium-6 to set limits on the tensor coupling constant. This is complemented by measurements of similar properties in lithium-8 and boron-8. Nuclear astrophysics. The goal of this theme is to enhance our understanding of how elements are created in the universe via explosive nucleosynthesis and how stars evolve. To meet the challenges of this theme, many of the capabilities of ATLAS are being enhanced, including the development of new beams through a new in-flight separator (RAISOR) and the anticipated neutron-generator upgrade of the Californium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade facility (nuCARIBU). These are coupled to state-of-the-art instruments such as the Canadian Penning Trap, Helical Orbit Spectrometer, Gammasphere, GRETINA, Multi-Sampling Ionization Chamber, the Fragment Mass Analyzer, and Argonne Gas-filled Fragment Analyzer, and a new low-background experimental area for decay studies. Nuclear structure. The goal of this theme is to understand the structure of nuclei, both stable and radioactive, in terms of single-particle properties, their shapes, and the dynamics governing reactions between them. These include questions such as what are the limits of nuclear stability and what are the properties of super heavy nuclei. As with the nuclear astrophysics theme, the capabilities of ATLAS, guided by the ATLAS user community, are continuously being enhanced to this end. The Division has strategic initiatives to play a leading role in the development of instrumentation and research programs at the FRIB. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and hadron physics. The goal of this theme is to lead major research programs focused on revealing the quark and gluon structure of protons, neutrons, nuclei, and short-lived mesons and baryons. These involve major programs at Jefferson Lab, Fermilab, and smaller facilities. They are complemented by theoretical endeavors centered on the question of how hadrons and their properties emerge from QCD. Out of these activities arise strategic initiatives to play a major role in the forthcoming Electron-Ion Collider (EIC).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Prefabricated Zero Energy Retrofit Technologies: A Market Assessment

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) mission is to “create and sustain American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy economy.” EERE’s vision is a strong and prosperous America powered by clean, affordable, and secure energy. In support of this vision, one of EERE’s strategic pillars is to stimulate the growth of a thriving domestic clean energy manufacturing industry. This report seeks to identify products in the European and U.S. markets that can enable a more integrated and standardized approach to conducting zero energy retrofits, leveraging off-site construction and manufacturing. Greater integration of energy conservation measures into prefabricated building components will further enable efficiency adoption, while reducing project complexity, risks, and costs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Project DarkStar: Vision for LLNL in 2030

DarkStar was a Strategic Initiative (FY2021-FY2024) to investigate applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to scientific problems of complex hydrodynamics, shockwave physics and energetic materials. The research focused on physics and engineering design as a process that can be tremendously accelerated through merging AI with advanced physics simulation on exascale-class platforms, and to experimentally validate this revolutionary new approach through dynamic materials campaigns. A central thread of scientific inquiry was in the application of AI to enable human understanding of how to control hydrodynamic instability (which has impacts to areas such as inertial confinement fusion) via engineering features and time-dependent sources. Motivated by an unfinished line of research started by Dr. Johnny von Neumann, AI-enabled simulation approaches were developed that allowed DarkStar researchers to uncover several ground-breaking discoveries regarding hydrodynamic instability, including how to completely suppress Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI). These S&T discoveries, along with other advances, have shown the way for an entirely new approach to time-dependent problems known as inverse design – the idea that complex systems can be developed directly from a final state that is to be achieved and resolve the initial design via satisfying several constraints simultaneously via AI/ML. Through experimental campaigns conducted across a wide range of facilities in the NNSA complex (the High Explosive Application Facility at LLNL, the Dynamic Compression Sector/Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Lab, and Special Technologies Laboratory at MSTS) the radical new AI/ML approach to engineering complex material dynamics was verified, establishing a new field of study within the realm of shock physics. As advanced manufacturing capabilities continue to develop, the great importance of inverse design as a means to apply that technology effectively for NNSA missions will feature prominently over this decade. DarkStar has positioned NNSA as a world-leader in this newly emerging cross-disciplinary area of AI methods for advanced physics simulation and pioneered multiple novel approaches that have enabled the broader scientific community. By allowing us to see past the horizon, to 2030 and beyond, DarkStar has illuminated the vast potential of AI/ML to impact a wide range of new national security missions and, consequently, multiple areas of further research have already emerged across the NNSA and DOD complex.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Overview of the Electrification of Transportation in Hawaii

This document is a summary of electric vehicle (EV) experiences in Hawaii. It is meant to be informative but does not present any new technical analysis except for the development of key lessons learned that could be applied in similar contexts. The electrification of transportation is essential for Hawaii's energy goal. An electrification of transportation strategy complements other energy policy goals, increases clean energy impacts, and provides customer value. By the end of 2020, there were over 12,000 EVs registered in Hawaii (about 1 percent of all cars). That number is expected to grow, based on the results from recent surveys and studies in Hawaii. Surveys pointed out the need for more charging stations, especially in places where people do business or park for long periods of the day. Participation in controlled charging programs should have attractive incentives since a majority of EV owners would not be willing to interrupt their EV charging for demand response. Various studies have confirmed the EV potential in Hawaii. For example, the JUMPSmart Maui demonstration project, a public-private partnership with Japan, helped to establish the EV charging station infrastructure in Maui and provided important information about charging behaviors. A critical backbone study commissioned by the utility recommended that 3,600 public chargers be installed by 2030 on the five islands, which confirms the need for infrastructure improvements expressed in earlier surveys. The process that emerged in Hawaii can be an example to other locations, which could heed the lessons from Hawaii's EV experiences: The importance of an overarching energy goal/objective based on a shared vision; planning and pilot projects; a strategic plan (roadmap) leveraging on initial experiences; evaluation of the effectiveness/success of actions; fine-tuning as needed; close regulatory oversight and stakeholder participation.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated Research Infrastructure Architecture Blueprint Activity (Final Report 2023)

The complexity of scientific pursuits is increasing rapidly with aspects that require dynamic integration of experiment, observation, theory, modeling, simulation, visualization, machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and analysis. Research projects across the Department of Energy (DOE) are increasingly data and compute intensive. Innovative research teams are accelerating the pace of discovery by using high-performance computational and data tools in their research workflows and leveraging multiple research infrastructures. Additionally, several recent high-level U.S. government reports underscore the necessity of a new advanced computing ecosystem for international competitiveness and national security. International competitors are moving forward with major research infrastructure integration efforts that seek to capture a competitive advantage in the global innovation race. Owing to its unparalleled constellation of world-class experimental and observational facilities and high-performance and extreme-scale computational, data, and networking infrastructure, DOE is positioned to be a global leader in this new era of integrated science. However, this new integration paradigm will demand continuing evolution to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in research and innovation. The DOE Office of Science (SC) has seized on the strategic importance of integration and has adopted a vision for Integrated Research Infrastructure (IRI): To empower researchers to meld DOE’s world-class research tools, infrastructure, and user facilities seamlessly and securely in novel ways to radically accelerate discovery and innovation. To respond to the evolving computational requirements of research and the competitive international innovation landscape, experimental facilities could be connected with high performance computing resources for near real-time analysis, and resources should be provided for merging enormous and diverse data for AI/ML techniques and analysis.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Southcentral/Upper-West Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership

This Final Technical Report describes the successful completion of all project tasks under award DE-EE0008272, plus three additional deliverables, all completed within the original budget. Our objective was to position CHP as a key driver of American competitiveness, the strategic use of domestic energy resources, and enhanced energy resilience. This vision was pursued through sustained collaboration with a broad range of public and private stakeholders, including manufacturers, commercial and institutional facilities, state and federal agencies, and associations of end-users, among others.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Contentious narratives and disinformation about nuclear weapons in strategic deterrence and competition: A SOCOM perspective. Part of Section: United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in Emerging Strategic & Geopolitical Challenges: Operational Implications for US Combatant Commands

Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine demonstrates the challenge for strategic deterrence and competition of countering contentious narratives and disinformation about weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during conventional regional wars against a nucleararmed adversary. Moscow uses both tailored, contentious narratives and targeted disinformation about WMD in Ukraine to influence and disrupt local and global perceptions in support of its deterrence and competition objectives vis-à-vis the United States and NATO. Since December 2021, Moscow has made a focal point of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons in its efforts to establish a permissive environment for its military buildup on the border with Ukraine and then its military intervention. These information tactics also demonstrate an opportunity for US Special Operations Forces (SOF). They are a case study for considering how SOF can contribute to strategic deterrence and competition objectives, specifically countering adversary gray-zone information efforts to alter regional security orders.1 Such a role is in line with the 2022 Special Operations Forces Vision and Strategy, which provides a framework for the evolution of SOF into “a force capable of creating strategic, asymmetric advantages for the nation as a key contributor of integrated deterrence” (United States Special Operations Command, 2022). This paper briefly examines this strategic challenge and SOF opportunity, focusing narrowly on the distinction between contentious narratives and disinformation about nuclear weapons and the role of SOF in countering these gray-zone information tactics. The nuclear dimension of Moscow’s contentious narratives and disinformation in the “special military operation” is of particular interest because it demonstrates the distinction between strategic efforts to influence and disrupt local and global perceptions in Moscow’s favor. This distinction between influence and disruption is less clear with Russia’s contentious narratives and disinformation about chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine, as disinformation about these two types of WMD appears to overwhelm contentious narratives. We believe this distinction is useful for policymakers and warfighters responsible for countering gray-zone information tactics because it provides a framework for crafting tailored responses to contentious narratives and disinformation about nuclear weapons and other WMD. The chapter concludes with a discussion of efforts that could be undertaken by SOF in cooperation with other relevant stakeholders to address this aspect of adversary gray-zone information tactics.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

SMR Current Status: Development Needs and Global Perspectives

Defined as nuclear reactors with a power output up to 300 megawatts electrical (MWe) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and targeted for multipurpose applications, small modular reactors (SMRs) have been recognized as a very promising, clean, affordable, and sustainable energy source by many countries. At present, more than 80 SMRs are under design, development, demonstration, deployment, and beyond (4D+) phases worldwide. This study focuses on the current world status of SMRs and focuses on the necessary developments to accelerate the process of adopting SMRs as a major energy source globally. SMRs are not a new concept, but they do represent a new vision for older concepts if the challenges inherent within them are mitigated with strategic and realistic solution approaches. The major challenges for SMRs 4D+ like any new reactors are: (a) qualifying the advanced fuel-to-reactor design; (b) supporting rapid scaled/prototypic experimentations; (c) maintaining local and global codes, standards, and licensing; (d) supply chain issues;(e) effective cradle-to-grave nuclear fuel cycle and fuel material transportation, and (f) mitigating financial and environmental risks. These upfront challenges can be mitigated with a synergistic solution approach among the various stakeholders: industry, academia, research, government, and international entities.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Presentation: SMR Current Status: Development Needs and Global Perspectives

Defined as nuclear reactors with a power output up to 300 megawatts electrical (MWe) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and targeted for multipurpose applications, small modular reactors (SMRs) have been recognized as a very promising, clean, affordable, and sustainable energy source by many countries. At present, more than 80 SMRs are under design, development, demonstration, deployment, and beyond (4D+) phases worldwide. This paper focuses on the current world status of SMRs and focuses on the necessary developments to accelerate the process of adopting SMRs as a major energy source globally. SMRs are not a new concept, but they do represent a new vision for older concepts if the challenges inherent within them are mitigated with strategic and realistic solution approaches. The major challenges for SMRs 4D+ like any new reactors are: (a) qualifying the advanced fuel-to-reactor design; (b) supporting rapid scaled/prototypic experimentations; (c) maintaining local and global codes, standards, and licensing; (d) supply chain issues; (e) effective cradle-to-grave nuclear fuel cycle and fuel material transportation, and (f) mitigating financial and environmental risks. These upfront challenges can be mitigated with a synergistic solution approach among the various stakeholders: industry, academia, research, government, and international entities.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

SMR Current Status: Development Needs and Global Perspectives

Defined as nuclear reactors with a power output up to 300 megawatts electrical (MWe) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and targeted for multipurpose applications, small modular reactors (SMRs) have been recognized as a very promising, clean, affordable, and sustainable energy source by many countries. At present, more than 80 SMRs are under design, development, demonstration, deployment, and beyond (4D+) phases worldwide. This study focuses on the current world status of SMRs and focuses on the necessary developments to accelerate the process of adopting SMRs as a major energy source globally. SMRs are not a new concept, but they do represent a new vision for older concepts if the challenges inherent within them are mitigated with strategic and realistic solution approaches. The major challenges for SMRs 4D+ like any new reactors are: (a) qualifying the advanced fuel-to-reactor design; (b) supporting rapid scaled/prototypic experimentations; (c) maintaining local and global codes, standards, and licensing; (d) supply chain issues;(e) effective cradle-to-grave nuclear fuel cycle and fuel material transportation, and (f) mitigating financial and environmental risks. These upfront challenges can be mitigated with a synergistic solution approach among the various stakeholders: industry, academia, research, government, and international entities.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fostering Nuclear Security Culture through Effective Leadership: An Operational Perspective

Security culture plays a critical role in determining the effectiveness of an organization's security performance, making its significance impossible to overemphasize. It encompasses the collective values, shared perceptions, and habitual actions embraced by all individuals within a nuclear organization—from leadership to frontline staff. When the entire workforce recognizes the reality of potential threats, accepts that security is a shared duty, and integrates security-minded behavior into everyday routines, it fosters an environment where strong security practices are the norm. In such a setting, everyone can take pride and feel reassured in being part of an organization where a strong security culture is deeply embedded. Security culture is based on the broader concept of organizational culture. All organizations—whether families, social clubs, religious institutions, businesses, non-governmental organizations, or governments—possess an underlying culture shaped by core values and beliefs. These values and beliefs influence attitudes and drive behavior throughout the organization. While multiple factors contribute to the development of a strong security culture, leadership plays a particularly pivotal role. In organizations where security culture is well-established, leaders go beyond rhetoric; they demonstrate a genuine commitment to security through their actions. They implement policies and procedures that actively engage all employees, foster open dialogue around security concerns, and encourage teamwork in resolving issues. Furthermore, they reward proactive behavior and ensure that corrective actions are taken promptly. Regular assessments of the organization's security culture allow such leaders to gauge its effectiveness and take strategic steps to strengthen it when necessary. This paper leverages practical, real-world experience to guide leadership and senior management within nuclear organizations through the foundational steps of cultivating a robust, organization-wide culture of nuclear security. It emphasizes the critical importance of early leadership engagement in shaping this culture and outlines a comprehensive approach that includes strategic, tactical, and operational measures. Additionally, it explores methods for fostering a unified vision across all levels of the organization to ensure alignment, commitment, and continuous improvement in nuclear security practices.

Zineddin, Dr. Z. [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000848740725)↗