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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Reactive-transport modeling of fracture flow to quantify the changes in flow pathways from matrix thermal contraction and mineral precipitation and dissolution; influence of grid resolution

A series of reactive-transport models of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) were constructed using the reactive transport code PFLOTRAN to examine the effect of matrix thermal contraction and mineral dissolution/precipitation on fracture flow in the context of grid cell size and model complexity. It was found that for thermal drawdown at production well, the impact of fracture zone grid cell size is negligible.

Gatz-Miller, Hannah Sarah↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of Reaction Pathways and Temperature Inhibition in Methane DBD Plasmas at the Princeton Collaborative Research Facility (PCRF)

The overarching goal of this research is to advance the fundamental understanding of plasma-driven chemical conversion of light hydrocarbons using dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs). Using methane (CH 4 ) as a model system, the primary focus is to elucidate the influence of DBD plasma properties and environmental temperature on CH 4 plasma chemistry by studying decomposition products of the gas effluent across a broad range of conditions using experimental instrumentation at the Princeton Collaborative Research Facility (PCRF) located at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The insights obtained from this study are expected to form the mechanistic foundation for the design and optimization of plasma-catalytic reactions of light hydrocarbons for practical applications such as the recycling of production flare gas by transforming the uncaptured waste into value-added resources at the source of extraction, presenting a sustainable solution to a longstanding environmental challenge.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct Measurements of Dimethyl Sulfide Oxidation Chemistry: Uncovering the Primary Pathways from Gas Phase to Sulfate Aerosols

We report experimental measurements of dimethyl sulfide oxidation, focusing on a major chemical intermediate, hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF). The (photo)chemistry and transport properties of HPMTF, which are critical to accurate modeling of tropospheric sulfur, are not known, partly because current analytical methods are not optimized for elusive chemical intermediates. We investigated dimethyl sulfide oxidation using a custom time-resolved photoionization mass spectrometer, interfaced with pulsed laser photolysis, continuous photolysis, and liquid droplet reactors. We detected and characterized HPMTF (along with other reaction intermediates), quantified its yield, and measured its formation rate coefficient. We also developed a clean, intense, online HPMTF source, suitable for further experimental investigations. Lastly, we measured the mass accommodation coefficient of HPMTF on water droplets – a critical quantity for modeling its atmospheric partitioning between the gas and condensed phases. The experimental platform we developed here enables the exploration of other critical elusive reaction intermediates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

​​Updates to Anaerobic Digestion Pathways for Animal Manure in R&D GREET 2025​

Livestock and poultry manure management in the U.S. is a greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive process, emitting 81.7 MMT CO 2 e in 2022 (1.5% of net U.S. GHG emissions). The primary GHG is methane (CH 4 ), with 2,312 kt released in 2022 (9% of U.S. CH 4 emissions). Manure management methods are commonly categorized by whether they are anaerobic (“wet”) or aerobic (“dry”) techniques. Although dry methods manage the largest share of manure, the majority of GHG emissions are generated during storage of manure in anaerobic conditions – typically in water-filled tanks, pits, or lagoons. There has been a 65% increase in emissions from 1990, primarily due to an increasing cattle population. Also, this rise in population has been coupled with a rise in animal confinement and density, which typically adopt wet manure management methods. Within wet methods, anaerobic bacteria proliferate and decompose volatile solids (VS) within the manure in a process called anaerobic digestion to produce roughly equal mixtures of CH 4 and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). These GHGs are fugitive, in that they are assumed to be released to the atmosphere and contribute to GHGs within U.S. GHG inventories. If the methane is captured and purified (i.e., “upgraded”) this simultaneously mitigates GHGs that would have otherwise been released and produces a valuable energy product known colloquially as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). Such processes are acknowledged by U.S. policy through programs such as the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), the federal Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), and state clean fuel standards (CFS). In the 45Z and CFS schemes, the GHG emissions of the business-as-usual (BAU) manure management system is taken as a baseline, and credits are received based on GHG reductions relative to this baseline. Thus, estimating the GHG emissions of the BAU scenario (also known as the “counterfactual”) is necessary.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Synergistic Pathways for Water Security in Emerging Sectors: Data Centers and Modern Nuclear Facilities

Stand-alone data centers, nuclear-powered data centers, and novel nuclear facilities such as fusion plant and small modular reactors (SMRs) are rapidly expanding, water-intensive sectors that present a significant challenge to the water-for-energy nexus. Their large-scale consumption of water for cooling systems not only reduces downstream water quantity but also degrades quality, demanding an integrated approach by stakeholders to understand and address these impacts through infrastructure planning and development.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Computational Design to Advance AM Fabrication of High Gamma Prime Alloys for Hot Gas Path Components in Gas Turbine Engines: A Pathway to Enhanced Gas Turbine Efficiency and Energy Saving (Final CRADA Report)

Raising turbine inlet temperature is a key lever for improving industrial gas-turbine efficiency and power output, but it increases thermo-mechanical demands on hot-gas-path components. Additive manufacturing (AM), particularly laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), enables complex internal cooling features in critical components such as turbine tip shoes that are difficult to produce by conventional casting. However, qualification of new high-temperature AM alloys and aggressive geometries is often limited by trial-and-error iteration of build parameters and post-build heat treatments, with cracking during stress relieving or hot isostatic pressing (HIP) being a recurring failure mode.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Alloy 625 Qualification Pathway for ASME Section III Division 5 Class A construction

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III Division 5 provides construction and inspection rules to ensure the safety of nuclear components operating at elevated temperatures, defined as those operating above 700°F (370°C) or 800°F (425°C), depending on the material type. At present, there are six materials approved for Class A (high safety significance) component construction under ASME BPVC Section III Division 5. Out of these six materials, five materials are steels or iron-based alloys and one material, Alloy 617, is a nickel alloy. Nickel alloys are stronger than steels; however, Alloy 617 consists of 10-15% cobalt, and activation is a concern under irradiation. Therefore, there is a need to qualify new nickel alloy with lower cobalt content. Alloy 625 is one candidate which has similar mechanical properties at elevated temperature compared to Alloy 617 and has a maximum of 1% cobalt. Although Alloy 625 material properties have been developed in the past to support allowable stress development under ASME Section II, new test results would be needed to qualify this material for elevated temperature component construction under ASME Section III Division 5. The purpose of this report is to describe a path towards developing a Nuclear Code Case to qualify Alloy 625 (UNS N06625; Grade 1 and Grade 2) for elevated temperature nuclear use in accordance with the ASME BPVC rules. This report reviews the existing database on Alloy 625, presents proposed test campaign, and discusses potential paths for accelerating the accelerated material qualification process.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Updates to Anaerobic Digestion Pathways for Animal Manure in R&D GREET 2025 Rev.1

Renewable natural gas (RNG) produced from animal manure can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector, but accurate life cycle assessment (LCA) of this fuel depends on precise modeling of emissions from business-as-usual (BAU) manure manage ment. This report documents updates to the Research & Development version of the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (R&D GREET) model that attempt to improve that precision.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Financial Exposure After a Sealed-Source Release: Insurance Limits, Federal Cost Pathways, and Implications for Gamma Irradiator Substitution

This report assesses whether private insurance and existing federal authorities would likely provide meaningful financial protection to private operators of self-shielded gamma irradiators after a major sealed-source release. It does not answer this question quantitatively because publicly observable data on premiums, limits, uptake, and claims outcomes for this risk class appear sparse. Instead, it uses a qualitative structural analysis based on prior literature, review of relevant federal authorities, limited observable insurance-market evidence, expert outreach, and historical analogs. The analysis finds that available public and private mechanisms do not combine into a clear, dependable, or readily verifiable compensation structure for ordinary private sealed-source operators. Institutions therefore should not assume that either insurance or government response will make them financially whole after a severe incident. Source reduction and replacement remain more dependable than post-event financial mechanisms for reducing institutional exposure and broader radiological risk.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗