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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
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DOE OSTI2024

Recent Advances of PyROS: A Pyomo Solver for Nonconvex Two-Stage Robust Optimization in Process Systems Engineering

This poster highlights uncertainty and technical risk reduction capabilities in CCSI2, with a focus on robust optimization. It presents recent advances of the two-stage robust optimization (RO) solver PyROS and applications to advanced energy systems optimization. To demonstrate the computational performance and reliability of PyROS, a benchmarking study on a library of over 8,500 small-scale RO problems is presented. Further, PyROS is used to obtain robust system designs of a MEA-based CO2 absorber under uncertainty in the thermodynamic property models for a variety of CO2 capture rate threshold requirements. Overall, the results demonstrate that the PyROS solver, including recent extensions to multi-stage RO settings, provides a reliable avenue to optimize the design and operation of advanced energy systems subject to various sources of parametric uncertainty.

Sherman, Jason↗
DOE OSTI2024

Recent Advances of PyROS: A Pyomo Solver for Nonconvex Two-Stage Robust Optimization in Process Systems Engineering

This poster highlights uncertainty and technical risk reduction capabilities in CCSI2, with a focus on robust optimization. It presents recent advances of the two-stage robust optimization (RO) solver PyROS and applications to advanced energy systems optimization. To demonstrate the computational performance and reliability of PyROS, a benchmarking study on a library of over 8,500 small-scale RO problems is presented. Further, PyROS is used to obtain robust system designs of a MEA-based CO2 absorber under uncertainty in the thermodynamic property models for a variety of CO2 capture rate threshold requirements. Overall, the results demonstrate that the PyROS solver, including recent extensions to multi-stage RO settings, provides a reliable avenue to optimize the design and operation of advanced energy systems subject to various sources of parametric uncertainty.

Sherman, Jason↗
DOE OSTI2026

Virtual Power Plant Architecture and Resilient Design

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) represent a fundamental shift in electric grid operations, aggregating distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar panels and battery storage to deliver utility-scale grid services traditionally provided by centralized power plants. This report examines the unique architectural, operational, and digital assurance considerations that distinguish VPPs from conventional utility infrastructure as they scale from pilot projects to mainstream deployment across the United States. While VPPs offer significant opportunities for grid modernization and enhanced flexibility, their distributed, multi-stakeholder architecture introduces distinct security challenges that differ fundamentally from traditional generation facilities. The analysis identifies risks in VPP operations, including device-level security gaps, platform vulnerabilities, and communication protocol weaknesses that create expanded attack surfaces compared to centralized power plants. Through examination of real-world incidents and emerging threat patterns, the report demonstrates how some VPPs' reliance on consumer-owned devices, public internet infrastructure, and complex vendor ecosystems require new approaches to digital assurance and operational security. The findings provide practical guidance for utilities, regulators, and aggregators to implement robust security frameworks and operational best practices essential for maintaining grid reliability as VPP deployment accelerates under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 2222 and related regulatory initiatives.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ship Motion Testing Needs Evaluation

The American Bureau of Shipping performed an evaluation of national maritime nuclear testing capabilities and determined there currently is an inability to test maritime nuclear power plants in a ship motion environment. A Ship Motion Test Facility (SMTF) is proposed to fill this gap. To inform design of this facility, this report documents an evaluation performed by a panel of technical experts that identifies key physical phenomena associated with maritime nuclear power plant operation that are important to safety and reliability and have a low state of knowledge. This evaluation concluded that all of the major test needs to understand a nuclear plant's behavior in a ship motion environment are for thermal-hydraulics related phenomena. Based on this finding, the evaluation panel concluded that the SMTF would not be required to use nuclear fuel to provide a heat source for the fluids. This would significantly decrease the cost, timeline, and complexity for this test facility to enable the advancement of maritime nuclear technology.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrating Variable Renewable Energy Into the Grid: Key Issues

To foster sustainable, low-emission development, many countries are establishing ambitious renewable energy targets for their electricity supply. The variability of solar and wind compared to traditional sources, coupled with growing demand for electricity, requires changes to power system planning and operations to meet these targets. Grid integration is the practice of developing efficient ways to deliver variable renewable energy (VRE), primarily wind and solar, to the grid. Good integration methods maximize the cost-effectiveness of incorporating VRE while maintaining or increasing system stability and reliability. To inform decarbonization strategies, policymakers, regulators, and system operators consider a variety of costs and opportunities associated with VRE integration, which can be organized into five topics: New renewable energy generation and transmission; Power system reliability; Transmission and distribution coordination; Cross-sectoral decarbonization opportunities; Energy equity and justice.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Implementation of WBG devices in circuits - Electric Drive Technologies Project (Final Technical Report)

The objective of the project is to ensure that SiC devices are reliable and rugged as required in automotive applications for operational life of 300,000 hrs and create new device designs to address various weaknesses in currently available commercial devices. OSU has worked closely with SUNY Polytechnic. OSU has carried out the reliability and ruggedness evaluations of commercial devices as well as those fabricated by SUNY Polytechnic, discussed the results with SUNY Poly, and collaborated with the PI at SUNY Poly to improve the designs with respect to reliability/ruggedness. OSU work focused on reliability/ruggedness evaluation of SiC devices by individually testing them and then evaluate them in a 10 kW, 3 phase inverter system built with a specific purpose of stressing devices using realistic drive cycles such as a 10-minute hill climb. It should be noted that the primary purpose of the 10 kW inverter is to provide a platform for stressing the SiC devices under accelerated but realistic drive conditions.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF RISK ANALYSIS TOOLKIT FOR PLANT RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION

This paper presents the development of methods and tools that are being designed to optimize plant operations (e.g., maintenance/replacement schedules and optimal maintenance postures for plant components) in a manner that is more cost effective than current approaches and makes better use of available component health and cost data. These methods include both data- and model-based optimization methods. Model-based optimization methods directly include reliability and cost models to determine an optimal plant operational strategy. We consider gradient-based and evolutionary (based on genetic algorithms) optimization methods. The second class of methods target more specific use cases (e.g., project schedule optimization) and are not based on reliability models directly, but they require specific component reliability and cost data. This class of methods is based on variants of the knapsack problem with an aim to determine an optimal project schedule that maximizes the overall NPV. This paper also presents multi-objective methods designed to identify an optimal maintenance posture based on a Pareto frontier analysis. Rather than dictating the “right” tradeoff (i.e., identify the absolute best posture), we show how it is possible to perform a trade space exploration approach (i.e., identify value and costs of several postures and let the analysis account for desired value and cost metrics). This is performed by identifying maintenance postures that maximize value (e.g., system availability) and minimize operational costs, i.e., the Pareto frontier in a value-cost trade space. For all these methods we present detailed applicative examples that show their validity from a decision-making perspective.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Toward the first gluon parton distribution from the LaMET

Abstract We present progress towards the first unpolarized gluon quasi-parton distribution function (PDF) from lattice quantum chromodynamics using high-statistics measurements for hadrons at two valence pion masses M π ≈ 310 and 690 MeV computed on an a ≈ 0.12 fm ensemble with 2 + 1 + 1-flavors of highly improved staggered quark generated by the MILC collaboration. In this study, we consider two gluon operators for which the hybrid-ratio renormalization matching kernels have been recently derived and a third operator that has been used in prior pseudo-PDF studies of the gluon PDFs. We compare the matrix elements for each operator for both the nucleon and pion, at both pion masses, and using two gauge-smearing techniques. Focusing on the more phenomenologically studied nucleon gluon PDF, we compare the ratio and hybrid-ratio renormalized matrix elements at both pion masses and both smearings to those reconstructed from the nucleon gluon PDF from the CT18 global analysis. We identify the best choice of operator to study the gluon PDF and present the first gluon quasi-PDF under some caveats. Additionally, we explore the recent idea of Coulomb gauge fixing to improve signal at large Wilson-line displacement and find it could be a major help in improving the signal in the gluon matrix elements. This work helps identify the best operator for studying the gluon quasi-PDF, shows higher hadron boost momentum is needed to implement hybrid-ratio renormalization reliably, and suggests the need to study more diverse set of operators with their corresponding perturbative calculations for hybrid-ratio renormalization to further gluon quasi-PDF study.

Good, William (ORCID:0000000184281003)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sub-THz passive detector performance evaluation with RadiaBeam photoinjector

Wakefield accelerators, based on THz and mm-wave structures, promise to reach the highest energies in record small footprints. However, operation at such frequencies is associated with strong generation of dipole modes that can destroy the beams, which requires controlling the electron beam position at the micron scale. The existing conventional techniques for electron beam position monitoring are not applicable for sub-THz structures due to the space constraints. Here, on the other hand, if dipole modes amplitudes can be measured precisely at different planes, one can derive beam position relative to the central axis. For such a technique a reliable and cost-effective sensor capable of operating in high repletion rate regime is required. In this paper we review the experimental evaluation of a passive sensor candidate for such applications using RadiaBeam 4.5 MeV photoinjector.

Accelerator↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fully Scalable Randomized Benchmarking Without Motion Reversal

We introduce , a protocol that streamlines traditional RB by using circuits consisting almost entirely of independent identically distributed (IID) layers of gates. BiRB reliably and efficiently extracts the average error rate of a Clifford gate set by sending tensor-product eigenstates of random Pauli operators through random circuits with IID layers. Unlike existing RB methods, BiRB does not use motion reversal circuits—i.e., circuits that implement the identity (or a Pauli) operator—which simplifies both the method and the theory proving its reliability. Furthermore, this simplicity enables scaling BiRB to many more qubits than the most widely used RB methods. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Hines, Jordan (ORCID:0000000151267256)↗
DOE OSTI2024

DC Microgrid Reliability Enhancement with Adaptive Converter Thermal Management

Due to the different device selections, aging levels, and thermal dissipation performance, some converters may take additional thermal stress on switching devices than others in paralleled converter systems, which will reduce system reliability. To address this problem, this paper proposes a power-sharing strategy with adaptive thermal management. First, the temperature-based power loss model and electrical-thermal model are established. Based on that, a high-accuracy IGBT junction temperature estimate considering the power loss-temperature coupling can be achieved. Further, the thermal-sharing for all the switching devices in paralleled converters can be achieved with the proposed adaptive thermal management strategy. The proposed strategy can change the power-sharing ratio adaptively according to the system operation conditions, which will contribute to the system reliability enhancement. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified through PLECS thermal simulation and joint real-time simulation with Dspace and RT-box.

DC microgrid↗
DOE OSTI2026

Co-Simulation Meets AI: MCP-Driven Power System Analysis

GridGPT, a fine-tuned Generative AI model is designed for on-premise use in grid control rooms. This presentation will demonstrate how eGridGPT can seamlessly integrate with control room solutions to offer operators, engineers, and corporate users enhanced guidance and decision support. It is to show how this innovative AI solution can improve state estimation, boost variable energy forecasting, and optimize grid operations. By leveraging eGridGPT's unique features, audience will learn to unlock new levels of automation, predictive analytics, and reliability within their power systems, ultimately leading to reduced downtime and improved operational efficiency.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Securing Small Modular Reactors in Urban Environments

Current small modular reactor (SMR) deployment use cases consider both rural and urban deployments, depending on the operational in-country needs for clean and reliable sources of energy. Many studies have been conducted analyzing security in rural and remote deployment locations, but this study looks at the physical security implications of an SMR placed in an urban environment and its uses for electricity production, district heating, and process heating. SMRs used for electricity production, district heating, and process heating may be key sources of both energy infrastructure and commercial infrastructure within a city and a State. As a result, long-term shutdowns could have a serious impact on a State’s overall energy or commercial production. Therefore, operators may consider further security applications to protect an SMR plant from physical attacks against both radiological sabotage and sabotage acts that could result in the SMR facility being offline for a significant amount of time. In this study, the team designed and analyzed a physical protection system (PPS) for securing an urban SMR facility against acts of radiological sabotage and sabotage acts that could disrupt the facility’s long-term operation. Additionally, this work analyzed the nuanced security issues related to siting an SMR near an urban environment (versus in a rural environment). The result of these analyses includes recommendations for PPSs for urban SMR facilities used for energy production, district heating, and process heating.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Reliability Assessment of Cooling Fans for PV Inverters: Testing, Modeling, and Case Studies

The reliability of photovoltaic (PV) inverters is critical for long-term solar system performance, with cooling fan failures frequently leading to costly downtime. While much research exists on general cooling fan reliability, little attention has been given to fans operating within PV inverters and their unique environmental challenges. Here, this article proposes a comprehensive methodology to address this gap. First, a failure mode and effects analysis is performed on fans to identify the key failure mechanisms in PV applications, their corresponding stressors, and the models necessary for lifetime prediction. Second, an accelerated life test is designed and conducted to collect valuable experimental data for PV inverter fans in a reasonable amount of time. Third, a mathematical conversion of dynamic mission profiles into effective constant stress levels is derived. Fourth, case studies are given, showcasing lifetime estimates that account for geographic variations in mission profile data. The results demonstrate that this integrated approach leads to an accurate reliability assessment for PV inverter cooling fans.

accelerated life testing (ALT)↗
DOE OSTI2024

An engineered lactate oxidase based electrochemical sensor for continuous detection of biomarker lactic acid in human sweat and serum

Lactate levels in humans reveal intensity and duration of exertion and provide a critical readout for the severity of life-threatening illnesses such as pediatric sepsis. Using the lactate oxidase enzyme (Lox) from Aerococcus viridians, we demonstrated its functionality for lactate electrochemical sensing in physiological fluids in a lab setting. The structure and dynamics of LOx were validated by crystallography, X-ray scattering, and hydroxyl radical protein footprinting. This provided a validated protein template for understanding and designing an enzyme-based electrochemical sensing elements. Using this template, LOx enzyme variants were generated and compared. Comparison of the variants demonstrates that one exhibits effective lactate sensing at significantly reduced operating voltages. Additionally, we demonstrate that the four hexahistidine-tags on each enzyme tetramer are sufficient for immobilization to create a durable, functional sensor, with no need for a covalent attachment, enabling self-immobilization and eliminating the need for additional immobilization steps. The functionality of the LOx enzyme variants was verified at physiological lactate concentrations in both human serum (0–4 mM) and artificial sweat (0–100 mM) using 3-electrode setups for analysis of the three variants in parallel. Accuracy of measurement in both artificial sweat and human serum were high. Employing a microfluidic flow cell, we successfully monitored varying lactate levels in physiological fluids continuously over a 2h period. Overall, this optimized LOx enzyme, which self-immobilizes onto gold sensing electrodes, facilitates efficient and reliable lactate detection and continuous monitoring at reduced operating voltages suitable for further development towards commercial use.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Robotic automation of maintenance work in nuclear power plants a cross-sector survey and roadmap

Nuclear power plants face increasing cost pressures, workforce constraints (aging workforce and skilled labor shortages), and safety requirements that are accelerating interest in robotic systems for inspection and maintenance. We conducted semi-structured interviews with personnel from seven U.S. nuclear utilities and compared deployment models, operational use cases, and integration practices with those reported by participants in the oil, gas, and petrochemical sector. In nuclear plants, robotic use remains concentrated in inspection—particularly indoor unmanned aerial vehicles and submersible remotely operated vehicles—with limited application to physical maintenance tasks. Reported near-term value includes reduced radiological and industrial risk, reduced outage labor, and improved data for planning and condition assessment. Key barriers include integration and data-interoperability constraints, operator qualification requirements, cybersecurity review burden, and difficulty demonstrating reliability in plant-representative environments. Cross-sector benchmarking highlights organizational and deployment practices that may help nuclear plants scale from pilots to routine use. We propose a deployment-oriented roadmap emphasizing modular payload strategies, representative qualification pathways and testing environments, and improved data governance to support safe and economically justified expansion of robotics in operating nuclear power plants.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Resilient Energy Transition Planning for Ouzinkie, Alaska

This report documents an energy system planning study for the village of Ouzinkie, Alaska, conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP). Ouzinkie is a small remote community located on Spruce Island, Alaska, in the Kodiak Archipelago. The Ouzinkie community is served by a local electrical system powered by a combination of diesel generators and a hydroelectric turbine. Due to aging assets, however, the power system reliability has declined in recent years, while the cost of operating the diesel generators has increased significantly. To address these problems, Ouzinkie asked ETIPP to provide technical assistance to develop an updated integrated plan for improvements to the Ouzinkie power system, in order to transition to a more reliable and resilient system powered by renewable energy resources.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Work With Us to Advance Cybersecurity for the Current and Future Grid

The energy sector is undergoing rapid change. Advanced technologies and controls, digitally connected devices, and a mix of generation sources offer increased energy reliability and security, reduced energy costs, and enhanced grid operations. But they can also carry physical and cybersecurity risks that are not yet fully understood. With deep expertise in advanced energy technologies, the National Laboratory of the Rockies is examining the cybersecurity implications of evolving systems and developing cutting-edge tools, novel approaches, and innovative research capabilities to address sector-wide challenges. Together with our partners, we are working to achieve a more secure, defensible, and reliable grid.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗