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DOE OSTI2023

Understanding the Uncertainty in the Technical Performance Level Assessment for Wave Energy

In recent years, the design and development of wave energy converters (WECs) has been explored with intense interest, with highly varying design concepts emerging globally across both research enterprises and industry. The design space for WECs is vast - many concepts ranging in functionality, control systems, power development systems, materials, and scale have been ideated and prototyped, but WEC technology has yet to converge. One critical element of the technology trajectory that governs the speed of adoption is the performance of a WEC concept. In analogous but more-established industries (such as aerospace, and environmentally sustainable electronics design), performance assessment is a quantitative method, based on historical data, that is used as an iterative tool to improve the design of these systems early on in the design process. Though more nascent than these approaches, in wave energy R&D, WEC performance has been assessed using the Technology Performance Level (TPL) assessment, which provides designers with a quantitative score, situating a grid-scale WEC concept on a scale from 1-9 (1 being the lowest performance, and 9 being the highest, trending with the oft-used Technology Readiness Level, or TRL). The TPL assessment is designed to be used during design iteration, when a WEC concept is fully ideated, to enable designers to consider potential means of improving the downstream performance of the concept. One concern that may be slowing the adoption of TPL among WEC developers is the inherent uncertainty in the assessment, and how uncertainty in the individual questions asked as part of the assessment may contribute to perceived inaccuracies in the final score. In this work, we explore the uncertainty present in the assessment and quantify this uncertainty using both traditional mathematical operations and a Monte Carlo simulation. Results imply areas of improvement of the TPL assessment, where reducing uncertainty will be most helpful to end users, enabling both TPL practitioners and users to understand with more accuracy those design elements that can be improved to impact device performance most substantively.

techno-economic analysis↗

DOE OSTI2017

Beyond Widgets -- Systems Incentive Programs for Utilities

Utility incentive programs remain one of the most significant means of deploying commercialized, but underutilized building technologies to scale. However, these programs have been largely limited to component-based products (e.g., lamps, RTUs). While some utilities do provide ‘custom’ incentive programs with whole building and system level technical assistance, these programs require deeper levels of analysis, resulting in higher program costs. This results in custom programs being restricted to utilities with greater resources, and are typically applied mainly to large or energy-intensive facilities, leaving much of the market without cost effective access and incentives for these solutions. In addition, with increasingly stringent energy codes, cost effective component-based solutions that achieve significant savings are dwindling. Building systems (e.g., integrated façade, HVAC and/or lighting solutions) can deliver higher savings that translate into large sector-wide savings if deployed at the scale of these programs. However, systems application poses a number of challenges – baseline energy use must be defined and measured; the metrics for energy and performance must be defined and tested against; in addition, system savings must be validated under well understood conditions. This paper presents a sample of findings of a project to develop validated utility incentive program packages for three specific integrated building systems, in collaboration with Xcel Energy (CO, MN), ComEd, and a consortium of California Public Owned Utilities (CA POUs) (Northern California Power Agency(NCPA) and the Southern California Public Power Authority(SCPPA)). Furthermore, these program packages consist of system specifications, system performance, M&V protocols, streamlined assessment methods, market assessment and implementation guidance.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2018

Beyond Widgets: Validated Systems Energy Savings and Utility Custom Incentive Program Systems Trends

Energy efficiency upgrades to buildings to date through avenues such as utility incentive programs have been largely limited to component-based products (e.g., lamps, RTUs). While some utilities do provide ‘custom’ incentive programs with whole building and system level technical assistance, these programs require deeper levels of analysis, resulting in higher program costs. This results in custom programs being restricted to utilities with greater resources, and are typically applied mainly to large or energy-intensive facilities, leaving much of the market without cost effective access and incentives for these solutions. In addition, with increasingly stringent energy codes, cost effective component-based solutions that achieve significant savings are dwindling. Integrated building systems (e.g., integrated façade, HVAC and/or lighting solutions) can deliver higher savings (Regnier et al. 2017) that translate into large sector-wide savings if deployed at the scale of these programs. However, systems application poses a number of challenges – energy savings assessments are inherently more complex and are not easily suited to the deemed measure model, and implementation of systems can be more disruptive. This paper presents the outcomes of a project to develop validated utility incentive program packages for three specific integrated building systems, in collaboration with ComEd, a consortium of California Public Owned Utilities (CA POUs) (Northern California Power Agency(NCPA) and the Southern California Public Power Authority(SCPPA)), and Xcel Energy (CO, MN). Previous work described the potential for energy savings of these systems at the individual and market level, early test findings for the task-ambient lighting system, and described the work products to develop utility incentive programs (Regnier et al. 2016). This paper presents validated end use energy savings of all three systems showing energy savings of ~20% for automated shading combined with daylight dimming (does not include light fixture retrofit savings); 30-46% for task-ambient lighting systems combined with plug load occupancy controls, depending on technology package and office building size (no daylight dimming impacts); and ~94% in the south-façade daylit zone for workstation specific lighting systems with daylight dimming (including lighting retrofit and task tuning). Using a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reference building model (DOE 2018), this translates to whole building savings of 2-5% (large-medium commercial), 12-23% (large-small commercial), and 13-15% (medium-large commercial) for these systems respectively. Early findings from the utilities in deploying these systems through their incentive programs indicate that deployment methods such as direct install programs might be best suited for these integrated systems. Further, early findings from a scoping study across custom utility programs and federal retrofit programs indicate that component level retrofits are still prevalent even in these programs, pointing towards an opportunity for deeper energy savings deployment. High performance retrofit case studies demonstrate that deeper energy savings is possible through integrated approaches. Market stakeholder interviews indicate however that there is generally a low level of awareness of the potential for energy savings of these three integrated systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aircraft Icing Analysis of Alternatives

This paper provides a description of a recent comprehensive Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for icing research. A team of NASA icing subject matter experts (SMEs) was assembled from NASA’s Glenn and Langley Research Centers, which began by gathering inputs from icing stakeholders in industry, Government, and academia. Those inputs, which were grouped into a number of themes, were used by the SMEs to identify needed icing technical elements. Each of these high-level technical elements included the icing physics, modeling capabilities, and experimental capabilities needed to address a particular element. A multivariable analysis technique called TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solutions) was then applied to prioritize the technical elements for several potential future realities. A large number of icing research needs were identified and analyzed to determine the highest priorities for NASA key focus areas and those that will endure into the future. The primary outcome of the AoA is the identification of legacy and newly identified capability areas in priority order to guide future investment.

Icing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Aircraft Icing Analysis of Alternatives

Icing, Rotorcraft↗

NASA NTRS1981

Technical writing practically unified through industry

General background details in the development of a university level technical writing program, based upon the writing tasks of the student's occupations, are summarized. Objectives and methods for unifying the courses of study with the needs of industry are discussed. Four academic course divisions, Industries Technologies, in which preparation and training are offered are: Animal, Horticulture, Agriculture, and Agricultural Business. Occupational competence is cited as the main goal for these programs in which technical writing is to be practically unified through industry. Course descriptions are also provided.

Houston, L. S.↗

DOE OSTI2024

A 2023 Perspective: What Is the Value of Hybridization?

This report takes a wind developer's perspective and provides a summary of the current and future state of hybrid facilities, and ultimately seeks to answer the question: "Are hybrid power plants a pivotal tool for meeting future energy and decarbonization targets?" The intention is not to provide an in-depth system-level technical analysis of hybrid facilities, but to showcase a high-level overview of the hybrid facility ecosystem and its potential future directions. Lastly, the authors acknowledge and recognize that non-renewable generation technologies can be integrated into a hybrid facility, however these technologies are outside the scope of this report.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2014

Low-Cost, Class D Testing of Spacecraft Photovoltaic Systems Can Reduce Risk

The end-to-end verification of a spacecraft photovoltaic power generation system requires light! Specifically, the standard practice for doing so is the Large Area Pulsed Solar Simulation (LAPSS). A LAPSS test can characterize a photovoltaic system's efficiency via its response to rapidly applied impulses of simulated sunlight. However, a Class D program on a constrained budget and schedule may not have the resources to ship an entire satellite for a LAPSS test alone. Such was the case with the Lunar Atmospheric and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) program, which was also averse to the risk of hardware damage during shipment. When the Electrical Power System (EPS) team was denied a spacecraft-level LAPSS test, the lack of an end-to-end power generation test elevated to a project-level technical risk. The team pulled together very limited resources to not only eliminate the risk, but build a process to monitor the health of the system through mission operations. We discuss a process for performing a low-cost, end-to-end test of the LADEE photovoltaic system. The approach combines system-level functional test, panel-level performance results, and periodic inspection (and repair) up until launch. Following launch, mission operations tools are utilized to assess system performance based on a scant amount of data. The process starts in manufacturing at the subcontractor. The panel manufacturer provides functional test and LAPSS data on each individual panel. We apply an initial assumption that the per-panel performance is sufficient to meet the power generation requirements. The manufacturer's data is also carried as the performance allocation for each panel during EPS system modeling and initial mission operations. During integration and test, a high-power, professional theater lamp system provides simulated sunlight to each panel on the spacecraft, thereby permitting a true end-to-end system test. A passing test results in a step response to nearly full-rated current at the appropriate solar array switch in the power system. A metal-halide bulb, infrared imagers, and onboard spacecraft measurements are utilized to minimize risk of thermal damage during test. Data is provided to support test results for both passing and marginal panels. Prior to encapsulation in the launch vehicle, each panel is inspected for damage by the panel manufacturer. Cracked cells or other damage is amended on-site. Because the photovoltaic test system is inexpensive and portable, each repaired panel can be re-verified immediately. Post-launch, the photovoltaic system is again characterized for per-panel deviations from the manufacturer's performance test. This proved especially tricky as the LADEE spacecraft performs only one current measurement on the entire array. The algorithm for Matlab tools to assess panel performance based on spacecraft attitude is discussed. While not as precise and comprehensive as LAPSS, the LADEE approach leverages minimal resources into an ongoing assessment program that can be applied through numerous stages of the mission. The project takes a true Class D approach in assessing the technical value of a spacecraft level performance test versus the programmatic risk of shipping the spacecraft to another facility. The resources required are a fraction of that for a LAPSS test, and is easy to repeat. Further, the test equipment can be handed down to future projects without building an on-site facility.

photovoltaic↗

DOE OSTI2019

Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE): Integrated CCS Pre-Feasibility CarbonSAFE Illinois East Sub-Basin (Final Report)

Purpose of the project was to conduct a pre-feasibility assessment for commercial-scale CO 2 geological storage complexes in the East Sub-Basin of the Illinois Basin. This work will be used to advance the experience and knowledge about scaling up from demonstration to commercial-scale storage (CCS), and eventually readying sites for more than 50 million tonnes injection from one or more industrial sources. To accomplish this, the project formed a CCS coordination team with varied backgrounds to evaluate aspects of developing an integrated CCS project, including regulatory, legislative, technical, public policy, commercial and financial requirements. We developed a plan and strategy to address the technical and non-technical challenges to enable an economically feasible and publicly acceptable integrated CCS project. A significant output of this high-level technical evaluation of the East Sub-Basin was to identify suitable site(s) within the storage complex(es) that include detailed subsurface characterization and risk identification, along with evaluation of potential industrial CO 2 sources for sequestration.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

NASA NTRS2005

The systems engineering upgrade intiative at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

JPL is implementing an initiative to significantly upgrade our systems engineering capabilities. This Systems Engineering Upgrade Initiative [SUI] has been authorized by the highest level technical management body of JPL and is sponsored with internal funds. The SUI objective is to upgrade system engineering at JPL to a level that is world class, professional and efficient compared to the FY04/05 baseline. JPL system engineering, along with the other engineering disciplines, is intended to support optimum designs; controlled and efficient implementations; and high quality, reliable, cost effective products. SUI technical activities are categorized into those dealing with people, process and tools. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale, objectives/plans and current status of the JPL SUI.

Systems Engineering Upgrade Initiative (SUI)↗

DOE OSTI2019

International Low Level Waste Management Practices and Technical Bases for Very Low Level Waste Classification - 19415

Different countries around the globe use varying schemes for the classification of radioactive waste. Many countries use adaptations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) waste classification scheme. The United States uses the Class A, B, and C waste classification scheme that is loosely based on the IAEA concepts. Classification may be based on concentration limits or dose rate limits or a combination of concentration and dose rate limits. In some countries the existence of very low-level waste categories allows nuclear power plant waste to be disposed of in hazardous waste or shallow land burial sites separate from low and intermediate level waste disposal facilities. In the United States, the very low-level waste (VLLW) classification does not exist. Nuclear power plants use alternative disposal procedures under 10CFR20.2002 and other licensed processes in agreement states in order to dispose of very low activity waste in hazardous waste disposal sites. [1] Disposal of VLLW in hazardous waste or separate VLLW facilities is generally more cost effective than disposing of waste in radioactive waste sites and is protective of the health and safety of the public. This can become an important factor when large volumes of very low activity waste are generated during decommissioning of nuclear power plants. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Radiation Safety (RS) Program has developed technical bases for the establishment of a very low-level waste category. EPRI studied how VLLW waste is defined, managed, and disposed of in various countries. This included the study of disposal site design, characteristics, and how these sites protect the health and safety of the environment and the public from low levels of radioactivity. EPRI conducted a cost benefit analysis to understand the economic impact of disposing VLLW in hazardous waste disposal sites versus low-level waste disposal sites. Finally, EPRI calculated potential radionuclide limits that may be used to define very low-level waste. The purpose of this work was to provide an example of how one might approach defining limits for VLLW. The same or similar approaches could be applied to derive radionuclide limits for different dose limit objectives. This paper presents the results of research that explored the waste management and disposal practices at six countries around the world with additional focus and details on the implementation of the very low-level waste category. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

NASA NTRS2010

Florida Tech CubeSat Experiment Feasibility Study

CubeSats are a relatively new type of satellite. Smaller than long-term (5+ year life expectancy) satellites, these pico-satellites are comparatively cheap, small (10x10x10 cm), and are very versatile. Universities world-wide are using CubeSats to conduct a variety of experiments in space without the need for a large experimental platform. Today CubeSats are considered to be one of the most effective ways to send a small payload into space and has attracted the attention of many educational and non-profit organizations. As this pico-satellite model continues to gain penetration into the satellite build and launch industry, it is expected that more governmental, educational, and commercial interests will emerge. As an example, more of the space-related items of high interest to the National Science Foundation may be tackled with a CubeSat platform resulting in lower life cycle costs than traditional satellite options. NASA LSP, in cooperation with the Florida Institute of Technology, has initiated a feasibility study to investigate the technical aspects of measuring and transferring vibration, acceleration, temperature, and video data from a CubeSat to NASA Hanger AE on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) a.k.a. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This report provides a technical feasibility analysis to determine whether-or-not a specific set of NASA/LSP requirements can be accomplished. Our approach has been to provide a "notional" component layout to determine the feasibility of the NASA/LSP stakeholder requirements. The notional layout is used to consider component level technical issues such as size, weight, & power (SWaP), bandwidth, and other critical technical parameters. Even though the notional components may satisfy the stated requirements and thereby demonstrate feasibility, the notional layout is NOT considered a design since no component optimization and design trade-off analysis has taken place. This activity should be accomplished in an appropriate design phase that is outside of the scope of this effort.

Arrasmith, William W.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Topological supercurrents interaction and fluctuations in the multiterminal Josephson effect

We study the Josephson effect in the multiterminal junction of topological superconductors. We use the symmetry-constrained scattering matrix approach to derive band dispersions of emergent subgap Andreev bound states in a multidimensional parameter space of superconducting phase differences. We find distinct topologically protected band crossings that serve as monopoles of finite Berry curvature. Particularly, in a four-terminal junction the admixture of 2π and 4π periodic levels leads to the appearance of finite-energy Majorana-Weyl nodes. This topological regime in the junction can be characterized by a quantized nonlocal conductance that measures the Chern number of the corresponding bands. In addition, we calculate current-phase relations, variance, and cross correlations of topological supercurrents in multiterminal contacts and discuss the universality of these transport characteristics. At the technical level these results are obtained by integrating over the group of a circular ensemble that describes the scattering matrix of the junction. Furthermore, we briefly discuss our results in the context of observed fluctuations of the gate dependence of the critical current in topological planar Josephson junctions and comment on the possibility of parity measurements from the switching current distributions in multiterminal Majorana junctions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2021

Technical Assessment of Novel Hydrogen Producing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power System

Solid oxide cell-based electrolysis (SOEC) systems are being considered for hydrogen production due to their potential for high efficiencies and for their integrability with base load power generation systems when operated in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) mode. However, a cost prohibitive combination of SOFC power systems and SOEC systems may be required to operate the plant flexibly to produce a combination of H 2 and power on-demand. A single (consequently less expensive) reversible SOFC/SOEC system, on the other hand, poses technological challenges related to the on demand switching between power and H 2 production. This report provides a high-level technical assessment of a novel SOFC based H 2 production concept that averts the potential drawbacks of the SOEC systems. The novel concept combines the advantages of steam-reforming of natural gas to produce H 2 with the high efficiency power generation capabilities of a SOFC in a single package.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

NASA NTRS1998

1998 NASA-ASEE-Stanford Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

This report presents the essential features and highlights of the 1998 Summer Faculty Fellowship Program at Ames Research Center and Dryden Flight Research Center in a comprehensive and concise form. Summary reports describing the fellows' technical accomplishments are enclosed in the attached technical report. The proposal for the 1999 NASA-ASEE-Stanford Summer Faculty Fellowship Program is being submitted under separate cover. Of the 31 participating fellows, 27 were at Ames and 4 were at Dryden. The Program's central feature is the active participation by each fellow in one of the key technical activities currently under way at either the NASA Ames Research Center or the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The research topic is carefully chosen in advance to satisfy the criteria of: (1) importance to NASA, (2) high technical level, and (3) a good match to the interests, ability, and experience of the fellow, with the implied possibility of NASA-supported follow-on work at the fellow's home institution. Other features of the Summer Faculty Fellowship Program include participation by the fellows in workshops and seminars at Stanford, the Ames Research Center, and other off-site locations. These enrichment programs take place either directly or remotely, via the Stanford Center for Professional Development, and also involve specific interactions between fellows and Stanford faculty on technical and other academic subjects. A few, brief remarks are in order to summarize the fellows' opinions of the summer program. It is noteworthy that 90% of the fellows gave the NASA-Ames/Dryden- Stanford program an "excellent" rating and the remaining 10%, "good." Also, 100% would recommend the program to their colleagues as an effective means of furthering their professional development as teachers and researchers. Last, but not least, 87% of the fellows stated that a continuing research relationship with their NASA colleagues' organization probably would be maintained. Therefore, the NASA-ASEE- Ames/Dryden-Stanford Program has met its goals very well and every effort will be made to continue to do so in the future.

Source record↗

DOE OSTI2018

Comparative analysis of magnetic resonance in the polaron pair recombination and the triplet exciton-polaron quenching models

We present a comparative theoretical study of magnetic resonance within the polaron pair recombination (PPR) and the triplet exciton-polaron quenching (TPQ) models. Both models have been invoked to interpret the photoluminescence detected magnetic resonance (PLDMR) results in π-conjugated materials and devices. We show that resonance line shapes calculated within the two models differ dramatically in several regards. First, in the PPR model, the line shape exhibits unusual behavior upon increasing the microwave power: it evolves from fully positive at weak power to fully negative at strong power. In contrast, in the TPQ model, the PLDMR is completely positive, showing a monotonic saturation. Second, the two models predict different dependencies of the resonance signal on the photoexcitation power, P L . At low P L , the resonance amplitude Δ I/I is ∝ P L within the PPR model, while it is ∝ P 2 L crossing over to P 3 L within the TPQ model. On the physical level, the differences stem from different underlying spin dynamics. Most prominently, a negative resonance within the PPR model has its origin in the microwave-induced spin-Dicke effect, leading to the resonant quenching of photoluminescence. The spin-Dicke effect results from the spin-selective recombination, leading to a highly correlated precession of the on-resonance pair partners under the strong microwave power. This effect is not relevant for TPQ mechanism, where the strong zero-field splitting renders the majority of triplets off resonance. On the technical level, the analytical evaluation of the line shapes for the two models is enabled by the fact that these shapes can be expressed via the eigenvalues of a complex Hamiltonian. This bypasses the necessity of solving the much larger complex linear system of the stochastic Liouville equations. Lastly, our findings pave the way towards a reliable discrimination between the two mechanisms via cw PLDMR.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Economic Extraction and Recovery of REEs and Production of Clean Value-Added Products from Low-Rank Coal Fly Ash

The University of North Dakota (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) teamed with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) , the North Dakota Industrial Commission Lignite Research Program, and commercial partners Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Great River Energy, and Southern Company to execute a Cooperative Agreement funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) focused on identifying unique pathways and pretreatments to extract rare-earth elements (REEs) from low-rank coal (LRC) ash in a more economical and environmentally benign manner than current methods. The EERC drew upon the unique and deep knowledge of the team regarding LRC geochemistry, ash transformation mechanisms during combustion, and fly ash chemistry in the approach to understand the portioning of REEs in LRC ash. A comprehensive characterization effort was undertaken to fully establish the form, associations, and partitioning of the REEs and other elements/minerals of interest in fly ash, as well as the ash chemistry, mineralogy, and morphology. Using this information, the team tested methods of REE extraction to take advantage of the unique and advantageous properties of LRC ash. Multiple complementary approaches were evaluated that combined both novel and proven methods to develop an extractive process for REEs and other high-value metals from LRC ash that provide technological and economic progress on the current state of the art. Methodologies were also evaluated for the potential to synergistically remove toxic metals while extracting other high-value metals from the ash, generating a clean, safe ash material as a value-added product. This would eliminate waste and offer significant additional revenue potential. Based on laboratory-scale testing, an initial high-level technical and economic analysis to estimate operating expenses and product revenues to guide future phases of technology development was implemented. By focusing on minimizing process steps and consumptive use of extraction solutions, a tunable, economically viable process for REE extraction from LRC ash was developed. The tunable process has the ability to be adjusted to adapt to the differing ash chemical and physical properties that are characteristic of LRC ash. This is key to deployment as a commercial process. In demonstrating the process, the EERC was able to illustrate mixed REE concentration greater than the goal of 2 wt%. High-level economic analysis of the process with LRC ash of moderate REE levels demonstrated the potential of the process, but recovery of just the REEs was insufficient to cover operational costs. With the additional extraction of other high-value metals found in LRC ash, the process economics approach would break even, and it is anticipated that with process optimization, the developed process could potentially be economically sound. The same economic analysis performed utilizing LRC ash with high levels of REEs showed the recovery of the REEs alone would make the process economically viable even without further optimization.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2025

Develop an efficient and cost-effective novel anaerobic digestion system producing high purity of methane from diverse waste biomass

This project focuses on developing an advanced, intensified anaerobic digestion system aimed at transforming the treatment and conversion of organic wastes into valuable products, specifically renewable natural gas. The motivation for this research stems from the limitations of conventional anaerobic digestion technologies, which often face challenges such as long retention times, high operational costs, and incomplete organic material degradation. The new technology called Intensified Versatile Anaerobic Digestion (IVAD), is developed to address these challenges by incorporating innovative reactors and processes that enhance the overall efficiency and output of anaerobic digestion. The significance of this project lies in its potential to revolutionize waste management practices and waste biomass utilization. The IVAD system integrates a hyperthermophilic anaerobic acidification reactor, a hydrothermal treatment (HTT) unit, and both thermophilic and mesophilic methanogenic reactors. This combination enables a higher rate of organic breakdown and energy recovery, resulting in faster processing times, reduced reactor sizes, and lower operational costs compared to traditional systems. Key data include an increase in methane productivity to 1.18 m 3 /m 3 /day, a significant improvement compared to the baseline technology’s 0.64 m 3 /m 3 /day. Additionally, the IVAD system achieves a 45% reduction in levelized cost of energy (LCOE), down to $\$$10.04/MMBTU, and an energy return on investment (EROI) of 3.19, representing an 87% increase over baseline levels. Technical and economic analyses highlight that the IVAD system significantly reduces hydraulic retention time (HRT) and solid retention time (SRT). The HRT for the HTT reactor can be reduced from 1 hour to 0.5 hours, while decoupling SRT from HRT in the anaerobic acidification reactor (AAR) allows for further reductions. These design optimizations lead to smaller reactor volumes, cutting down equipment and construction costs. Despite these advancements, energy consumption remains comparable to conventional methods due to a novel heat recovery strategy, enhancing overall process productivity. The system also achieves in-situ CO 2 removal and ammonia stripping features, resulting in biogas with a methane purity level of 75%, and produces high-quality nitrogen fertilizer as an additional by-product. Public benefits of the IVAD system are substantial, contributing to sustainable waste management and renewable energy production. By providing a scalable solution that can be adopted by dairy farms and similar agricultural operations, the IVAD system helps reduce waste, produce renewable natural gas (RNG) suitable for transportation fuel, and generate fertilizer, supporting a circular economy. This project plays a role in achieving broader environmental objectives by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy independence. Additionally, it offers a pathway for farmers to lower operational costs while adopting practices that are both environmentally sustainable and economically advantageous.

03 NATURAL GAS↗