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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 OSTI2025

PBE-HIL (Powering the Blue Economy Hardware-in-the-Loop models) [SWR-25-37]

Powering the Blue Economy Hardware-in-the-Loop models (PBE-HIL) is a repository of Power Hardware-in-the-loop models developed for typical Powering the Blue Economy market loads and power requirements. The HIL models were developed to be as generic and functional as possible, meaning that the user can easily configure these models to represent their unique PBE design. These PBE load and power requirement HIL models can then be used to inform marine energy converter (MEC) and power electronics design, as well as be used in laboratory testing using HIL equipment, leading to improved understanding of MEC performance and lower risk prior to open-water MEC deployment.

Labuschagne, Hannes [National Renewable Energy Lab↗
DOE OSTI2021

Power system inertia estimation: Review of methods and the impacts of converter-interfaced generations

Understanding and quantifying the inertia of power systems with the integration of converter-interfaced generation (CIG) plays an essential role in the safe transition to a future low-inertia scenario. Here we provide a comprehensive summary of inertia definitions for both synchronous generators and CIGs as well as their corresponding estimation methods. In particular, the estimation methods are categorized as model-based and measurement-based approaches considering both small and large disturbances. The advantages and disadvantages of different methods are carefully discussed. This paper also offers for the first time a framework to quantify the virtual inertia of CIGs at the component and aggregation levels, an open problem in the literature. Finally, future directions for inertia estimation are identified and discussed. This significantly benefits the design of appropriate control and protection schemes in achieving a more reliable, secure, and resilient power system.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Power Take-Off (PTO) for Wave Energy Converters Based on the Hybrid Hydraulic-Electric Architecture (HHEA)

Wave energy is a promising renewable energy resource for coastal regions around the world, but is not yet an economically competitive source of electricity. More effective power take-off (PTO) designs would help to make wave power a feasible and clean source of energy. To do this, PTOs need to: i) enable controlled actuation, ii) convert absorbed energy into electricity efficiently, and iii) have minimal manufacturing costs. We propose a new PTO architecture that can exert arbitrary control loads on the WEC to maximize energy capture, enabling the downsizing of expensive electrical components while maintaining high efficiency. Our PTO design is based upon a hybrid hydraulic-electric architecture (HHEA). This paper compares the performance of the HHEA PTO against two other PTO designs: 1) a baseline PTO consisting of a system of rectifying check valves and accumulators, and 2) a PTO consisting of an electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA). The HHEA PTO is shown to produce much more power than the check valve PTO and the EHA PTO. Also, the required electric generator sizes for the HHEA are smaller than that of the EHA PTO. The reduced size of these components allows for a WEC which is less expensive to manufacture.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dynamic Model of Back-to-Back Converter for System Level Phasor Simulation

The power system is expected to evolve rapidly with increasing deployment of power electronic interface and conditioning systems, microgrids, and hybrid AC/DC grids. Among power electronic systems, back-to-back (BTB) converters can be a powerful interface to integrate microgrids and networked microgrids. However, in system level dynamic simulations for synchronous machine dominated system with BTB converters, a detailed electromagnetic sinusoidal models is not warranted as these simulations are focused on electromechanical transients. This paper focus on developing a simple phasor model for back- to-back converters that can be easily integrated into powerflow solvers to facilitate large-scale power system simulations. The model is implemented using C++ language and integrated into GridLAB-D software as a potential new capability. The GridLAB-D phasor domain model is validated against the electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation of the detailed switching model. Simulation results show that the phasor model successfully captures the dominant dynamics of the converters.

Mahmood, Hisham↗
DOE OSTI2022

Power management for wireless nodes

A system includes a rectifier having an input configured to receive a variable AC input voltage and convert the AC input voltage to a rectified output voltage. A power converter has an input coupled to receive the rectified output voltage and to provide a DC supply voltage at an output thereof. A low drop-out regulator has an input coupled to receive the supply voltage and is configured provide a regulated voltage. A sensor is coupled to receive the regulated voltage as a power source and is configured to sense a condition and provide sensor data indicative of the sensed condition.

Feng, Philip X. L.↗
DOE OSTI2026

New Report Highlights LAMP's Role as a Robust and Reliable System for Wave Energy Converter Testing

Harnessing the power of waves requires more than just putting devices in the ocean - it takes tools that can refine and accelerate innovation before the first deployment. That's where NLR's largeamplitude motion platform, or LAMP, comes in. LAMP is a six-degree-of-freedom motion system designed to replicate the response of a wave energy converter (WEC) device in realistic ocean conditions. By letting researchers evaluate WEC performance in a safe, controlled lab environment before moving offshore, LAMP helps accelerate innovation while reducing risk. An NLR report, titled Initial Characterization of the NLR LargeAmplitude Motion Platform (https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy26osti/93733.pdf), provides a deeper understanding of LAMP's capabilities and also lays the groundwork for future advancements in WEC testing methodologies. Researchers studied LAMP's amplitude and frequency limits across different payloads and collected data from 16 test profiles. Testing demonstrated that platform accuracy remained consistent across all payloads evaluated; researchers expect similar accuracy up to LAMP's 10,000-kilogram capacity limit. The measured position limits for single degrees of freedom experienced by WECs, including surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch, and yaw, also exceeded the original manufacturer specifications, providing new insight into the true boundaries of the system.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2026

Submodule-Level Decentralized Control for Cascaded Quadruple Active Bridge-Based Medium-Voltage Converters: Preprint

High-power, low-voltage DC (LVDC) loads, such as AI data centers, electric vehicle fast-charging hubs, and hydrogen electrolyzers, are accelerating the deployment of solid-state transformers (SSTs) that directly interface medium-voltage AC (MVAC) to LVDC, streamlining power delivery. This paper proposes a submodule-level decentralized control strategy for an SST comprising a cascaded H-bridge (CHB) active rectifier on the MVAC side and per-module quadruple-active-bridge (QAB) converters on the LVDC side with local controllers. The proposed strategy eliminates the need for high-fidelity, real-time cross-isolation communication by synchronizing all active bridges to a common heartbeat signal and enabling the primary- and secondary-side controllers to generate independent local control signals (phase shifts). The resultant phase shifts naturally govern average and double-line frequency power transfer between active bridges, enabling each side to meet its control objectives using only local measurements. Detailed controller design considerations are presented based on a stability analysis. Comprehensive electromagnetic-transient simulations demonstrate tight DC-link voltage regulation, high-quality grid currents, and robust operation under load transients and grid disturbances, without real-time communication among the submodule controllers. These results indicate that the proposed scheme can significantly enhance the reliability, scalability, and flexibility of cascaded bridge-based medium-voltage converters.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Open Circuit Switch Fault Management Method of a Multi-Phase Synchronous Buck Converter for EV Charging Application

Multi-phase synchronous buck converter (MSBC) is becoming popular for the electric vehicle (EV) charging application because of its higher efficiency, smaller passive component sizes, bidirectional power flow, and output current ripple reduction through interleaving. This converter also provides higher reliability than the traditional single phase converter since its modular structure enables fault tolerant operation. Fault management in the converter requires the detection of switch fault, shut down of the faulty phase, and reconfiguration of the PWM signals for the healthy phases to avoid circulating current and high output current ripple. In addition, it is desirable that the fault management method can be implemented using the micro-controller unit (MCU) or digital signal processor (DSP), which are widely used to control power converters. This paper presents a fault management method for detecting switch faults and reconfiguring healthy phases using a DSP. The method is validated through simulations and experiments using a commercial off-the-shelf power stack.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

The MBARI-WEC: a power source for ocean sensing

Abstract Interest in wave energy converters to provide autonomous power to various ocean-bound systems, such as autonomous underwater vehicles, sensor systems, and even aquaculture farms, has grown in recent years. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has developed and deployed a small two-body point absorber wave energy device suitable to such needs. This paper provides a description of the system to support future open-source access to the device and further the general development of similar wave energy systems. Additionally, to support future control design and system modification efforts, a set of hydrodynamic models are presented and cross-compared. To test the viability of using a linear frequency-domain admittance model for controller tuning, the linear model is compared against four WEC-Sim models of increasing complexity. The linear frequency-domain model is found to be generally adequate for capturing system dynamics, as the model agreement is good and the degree of nonlinearity introduced in the WEC-Sim models is generally less than 2.5%.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2022

Influence on Structural Loading of a Wave Energy Converter by Controlling Variable-Geometry Components and the Power Take-Off

Oceans are harsh environments and can impose significant loads on deployed structures. The deployment of wave energy converters (WECs) faces a design challenge with apparently contradictory goals. A WEC should be designed to maximize the energy absorbed while ensuring the operating wave condition does not exceed the failure limits of the device itself. Therefore, the loads endured by the support structure are a design constraint for the system. Adaptability to different sea states is, therefore, highly desirable. This work uses a WEC-Sim model of a variable-geometry oscillating wave energy converter (VGOSWEC) mounted on a support structure simulated under different wave scenarios. A VGOSWEC resembles a paddle pitching about a fixed hinge perpendicular to the incoming wave fronts. Therefore, the hinge experiences loads perpendicular to its axis as it maintains its position. The geometry of the VGOSWEC is varied by opening a series of controllable flaps on the pitching paddle when the structure experiences threshold loads. Because opening the flaps lets the waves transmit through the paddle, it is hypothesized that opening the flaps should result in load shedding at the base of the support structure. The load shedding is achieved by reducing the moments about the hinge axis. This work compares the hydrodynamic coefficients, natural periods, and response amplitude operators from completely closed to completely open configurations of the controllable flaps. The comparisons quantify the effects of letting the waves transmit through the VGOSWEC. This work shows that the completely open configuration can reduce the pitch and surge loads on the base of the support structure by as much as 80%. It was observed that at the paddle's resonance frequency, the loads on the structure increased substantially. This increase in loads can be mitigated by a rotational power take-off damping about the hinge axis. Changing the rotational power take-off damping was identified as an additional design parameter that can be used to control the loads experienced by the WEC's support structure.

fixed and floating structures↗
DOE OSTI2020

Enabling Power at Sea: Opportunities for Expanded Ocean Observations through Marine Renewable Energy Integration

The blue economy is a dynamic and rapidly growing movement that captures the interplay between economic, social, and ecological sustainability of the ocean and encompasses numerous maritime sectors and activities (e.g., commerce and trade; living resources; renewable energy; minerals, materials, and freshwater; and ocean health and data). The demand for ocean data to inform scientific, risk reduction, and national security needs is leading to a large increase in the number of deployed ocean observation and monitoring systems, most of which require increased power. Because ocean observation systems are often placed in remote locations, they primarily rely on energy storage (or in some cases in situ energy generation) to power instruments and equipment, which imposes limits on sampling rates, deployment times, and spatiotemporal resolution of data. The U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office is exploring the potential for marine renewable energy (MRE) devices (largely wave and tidal energy converters) to provide power to support multiple blue economy opportunities. A portion of these opportunities focus on power at sea markets for providing power in off-grid and offshore locations to support a variety of ocean-based activities, including ocean observation and navigation, underwater vehicle charging, marine aquaculture, marine algae farming, and seawater mining. Initially, research has focused on better understanding how and where MRE can provide a consistent source of reliable power to extend ocean observing missions, including operation of autonomous underwater vehicles. Online surveys as well as phone and in-person interviews were conducted with experts in the field of ocean observing systems and observatories to gather end-user requirements, determine energy needs, identify opportunities for codevelopment, and pinpoint constraints for MRE to meet those needs. The surveys and interviews provided feedback on the potential for powering devices and vehicles using MRE, including identifying common themes and challenges that will inform foundational research and development steps needed to advance the integration of MRE with ocean observing systems. In most cases, additional power generation on the order of watts was identified as significantly beneficial to enhancing ocean observations capabilities.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2020

Powering the Blue Economy: Progress Exploring Marine Renewable Energy Integration With Ocean Observations

The blue economy is a dynamic and rapidly growing movement that captures the interplay between economic, social, and ecological sustainability of the ocean and encompasses numerous maritime sectors and activities (e.g., commerce and trade; living resources; renewable energy; minerals, materials, and freshwater; and ocean health and data). The demand for ocean data to inform scientific, risk reduction, and national security needs is leading to a large increase in the number of deployed ocean observation and monitoring systems, most of which require increased power. Because ocean observation systems are often placed in remote locations, they primarily rely on energy storage (or in some cases in situ energy generation) to power instruments and equipment, which imposes limits on sampling rates, deployment times, and spatiotemporal resolution of data. The U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office is exploring the potential for marine renewable energy (MRE) devices (largely wave and tidal energy converters) to provide power to support multiple blue economy opportunities. A portion of these opportunities focus on power at sea markets for providing power in off-grid and offshore locations to support a variety of ocean-based activities, including ocean observation and navigation, underwater vehicle charging, marine aquaculture, marine algae farming, and seawater mining. Initially, research has focused on better understanding how and where MRE can provide a consistent source of reliable power to extend ocean observing missions, including operation of autonomous underwater vehicles. Online surveys as well as phone and inperson interviews were conducted with experts in the field of ocean observing systems and observatories to gather end-user requirements, determine energy needs, identify opportunities for codevelopment, and pinpoint constraints for MRE to meet those needs. The surveys and interviews provided feedback on the potential for powering devices and vehicles using MRE, including identifying common themes and challenges that will inform foundational research and development steps needed to advance the integration of MRE with ocean observing systems. In most cases, additional power generation on the order of watts was identified as significantly beneficial to enhancing ocean observations capabilities.

marine renewable energy, powering the blue economy↗
DOE OSTI2022

Influence on Structural Loading of a Wave Energy Converter by Controlling Variable-Geometry Components and the Power Take-Off: Preprint

Oceans are a harsh environment and can impose significant loads on deployed structures. Deployment of wave energy converters (WECs) faces a design challenge with apparently contradictory goals. A WEC should be designed to maximize the energy absorbed while ensuring the operating wave condition does not exceed the failure limits of the device itself. Therefore, the loads endured by the support structure are a design constraint for the system. Adaptability to different sea states is, therefore, highly desirable. This work uses a WEC-Sim model of a Variable Geometry Oscillating Wave Energy Converter (VGOSWEC) mounted on a support structure simulated under different wave scenarios. A VGOSWEC resembles a paddle pitching about a fixed hinge perpendicular to the incoming waves-fronts. Therefore, the hinge experiences loads perpendicular to its axis as it maintains its position. The geometry of the VGOSWEC was varied by opening a series of controllable flaps on the pitching paddle when the structure experiences threshold loads. Since opening the flaps lets the waves transmit through the paddle, it is hypothesized that opening the flaps should result in load shedding at the base of the support structure. This load shedding is achieved by reducing the moments about the hinge axis. This work compares the hydrodynamic coefficients, natural periods, and Response Amplitude Operators (RAOs) from completely closed to completely open configurations of the controllable flaps. These comparisons quantify the effects of letting the waves transmit through the VGOSWEC. This work shows that the completely open configuration can reduce the pitch and surge loads on the base of the support structure by as much as 80%. It was observed that at the paddle's resonance frequency, the loads on the structure increased substantially. This increase in loads can be mitigated by a rotational Power Take-off (PTO) damping about the hinge axis. Changing the rotational PTO damping was identified as an additional design parameter that can be used to control the loads experienced by the WEC's support structure.

fixed and floating structures↗
DOE OSTI2022

Manufacturing Supply Chain Development for Modular Solar-Thermochemical Conversion Platform - CRADA 387 (Final Report)

Modular chemical process intensification (MCPI) is an emerging field where chemical processing is performed using small-scale modular equipment instead of conventional large centralized chemical plants. Conventional chemical plants benefit from economies of scale that encourage scale-up to ever larger plants. A goal of MCPI is to develop technology that intensifies processing so that equipment can be dramatically smaller and integrated into modular systems. Scale-up occurs by adding more modules in parallel rather than making the equipment larger. A key concept is that equipment and modules can ultimately be cheaper by leveraging economies of mass production, analogous to the automotive industry, in manufacturing the equipment. This project made significant progress toward this outcome by meeting the RAPID institute metric to reduce equipment cost by 20% for each doubling in manufacturing volume. The MCPI application was thermochemical technology that is being commercialized by STARS Technology Corporation, one of the CRADA partners. The technology converts solar and renewable power to chemical energy to produce renewable hydrogen, fuels, and chemicals. The benefit to the public is reduction in greenhouse gases that are contributing to climate change. The project transitioned the steam methane reforming (SMR) reactor from conventional fabrication methods to additive manufacturing (AM) direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process. This is projected to reduce the cost of making a reactor by 58% when producing 100 reactors per year. Innovations in the DMLS process produced a patented design that reduces reactor weight by 60%. Reductions in material costs and processing time extend the DMLS advantage to higher production volumes. The new design promises to be 38% cheaper than the conventional processes at 1000 units per year. The resulting 87% reduction in the steam methane reforming (SMR) module cost in scaling from current costs meets the RAPID metric. The project was successful in producing and testing the first ever additively manufactured SMR reactors. A reactor achieved over 82% efficiency in converting electric power to chemical energy, which is a world record for an inductively heated SMR. The project has contributed to the design and assembly of a first demonstration plant that is headed to a hydrogen bus filling station in Thousand Palms, CA.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Novel Voltage Balancing Control With dv/dt Reduction for 10-kV SiC MOSFET-Based Medium Voltage Modular Multilevel Converter

Using high voltage (HV) silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors in a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is promising because it results in fewer submodules and lower switching loss compared to conventional Si based solutions. The nearest level pulsewidth modulation (NL-PWM) is commonly used in the MMC for medium voltage applications. However, with the NL-PWM and existing voltage balancing control, there are many submodules that switch their modes in a control cycle, resulting in a high dv/dt during the deadtime of the power semiconductor, which could be multiple times of the dv/dt of the single device. This poses great challenges on the noise immunity and insulation design in the MMC using HV SiC devices, which have very fast switching speed. A novel voltage balancing control, which ensures only two submodules switch their modes in a control cycle, is proposed in this article, limiting the maximum dv/dt to the dv/dt of a single power semiconductor and also maintaining the voltage balance performance. Furthermore, the proposed voltage balancing control is experimentally validated in a 10-kV SiC mosfet based MMC with four submodules per arm.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Describing Function Analysis of Transformer Magnetizing Inductance for Direct Power Control of Back-to-Back Modular Multilevel Converters with Advanced Grid Support

This paper provides a detailed investigation into the application of describing function-based analysis for assessing transformer magnetizing inductance and its impact on system performance. The focus is on a back-to-back modular multilevel converter architecture, designed to interconnect systems operating at different frequencies. The study explores the implementation of a Direct Power Control strategy, examining its effects on transformer magnetizing inductance saturation and offering effective mitigation techniques. Furthermore, the integration of advanced grid support functionalities is highlighted, demonstrating how these enhancements bolster the converter's ability to improve grid stability and power quality, positioning it as a robust solution for modern power systems. The proposed approach is validated through extensive computer simulations based MAT LAB/Simulink domain, supported by significant case study results, confirming its practical effectiveness.

back-to-back modular multilevel converters (B2B- M↗