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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Role of Fluid and Temperature in Fracture Mechanics and Coupled THMC Processes for Enhanced Geothermal Systems

The ability to sustain high energy extraction efficiency from Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) is affected by the ability to measure, characterize, and predict the effect of different perturbations that arise from fluid injection rates, fluid temperature, and shut-in conditions on existing and stimulated fracture systems throughout a subsurface reservoir’s lifecycle. The difficulty arises from limited knowledge of the interaction of fluid and temperature driven fractures with frictional interfaces that govern local deformation and frictional behavior in the surrounding rock. Thermo-poro-mechanical coupled processes tend to dominate this interaction and strongly affect the permeability and local stress distributions that impact efficiency and prevent optimal stimulation conditions over multi-decadal time frames.

Pyrak-Nolte, Laura [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantum Solver Using Singular Value Decomposition for Computational Fluid Dynamics

Numerical solutions for fluid flow problems are challenging and have been focus of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) research for past several decades. The advent of quantum computing promises exponential speedup in comparison to existing classical methods and alleviate computational constraints posed by CFD problems. Although solutions for most problems of interest in fluid dynamics using quantum computing are distant, recent advances in algorithms, software and hardware provide a path towards realizing this goal. Quantum linear solver algorithms (QLSA) such as Harrow–Hassidim–Lloyd (HHL) and Variational Quantum Linear Solver (VQLS) have been successfully implemented to solve for canonical problems such as Hele-Shaw flow. However, these algorithms still suffer to scale and address problems with ill-conditioned Jacobians. In the current paper, we alleviate these restrictions with a new quantum solver based on Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and simulate flow past a 2D cylinder. The fidelity of the SVD based quantum solver in predicting the flow past 2D cylinder is computed along with an assessment of errors. Classical and quantum solutions for the flow are compared for different resolutions. Finally, we discuss variation in the solutions based on number of shots used.

Gottiparthi, Kalyan [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000213540255↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effects of Carbonate Minerals on Shale-Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Interactions in the Marcellus Shale

Natural gas extracted from tight shale formations, such as the Marcellus Shale, represents a significant and developing front in energy exploration. By fracturing these formations using pressurized fracturing fluid, previously unobtainable hydrocarbon reserves may be tapped. While pursuing this resource, hydraulic fracturing operations leave chemically complex fluids in the shale formation for at least two weeks. This provides a substantial opportunity for the hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) to react with the shale formation at reservoir temperature and pressure. In this study, we investigated the effects of the carbonates on shale-HFF reactions with a focus on the Marcellus Shale. We performed autoclave experiments at high temperature and pressure reservoir conditions using a carbonate-rich and a decarbonated or carbonate-free version of the same shale sample. We observed that carbonate minerals buffer the pH of the solution, which in turn prevents clay dissolution. Carbonate and bicarbonate ions also scavenge reactive oxidizing species (ROS), which prevents oxidation of shale organic matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Carbonate-free samples also show higher pyrite dissolution compared to the carbonate-rich sample due to chelation reactions. This study demonstrates how carbonate minerals (keeping all other variables constant) affect shale-HFF reactions that can potentially impact porosity, microfracture integrity, and the release of heavy metals and volatile organic contaminants in the produced water.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effects of Pore Connectivity on the Sorption of Fluids in Nanoporous Material: Ethane and CO2 Sorption in Silicalite

Adsorption of fluids in nanoporous materials is important for several applications including gas storage and catalysis. The pore network in natural, as well as engineered, materials can exhibit different degrees of connectivity between pores. While this might have important implications for the sorption of fluids, the effects of pore connectivity are seldom addressed in the studies of fluid sorption. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations of the sorption of ethane and CO2 in silicalite, a nanoporous material characterized by sub-nanometer pores of different geometries (straight and zigzag channel like pores), with varied degrees of pore connectivity. The variation in pore connectivity is achieved by selectively blocking some pores by loading them with methane molecules that are treated as a part of the rigid nanoporous matrix in the simulations. Normalized to the pore space available for adsorption, the magnitude of sorption increases with a decrease in pore connectivity. The increased adsorption in the systems where pore connections are removed by blocking them is because of additional, albeit weaker, adsorption sites provided by the blocker molecules. By selectively blocking all straight or zigzag channels, we find differences in the absorption behavior of guest molecules in these channels.

Gautam, Siddharth (ORCID:0000000314435382)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Advancements in Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics (Fundamentals and Applications)

Thermo-fluid science is a foundational discipline for numerous mechanical systems, particularly in energy production and building equipment, where thermal and mechanical energy transfer play critical roles. Advancements in heat transfer and fluid mechanics have significantly enhanced these systems, driving progress in associated market sectors. For instance, evaporator and condenser coils are essential for optimizing vapor compression cycles in building equipment. Heat pumps used for space and water heating constitute a major share of building systems, with microchannel heat exchanger technology at the forefront of these innovations. It is worth mentioning that advancements in heat transfer and fluid mechanics significantly alleviate the challenge of designing energy-efficient building equipment. The development of research techniques has contributed significantly to the advancement of science; for example, in the experimental field, non-intrusive measurement techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) are now capable of resolving flow behavior in a 3D format for different length and time scales.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Kinetic-Energy–Momentum–Mass 5-Flux of a Baryon Fluid in Bargmann Spacetimes

A Bargmann spacetime is a constrained five-dimensional setting that, while introducing no new physical degrees of freedom beyond those of ordinary four-dimensional spacetime, permits Galilei physics to be expressed with a tensor formalism that respects the distinction between mass and energy while affording the conceptual and technical advantages of a spacetime metric. This framework offers a route to a strong-field ‘Galilei general relativity’ approximating the usual Poincaré general relativity introduced by Einstein. In preparation for modeling core-collapse supernovae, where such an approximation would be useful, this work generalizes the kinetic-energy–momentum–mass 5-flux 𝒯 and its associated spacetime tensor law from a simple fluid of constant particle mass to a baryon fluid whose multiple nuclear species can interconvert rest mass and internal energy. The spacetime tensor law on Bargmann–Galilei spacetime 𝐵𝒢 and its decompositions relative to comoving (‘Lagrangian’) and fiducial (‘Eulerian’) observers are derived in detail. The formalism is rendered more suitable for core-collapse supernova modeling by an extension from strict 𝐵𝒢 to a regime that might be denoted as 𝐵𝒢+: microscopically Poincaré yet macroscopically Galilei. This extension accommodates energy generation by nuclear composition changes and allows comoving energy density and pressure to contribute relative to mass density, while preserving the simplifications of Galilei bulk fluid flow and the streamlined geometry governed by the Bargmann–Galilei spacetime metric.

Cardall, Christian [ORNL] (ORCID:000000020086105X)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Produced Fluid Induced Mineralogy and Elemental Alterations of Caney Shale, Southern Oklahoma

ABSTRACT This study involves batch reactor experiments and subsequent analyses of samples from Caney Shale in the Ardmore Basin of South-Central Oklahoma. Samples include mainly rock cores and cuttings recovered from two wells respectively drilled vertically through and horizontally across the Caney Shale. Mineralogical compositions are obtained by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements whilst microstructure and elemental distribution are acquired by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) respectively. Batch experiments are then conducted using selected rock samples and produced fluid from the Caney Formation. Deionized water is also reacted with some samples to serve as standard. Experiments are conducted at 95°C and ambient pressure for 7 and 30 days to assess the geochemical rock-fluid interactions. Results show rock mineralogical compositions are predominantly quartz, feldspar, carbonates, and clay with minor pyrite. Post-experimental mineralogical changes observed in samples include increased amorphous entities especially within the clay portions of XRD plots and dissolution of feldspar and carbonate minerals and formation of new mineral phases, mostly clays and salts. These are corroborated by EDS elemental analyses which show decreased elemental compositions. The implications of reactions mentioned above include but not limited to, scale formation, clay fines migration and shale softening all of which pose significant permeability impairment on formation over time. INTRODUCTION Shale reservoirs account for a large share of unconventional reservoirs in the world (Lyu et al., 2015). However, ultra-low permeability and high clay compositions pose significant challenges when producing from these reservoirs (Dawuda and Srinivasan, 2022, 2023). Producing from these reservoirs therefore requires horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies which have proven their efficacy in generating substantial permeability in reservoirs to ensure production (Fujian et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2018). Even after expensive horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, geochemical reactions between engineered fluids and formation leads to fracture constriction and adversely impact petrophysical properties (permeability and porosity) of the reservoir. These technologies are therefore under constant development and improvement in various aspects to ensure fine tuning for specific reservoirs. Under present conditions, much of the hydrocarbon reserves in unconventional shale reservoirs are left unproduced due to rapid decline in permeability following resumption to production after hydraulic fracturing. It is therefore essential to understand the range of geochemical reactions that cause rapid depletion of permeability after hydraulic fracturing and apply these to each shale reservoir to ensure substantial recovery rates.

Awejori, G. A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fluid characterization using acoustics

A measurement system and a method for determining steam quality (i.e. vapor mass fraction) measurements of multiphase fluid flowing through pipes are described. An acoustic sensor device consists of an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver that are designed to be attached to a pipe. The acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver are exposed to an interior space of the pipe through openings in a wall of the pipe. Acoustic waves generated by the transmitter and captured by the receiver traverse the multiphase fluid flowing into the pipe. Swept-frequency acoustic interferometry (SFAI) technique is used to measure ultrasonic acoustic properties of a fluid. Machine-learning techniques based on principal component analysis, support vector machine regression and support vector machine classification are used for determining steam quality.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simultaneous real-time measurement of composition, flow, attenuation, density, and pipe-wallthickness in multiphase fluids

Apparatus (10) and methods for making simultaneous measurements of composition (water-cut), fluid flow, and sound attenuation in a multiphase fluid flowing (15) through a pipe (12) in real-time, using the same apparatus (10) are described. Additionally, the apparatus (10) provides real-time pipe wall thickness monitoring for observing pipe corrosion or internal deposition. Knowledge of wall thickness is necessary to correct for water-cut (oil-water composition) automatically by adjusting the liquid path length internal to the pipe (spool). The use of short duration frequency chirp excitation signals (24) enables the apparatus to provide information that can be used to extract multiple levels of information from the same measurement in multiphase fluids including the presence of a significant quantity of gas (˜60% gas volume fraction) in different flow regimes. Besides measuring steady flow, this device is useful for measurements during fast changing flows, such as for a rod-pumped well. Measurements up to about 1000 times a second can reliably be made.

Sinha, Dipen N.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Devices for fluid management

Disclosed herein are embodiments of devices for managing fluid transport. In particular disclosed embodiments, the devices are used to manage fluid transport in reactor systems, such as bio-assessment systems, chemical synthesis reactors, and the like. The devices disclosed herein include fluid management devices, reservoir assemblies, valving systems, pumps, and combinations thereof. The devices disclosed herein are cost-efficient and user-friendly and can be implemented in a variety of reactor systems.

Iyer, Rashi↗
DOE OSTI2021

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Compressible Non-Newtonian Biomass in a Compression-Screw Feeder

Compression-screw feeders play a critical role in biorefineries to transport lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks from the feeding hoppers to biomass-conversion reactors in order to pretreat and convert biomass to hydrocarbon liquid biofuels and other power and energy resources. One of the main challenges in the operation of screw feeder is plugging and jamming of compressed biomass with high concentration of insoluble solids. The focus of this paper is to numerically investigate the screw feeder at these challenging operating conditions and help with the optimization of the screw feeder design to avoid operation failure. In this work a customized CFD model based on open-source OpenFOAM package [1] was developed to simulate the concentrated biomass as a highly viscous non-Newtonian fluid in the screw feeder. The biomass is modeled as a single-phase compressible Bingham fluid with a plastic viscosity as well as a density-dependent yield stress. The compressibility formulation (pressure-dependent density) and the density-dependent yield stress formulation in the governing equations follow the suggestions from a recent study by Duncan et al. [2]. A pilot-scale hopper/screw feeding system at NREL [3] is used to compare the experimental observations with our simulation results. The auger is 280 mm long and tapered with outer diameter changing from 80 mm to 35 mm. The auger rotates from 10 to 60 rpm in a conical throat which contains anti-rotational bars. The simulations predicted the required torque for the screw feeder and the pressure increase at the exit for biomass feedstocks with various fluid viscosity properties and auger rotating speeds. The analysis of the stress forces helped to identify the critical conditions were the screw feeder excessive wear or jamming could occur.

biofuels↗
DOE OSTI2021

Molten fluid electrode apparatus

A battery includes negative electrode material and positive electrode material where the materials are in a solid phase except for selected portions that are heated to transform the selected portions into a fluid. The fluid portion of negative electrode material is directed to a negative electrode region of a reaction chamber and the fluid portion of positive electrode material is directed to a positive electrode region of the reaction chamber where a solid electrolyte containing ions of the negative electrode separates the positive electrode region from the negative electrode region.

Vissers, Daniel R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Separation of a target substance from a fluid or mixture using encapsulated sorbents

Method and apparatus for separating a target substance from a fluid or mixture. Capsules having a coating and stripping solvents encapsulated in the capsules are provided. The coating is permeable to the target substance. The capsules having a coating and stripping solvents encapsulated in the capsules are exposed to the fluid or mixture. The target substance migrates through the coating and is taken up by the stripping solvents. The target substance is separated from the fluid or mixture by driving off the target substance from the capsules.

Aines, Roger D.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fluid-powered linear motor with rotary pistons and motion rectifier and synthetic diamond bearing assemblies

A fluid-powered linear motor with rotary pistons is disclosed. An application is for a downhole motor but it could be used in other applications. Rotational pistons provide increased torque generation as the torque generated is proportional to motor length. Since downhole drills are long (generally up to a maximum length of 30 ft.), a high-torque motor can be produced using this method. A pressurized fluid is used to drive the piston assemblies to produce bit shaft power. This concept employs rotary pistons and a mechanical rectifier to convert the rotational reciprocation produced by a reciprocating rotational piston into continuous rotary motion. Integration of synthetic diamond bearing assemblies into the motor allows for reduced friction and abrasive drilling fluid compatibility.

Raymond, David W.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Subsurface stress criticality associated with fluid injection and determined using machine learning

Machine-learning methods and apparatus are disclosed to determine critical state or other parameters related to fluid-driven failure of a terrestrial locale impacted by anthropogenic activities such as hydraulic fracturing, hydrocarbon extraction, wastewater disposal, or geothermal harvesting. Acoustic emission, seismic waves, or other detectable indicators of microscopic processes are sensed. A classifier is trained using time series of microscopic data along with corresponding data of critical state or failure events. In disclosed examples, random forests and artificial neural networks are used, and grid-search or EGO procedures are used for hyperparameter tuning. Once trained, the classifier can be applied to live data from a fluid injection locale in order to assess a frictional state, assess seismic hazard, assess permeability, make predictions regarding a future fluid-driven failure event, or drive engineering solutions for mitigation or remediation. Variations are disclosed.

Johnson, Paul Allan↗
DOE OSTI2022

Noninvasive acoustical property measurement of fluids

Methods for noninvasive determination of acoustical properties of flowing in pipes having a large ratio (>10) of pipe diameter to wall thickness, and in highly attenuating fluids are described. When vibrations are excited on the outer surface of the wall of a pipe, the resulting vibrations propagate directly through the wall in a normal direction and through the pipe wall as guided waves, appearing on the opposite side of the pipe. This dual path propagation through pipes, where guided waves take the circumferential path in the wall of the pipe and may interfere with the time of-flight measurement obtained from the direct path through the fluid, is at least in part resolved by subtracting the signal from the guided wave from the combined signal, thereby permitting improved observation of the direct path propagation through the fluid.

Sinha, Dipen N.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of fluid inside pipe using multi frequency electrical signal

A multi-frequency signal may be used to induce voltage difference across a portion of a pipe. The voltage difference may be induced to take multi-frequency measurement of impedance characteristics of fluid inside the pipe. The multi-frequency measurement of the impedance characteristic of the fluid inside the pipe may be used to determine a characteristic of the fluid inside the pipe. This may be achieved by active integration of experimental data with high-resolution multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography (MFEIT) modeling.

Chillara, Vamshi Krishna↗
DOE OSTI2023

Pilot-pressure-controlled flow valve and fluid system containing same

In a thermal fluid system, a control valve includes a flow valve and a solenoid pilot valve. The flow valve has an inlet and an outlet; a control chamber for receiving a pilot pressure; and a valve member operable by the pilot pressure to selectively open and close a fluid path from the inlet to the outlet. The pilot pressure acts in a closing direction of the flow valve. The pilot valve provides the pilot pressure to the control chamber and is a 3/2 way valve with a first port in fluid communication with the control chamber, a second port to be connected to a pressure source, and a third port. The pilot valve has a first position connecting the first port with the second port and a second position connecting the first port with the third port.

Chowdhury, Sourav↗