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

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

H 2 Production Pathways Cost Analysis (2016 - 2021) (Final Report)

This final report documents cost analysis conducted for the Department of Energy over a five year period (2016 to 2021) pertaining to hydrogen production and delivery system components, focusing on the key remaining challenges of the technology pathways within the Hydrogen Production and Delivery sub-program portfolio. A particular focus was placed on electrolysis for the generation of hydrogen. The effort primarily used the H2A discounted cash flow computational model as a tool to project hydrogen cost ($/kgH 2 ) and determine status improvements resulting from technology advancements. The effort also considered cost as a function of production volume, employed error bars to illustrate uncertainties in the cost estimates, and utilized sensitivity analyses to show the potential for cost reductions. The project examined a range of hydrogen production and delivery related systems. These included WireTough wire-wrapped pressure vessels for hydrogen storage, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis, solid oxide electrolysis (SOE), anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis, photoelectrochemical (PEC) electrolysis, solar thermochemical hydrogen (STCH) production, the cost of energy transmission, and a study on the necessary price of hydrogen to produce competitively-priced electricity via fuel cell conversion.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2020

System Engineering a Solar Thermal Propulsion Mission Concept for Rapid Interstellar Medium Access

The interstellar medium (ISM) represents the next frontier in space exploration, with many new discoveries to be made. The challenge, being so far away from Earth, the ISM requires many decades to reach. To advance our knowledge of what exists beyond our Solar System, new approaches for rapid access are required. One such approach is solar thermal propulsion (STP). The approach uses several Venus and Earth gravity assists to fly to Jupiter and use its gravity well to dive towards the Sun. Approaching within 3 solar radii a perihelion burn would be performed, maximizing the spacecraft’s ΔV to achieve high Solar System escape velocities. A unique aspect of the STP mission concept is that the Sun is not only used as a gravity well for an Oberth manoeuvre, but also to heat the fuel to ultra-high-temperatures (>3000 K), enabling a monopropellant burn with high specific impulse (Isp). Prior preliminary studies indicated escape velocities of over 20 astronomical unit (AU)/yr would be possible. An in-depth modelling exercise was undertaken to determine how such a system would perform. The model in this paper showed the current STP design is capable of providing just under 9±1 AU/yr, but there are many technology developments that could increase escape velocity. The technologies vary from items that could be implemented in the near term, like turbo-pumps driven by the hydrogen, to items requiring more extensive development programs like thin coatings which do not erode in superheated hydrogen. After reviewing the STP approach, and comparing it to a solid rocket motor (SRM), it was found that with currently available technology, SRM outperforms STP with an escape velocity of approximately 10-12 AU/yr. However, future advances in heat exchanger lining materials, turbo pumps, and advanced heat exchanger geometries may enable solar thermal propulsion to provide higher escape velocities, providing one of the fastest ways to exit the solar system. Ultimately, if all technology paths could be implemented with minimal side effects, the performance in a best-case scenario could reach up to 16 AU/yr.

Alkalai, Leon↗
NASA NTRS2016

Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program, Version 6.0

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a general purpose computer program for analyzing steady state and time-dependent flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The program is capable of modeling real fluids with phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics, conjugate heat transfer between solid and fluid, fluid transients, pumps, compressors, and external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal. The thermofluid system to be analyzed is discretized into nodes, branches, and conductors. The scalar properties such as pressure, temperature, and concentrations are calculated at nodes. Mass flow rates and heat transfer rates are computed in branches and conductors. The graphical user interface allows users to build their models using the 'point, drag, and click' method; the users can also run their models and post-process the results in the same environment. Two thermodynamic property programs (GASP/WASP and GASPAK) provide required thermodynamic and thermophysical properties for 36 fluids: helium, methane, neon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, fluorine, hydrogen, parahydrogen, water, kerosene (RP-1), isobutene, butane, deuterium, ethane, ethylene, hydrogen sulfide, krypton, propane, xenon, R-11, R-12, R-22, R-32, R-123, R-124, R-125, R-134A, R-152A, nitrogen trifluoride, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and air. The program also provides the options of using any incompressible fluid with constant density and viscosity or ideal gas. The users can also supply property tables for fluids that are not in the library. Twenty-four different resistance/source options are provided for modeling momentum sources or sinks in the branches. These options include pipe flow, flow through a restriction, noncircular duct, pipe flow with entrance and/or exit losses, thin sharp orifice, thick orifice, square edge reduction, square edge expansion, rotating annular duct, rotating radial duct, labyrinth seal, parallel plates, common fittings and valves, pump characteristics, pump power, valve with a given loss coefficient, Joule-Thompson device, control valve, heat exchanger core, parallel tube, and compressible orifice. The program has the provision of including additional resistance options through User Subroutines. GFSSP employs a finite volume formulation of mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations in conjunction with the thermodynamic equations of state for real fluids as well as energy conservation equations for the solid. The system of equations describing the fluid network is solved by a hybrid numerical method that is a combination of the Newton-Raphson and successive substitution methods. The application and verification of the code has been demonstrated through 30 example problems.

Majumdar, A. K.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Biofuels Refining Engineering

The goal of this project is the development of novel catalysts and knowledge of reaction pathways and mechanisms for conversion of biomass-based compounds to fuels that are compatible with oil-based fuels and with acceptable or superior fuel properties. The research scope included both catalysts to convert lignocellulosic biomass-based molecules (from pyrolysis) and vegetable oil-based molecules (i.e., triglycerides and fatty acid methyl esters). This project comprised five technical tasks. Each task is briefly introduced below, and major technical accomplishments summarized. Technical accomplishments were described in greater detail in the quarterly progress reports, and in even more detail in the >50 publications acknowledging this DoE project funding (list of publications and presentations included at the end of this report). The results of this research added greatly to the knowledge base necessary for upgrading of pyrolysis oil to hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals, and for conversion of vegetable oils to fungible diesel fuel. Numerous new catalysts and catalytic reaction systems were developed for upgrading particular compounds or compound families found in the biomass-based pyrolysis oils and vegetable oils. Methods to mitigate catalyst deactivation were investigated, including novel reaction/separation systems. Performance and emission characteristics of biofuels in flames and engines were measured. Importantly, the knowledge developed from this project became the basis for a subsequent collaborative proposal led by our research group, involving researchers from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Pittsburg, and the Idaho National Lab, for the DoE Carbon, Hydrogen and Separations Efficiency (CHASE) program, which was subsequently funded (one of only four projects awarded in the CHASE program). The CHASE project examined novel catalytic processes for lignocellulosic biomass conversion as well as technoeconomic analyses for process options for maximum carbon capture and hydrogen efficiency. Our research approach combined catalyst synthesis, measurements of catalyst activity and selectivity in different reactor systems and conditions, and detailed catalyst characterization to develop fundamental understanding of reaction pathways and the capability to predict product distributions. Nearly all of the candidate catalysts were prepared in-house via standard techniques such as impregnation, co-impregnation, or chemical vapor deposition. Supports were usually purchased, but in some cases coprecipitation was used to simultaneously create the support and active component, which can be advantageous for strong active component-support interactions and for achieving high active component dispersion. In-house synthesis also allowed for studies of the effects on catalyst activity and selectivity of such factors as support porosity, calcination temperature, and reduction/activation conditions. Depending on the physical characteristics of the molecule, catalyst activity measurements were carried out in tubular flow reactors (for vapor phase reactions) or stirred tank reactors (for liquid phase reactions) over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. Reactant and product concentrations were measured using gas chromatography (both on-line and off-line, with TCD, FID, and/or mass spectrometric detection). For promising catalysts, detailed physicochemical characterization was carried out using FTIR, Raman, XPS, and XRD spectroscopies (all available in our laboratories) and TEM spectroscopy (available at OU). Additional methods included temperature programmed techniques (TPD, TPO) and surface area measurements by nitrogen adsorption techniques.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS1991

Hydrogen interactions in aluminum-lithium alloys

A program is described which seeks to develop an understanding of the effects of dissolved and trapped hydrogen on the mechanical properties of selected Al-Li-Cu-X alloys. A proposal is made to distinguish hydrogen (H2) induced EAC from aqueous dissolution controlled EAC, to correlate H2 induced EAC with mobile and trapped concentrations, and to identify significant trap sites and hydride phases (if any) through use of model alloys and phases. A literature review shows three experimental factors which have impeded progress in the area of H2 EAC for this class of alloys. These are as listed: (1) inter-subgranular fracture in Al-Li alloys when tested in the S-T orientation in air or vacuum make it difficult to readily detect H2 induced fracture based on straight forward changes in fractography; (2) the inherently low H2 diffusivity and solubility in Al alloys is further compounded by a native oxide which acts as a H2 permeation barrier; and (3) H2 effects are masked by dissolution assisted processes when mechanical testing is performed in aqueous solutions.

Smith, S. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Hydrogen fueled subsonic aircraft - A prospective

The performance characteristics of hydrogen-fueled subsonic transport aircraft are compared with those of aircraft using conventional aviation kerosene. Results of the Cryogenically Fueled Aircraft Technology Program sponsored by NASA indicate that liquid hydrogen may be particularly efficient for subsonic transport craft when ranges of 4000 km or more are involved; however, development of advanced cryogenic tanks for liquid hydrogen fuel is required. The NASA-sponsored program also found no major technical obstacles for international airports converting the liquid hydrogen fueling systems. Resource utilization efficiency and fuel production costs for hydrogen produced by coal gasification or for liquid methane or synthetic aviation kerosene are also assessed.

Witcofski, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Test of an orbiting hydrogen maser clock system using laser time transfer

We describe a joint Smithsonian Astrophysical Laboratory/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (SAO/NASA) program for flight testing a atomic hydrogen maser clock system designed for long-term operation in space. The clock system will be carried by a shuttle-launched EURECA spacecraft. Comparisons with earth clocks to measure the clock's long-term frequency stability (tau = 10(exp 4) seconds) will be made using laser time transfer from existing NASA laser tracking stations. We describe the design of the maser clock and its control systems, and the laser timing technique. We describe the precision of station time synchronization and the limitations in the comparison between the earth and space time scales owing to gravitational and relativistic effects. We will explore the implications of determining the spacecraft's location by an on-board Global Position System (GPS) receiver, and of using microwave techniques for time and frequency transfer.

Vessot, Robert F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

An investigation of the effect of surface impurities on the adsorption kinetics of hydrogen chemisorbed onto iron

The goal of this program was to develop an understanding of heterogeneous kinetic processes for those molecular species which produce gaseous hydrogen degradation of the mechanical properties of metallic structural materials. Although hydrogen degradation of metallic materials is believed to result from dissolved protonic hydrogen, the heterogeneous hydrogen interface transport processes often dominate the kinetics of degradation. The initial step in the interface transport process is the dissociative chemisorption of the molecular species at the metal surface followed by hydrogen absorption into and transport through the bulk. The interaction of hydrogen with the surfaces of alpha-2(Ti3Al) titanium aluminide, gamma(TiAl) titanium aluminide, and beryllium were studied.

Shanabarger, Mickey R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Hydrogen-oxygen Space Shuttle ACPS thruster technology review.

A comprehensive program has provided the technology groundwork for the use of hydrogen-oxygen propellants in the Space Shuttle Attitude Control Propulsion System (ACPS) thrustors. This work has concentrated on generation of technology for injectors, cooled thrust chambers, valves, and ignition systems. The thrustors are designed to meet a unique and stringent set of requirements, including: long life for 100 mission reuses, high performance, light weight, ability to provide long duration firings as well as small impulse bits, ability to operate over wide ranges of propellant inlet conditions and to withstand reentry heating. The program has included evaluation of thrustors designed for ambient temperature and cold gaseous propellants at the vehicle interface.

Gregory, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A steam inerting system for hydrogen disposal for the Vandenberg Shuttle

A two-year feasibility and test program to solve the problem of unburned confined hydrogen at the Vandenberg Space Launch Complex Six (SLC-6) during Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) firings is discussed. A novel steam inerting design was selected for development. Available sound suppression water is superheated to flash to steam at the duct entrance. Testing, analysis, and design during 1987 showed that the steam inerting system (SIS) solves the problem and meets other flight-critical system requirements. The SIS design is complete and available for installation at SLC-6 to support shuttle or derivative vehicles.

Belknap, Stuart B.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Energy supply and its effect on aircraft of the future. II - Liquid-hydrogen-fueled aircraft: Prospects and design issues.

The performance of hydrogen-fueled commercial aircraft is examined in the subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speed regime and compared with JP-fueled systems. Hydrogen aircraft are shown to provide substantial improvements in range and payload fraction as well as to minimize or eliminate many environmental problems. The major elements of a development program required to make hydrogen-fueled aircraft a commercial reality are also outlined and the rationale for and characteristics of both a subsonic demonstrator and a high speed research airplane are described.

Kirkham, F. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Nickel hydrogen low Earth orbit life testing

A program to demonstrate the long term reliability of NiH2 cells in low Earth orbits (LEO) and support use in mid-altitude orbits (MAO) was initiated. Both 3.5 and 4.5 inch diameter nickel hydrogen cells are included in the test plan. Cells from all U.S. vendors are to be tested. The tests will be performed at -5 and 10 C at 40 and 60% DOD for LEO orbit and 10 C and 80% DOD for MAO orbit simulations. The goals of the testing are 20,000 cycles at 60% DOD and 30,000 cycles at 40% DOD. Cells are presently undergoing acceptance and characterization testing at Naval Weapons Systems Center, Crane.

Badcock, C. C.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Coal and Carbon Management Guidebook: Coal-to-Hydrogen Opportunities and Challenges

Key elements of this report include coal-to-hydrogen production in the context of the U.S. hydrogen market; the state of various hydrogen production technologies; present and forecasted demand for hydrogen in energy, transportation, and industrial sectors; an overview of environmental, economic, and infrastructure challenges to greater coal-to-hydrogen production; and information on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs and priorities for coal-to-hydrogen research and development.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS2021

PEM Fuel Cell MODEL for Conceptual Design of Hydrogen eVTOL Aircraft

A model and software for design and analysis of a Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system are developed for hydrogen eVTOL aircraft. Examples are provided of stacks designed for 80 kWe and 500 kWe net electrical power. Examples are provided of eVTOL designed for 250 and 400 lb payload. The trade-offs included stack characteristics, hydrogen storage characteristics, and aircraft payload and range. The objectives were to identify the key technology drivers of a hydrogen rotorcraft, establish technology targets for a viable aircraft, and recommend research to address the fundamental pre-competitive barriers. The current U.S. infrastructure on hydrogen informed the targets and recommendations. The key conclusion is that the advances made in cell electrochemical power density over the last decade might allow a PEMFC system to meet, or even beat, piston engine powered light-utility rotorcraft. The development must focus on the key drivers of a hydrogen eVTOL. The drivers are ultra-light stack cooling and short-term hydrogen storage. A stack system of net electrical power 100−150 kWe with specific power 1.1 kWe/kg including air, cooling, and electrical subsystems, and a tank storage of 15% weight fraction hydrogen are the minimum targets to meet the performance of a modern piston-engine rotorcraft, with a range of 180 nautical miles, payload of 400 lb, and gross weight of about 1400 lb. This is defined as the objective aircraft. If only one target is met, an aircraft of half the range could be produced, with a 30% greater gross take-off weight. This is defined as an intermediate aircraft. Because definitive conclusions are premature without weights and loads data on a flight-worthy stack system, it is recommended that a fuel cell powered hydrogen eVTOL demonstrator be built and flown. The existing hydrogen infrastructure for cars provide ample opportunity to create a pilot program. About 12 metric tons of retail hydrogen are available for cars every day in California, which is less than 0.05% of the yearly hydrogen production in the U.S.. A hypothetical fleet of 100 aircraft, operating 3 flights a day, would increase the demand by 2.25 tons per day and require 140 MWh of renewable electricity for green hydrogen.

PEM↗
DOE OSTI2019

Advancing Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles in San Francisco and Beyond

Final report for the Advancing Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles in San Francisco and Beyond program (October 1, 2016-June 30, 2019). The program was developed to increase community awareness of the viability, safety and availability of hydrogen fuel and FCEVs; update and standardize best practices in permitting and inspection of hydrogen fueling infrastructure; and develop a group procurement program.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1961

Gas Requirements in Pressurized Transfer of Liquid Hydrogen

Of late, liquid hydrogen has become a very popular fuel for space missions. It is being used in such programs as Centaur and Saturn. Furthermore, hydrogen is the ideal working fluid for nuclear powered space vehicles currently under development. In these applications, liquid hydrogen fuel is generally transferred to the combustion chamber by a combination of pumping and pressurization. The pump forces the liquid propellant from the fuel tank to the combustion chamber; gaseous pressurant holds tank pressure sufficiently high to prevent cavitation at the pump inlet and to maintain the structural rigidity of the tank. The pressurizing system, composed of pressurant, tankage, and associated hardware can be a large portion of the total vehicle weight. Pressurant weight can be reduced by introducing the pressurizing gas at temperatures substantially greater than those of liquid hydrogen. Heat and mass transfer processes thereby induced complicate gas requirements during discharge. These requirements must be known to insure proper design of the pressurizing system. The aim of this paper is to develop from basic mass and energy transfer processes a general method to predict helium and hydrogen gas usage for the pressurized transfer of liquid hydrogen. This required an analytical and experimental investigation, the results of which are described in this paper.

GAS↗