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At least 451 records · Page 25

Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (Phase III Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP) pursued a Phase III demonstration project at Kevin Dome in north central Montana. Kevin Dome covers approximately 700 square miles and is a naturally occurring CO 2 reservoir that is flanked by oil and gas fields. The carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is in the upper Devonian Duperow (carbonate) formation and does not reach the spill point of the dome; therefore, the dome has potential as a CO 2 sequestration reservoir, a CO 2 supply, or as both if anthropogenic sources and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations are associated with the dome. Kevin Dome could potentially act as a buffer to continue accepting anthropogenic CO 2 when EOR flooding operations are interrupted or completed. The project objective was to produce one million tonnes of CO 2 from the gas cap of Kevin Dome, pipe it laterally, inject, and re-store it in the brine leg of the same formation to test the hub / buffer storage concept. This was to be accomplished by drilling up to five production wells, building a short pipeline and compression facilities, and drilling an injection well and several monitoring wells. BSCSP commenced outreach and site characterization activities including acquiring baseline data for near-surface insurance monitoring, acquiring 3-dimensional, 9-component surface seismic over the project area, drilling two test wells (one in the production area and one in the injection area), coring key intervals, and performing comprehensive logging. Well tests of those wells revealed two barriers to the project. The production (Danielson 33-17) well was perforated in multiple zones but failed to produce any significant CO 2 . This was despite being drilled in the near vicinity of a historic well that had produced 3700 MCF per day in a drill stem test. Modeling indicated that this was likely due to a phase change during production causing a temperature drop resulting in hydrate and/or water ice formation that clogged the formation. Tests of the injection zone (Wallewein 22-1) well indicated total dissolved solids (TDS) slightly below the EPA required 10,000 parts per million (ppm) for a Class VI underground injection control permit. While the project was initiated before Class VI rules were promulgated, and this was an experimental project (seemingly qualified for a Class V permit), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that injection would require a Class VI permit. The low salinity result was unexpected as contours plotted based on regional formation water quality data indicated an expected TDS above 20,000 ppm, and wells between the recharge zone and the Wallewein well tested above 10,000 ppm. Faced with the inability to obtain an injection permit, the demonstration project could not proceed. However, the project had generated valuable samples and data on a large natural analog including 32 sq. mi. of 3-D, 9-C seismic, 430 ft. of carbonate core covering seven different depositional environments taken from areas with, and without the presence of CO 2 , 30 ft. of core of two caprocks, a tight carbonate and an anhydrite, a full set of modern logs on both wells, and well tests. DOE decided to re-scope the project around completing studies utilizing this data. This report covers both the initial scope and the re-scope (Task / Section numbers preceded with an R). While the report covers a wide range of project activities, highlights of this work include: Development of a geostatic model using neural nets to match well logs to facies and using multi-waveform seismic to inform reservoir heterogeneity; Unique mechanical testing of permeability – stress relationship in two caprock materials; Development of full waveform inversion to generate a high resolution velocity model; Model development for dual permeability (fracture and matrix) systems to better account for matrix-matrix interactions; Joint seismic wave inversion (including the first quadr-joint inversion) exhibiting better imaging of a challenging reservoir zone in stiff rock; Core flow and core flood results on a reactive carbonate; and Innovative laboratory measurements of seismic response of fractured core as a function of fluid fill.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Effect of Power Plant Capacity on the CAPEX, OPEX, and LCOC of the CO2 Capture Process in Pre-Combustion Applications - Abstract

Aspen Plus v8.8 was used to simulate the pre-combustion CO2 capture process from a typical fuel gas stream at different power plant capacities ranging from 54.3 to 543 MW. Polyethylene glycol polydimethyl siloxane (PEGPDMS-1) was used as a physical solvent to capture CO2 in a countercurrent packed-bed absorber containing a structured packing (Mellapak 250Y). The process pressure was 51.4 bar and the solvent temperature was varied from 10 to 40 <sup>o</sup>C. The internal diameter of the absorber ranged from 1.9 to 7 m and the packing height from 13.9 to 45.5 m. The physico-chemical properties were obtained and modeled using the Perturbed Chain-Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) Equation-of-State (EOS).<p> Four process constraints were imposed in Aspen Plus: (1) no flooding in the absorber, (2) the absorber height to diameter ratio (H/D) is greater than or equal 6, (3) at least 90 mol% of the CO2 capture from the fuel gas stream, and (4) the CO2 stream destined to sequestration sites should contain less than 600 ppm water concentration and less than or equal 0.5 mol% of fuel gases (H2, CO, CH4). The plant lifetime was assumed to be 30 years with an annual discount rate of 10% and an annual maintenance cost of 4% of the total capital expenses.</p><p> Seven power plants with different capacities were used and for each plant, the corresponding CO2 capture process was simulated. The absorber flooding was checked using the generalized pressure drop correlation (GPDC) by Leva [1] and the capital expenditure (CAPEX), operating expenditure (OPEX), and levelized costs per ton of CO2 captured (LCOC) were calculated [2-5]. Normalized by the largest power plant capacity (543 MW) used in the simulation, the results indicated that the capital and operating expenditures increased, however, the LCOC decreased with increasing plant capacity. This behavior was due to the increased annual tonnage of the CO2 captured with plant capacity as shown in Figure 1. The calculated CAPEX, OPEX, LCOC and the tonnage of CO2 captured for the 543 MW power plant were about 52 MM$, 22 MM$/year, 7.46 $/ton and 4 MM ton/year.</p>

Ashkanani, Husain↗

Pool boiling on metal-foam enhanced tube bundle: heat transfer characteristics and flow visualization

A flooded evaporator configuration is common in large central air conditioning or process cooling systems. It is basically a shell and tube heat exchanger, in which a secondary fluid (brine or water) circulates inside the tube bundle and is cooled by the vaporization of the refrigerant on the outside surface of the tubes. The enhanced pool boiling process enables the compact design of flooded evaporators, which substantially reduces the refrigerant charge. High-porosity metal foam, with a large surface-area-to-volume ratio, could provide an extended heat transfer area and a high-density of nucleation sites. This study experimentally investigated the pool boiling heat transfer and flow characteristics on metal-foam enhanced tube bundles. The enhanced bundle consists of four aluminum tubes with aluminum foam brazed around the outer surface, which are horizontally mounted in a staggered arrangement. The results showed that the metal-foam enhanced tube bundles improved the heat transfer coefficient by 100-160% with a lower wall temperature difference of 1-10°C, compared to the baseline. In addition, the tube pitch played a significant role in determining the pool boiling behavior of the tube bundles.

Yang, Cheng-Min↗

Development of a Testbed for Pipeline Flushing - 20425

Pipelines which carry high-level waste within the DOE complex should be properly flushed in the cases where stationary or moving beds of solid sediment occur, or lines are prone to hydrogen gas buildup. Present guidelines establish a minimum for the amount of water (flush volume) and flush velocity values used for post-transfer flushing operations to achieve satisfactory cleaning of pipelines. However, further studies are needed to find optimal operating velocity modes/values in order to minimizing the flush volume and consequent downstream waste. These efforts are significantly helpful to DOE waste remediation sites by preserving tank storage, preventing additional waste processing, and minimizing dilution and changes in waste chemistry. An experimental test loop was recently developed for study of non-Newtonian slurry flushing at the Florida International University (FIU). This loop was designed to create sediment beds of various materials and bed heights and investigate parameters that effect the efficiency of flushing operations. The objective is to find flush velocity values/modes which lead to satisfactory cleaning of transport lines with a minimum amount of water usage. A 165 ft experimental test loop made of 3-inch carbon steel pipes was constructed and used in initial testing campaigns. This pipe loop was equipped with real-time monitoring instruments to record variation of pressure, density, mass flow rate, and temperature during testing. Post-flush in-situ no-flow evaluations were performed using ultrasonic, endoscopy, and visual inspection. Additional post-flush evaluations were conducted using filtration and density monitoring of residuals within a designated circulations loop. These provisions enable comparison of pipeline cleanness before the start and after termination of flushing operations for efficiency evaluation. This paper presents efforts associated with flushing of kaolin-water mixtures at different concentrations and with various flush volume and flush velocity values/modes. In initial testing, efforts focused on creating repeatable sediment beds inside the pipeline in both fully-flooded (no pre-flush drainage) and gravity-drained (pre-flush drained) systems. Bed characterization (i.e., measurement of sediment height and solids concentration) was conducted to ensure about consistency of initial conditions between tests. Preliminary results for flushing study of 10% vol. kaolin-water mixtures starting from a fully-flooded initial condition showed that flushing with 1-line volume (65 gallons) could remove up to 72 percent of solids from the pipeline. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Advancing Multi-Hazard Risk and Safety Considerations for Aging Nuclear Facilities

While probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of nuclear facilities is expected to include internal and external hazards for a risk-informed and performance-based design, the current state of practice treats each hazard independently. However, such an independent treatment of hazards may not account for the correlations between different hazards and their response of and damage to the structures, systems, and components (SSCs) in a plant resulting in underestimating the overall risk. This project proposes to advance the multi-hazard PRA of nuclear facilities to more adequately evaluate concurrent hazards and contribute to an increased safety of nuclear plants. A framework for multi-hazard PRA will be developed by identifying concurrent hazard events (both internal and external) and event sequences that include interdependencies through the response of SSCs. An example application of the multi-hazard PRA framework will be demonstrated by considering a generic pressurized water reactor (PWR) subjected to seismic and internal flooding hazards. Computational models for the response of components will be developed to generated multi-hazard fragility surfaces under seismic and flooding loads. A PRA model consisting of event and fault trees will also be developed to quantify the multi-hazard risk profile and compare it with the independent hazard risk profile. Overall, by advancing the multi-hazard PRA of nuclear facilities, this project enhances nuclear safety and reduces costs by mitigating unforeseen consequences caused by correlations between concurrent hazards.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

The distributional impact of FEMA’s community rating system

Community Rating System (CRS) incentivizes investments in risk reduction above NFIP standards using discounts on insurance premiums. These discounts are cross-subsidized by increasing premiums in non-CRS communities. We examine the distribution of these subsidies and find that redistribution does occur, but the gains and losses are not economically large with 95% of households gaining or losing no more than 0.3% of household income. We also examine their relationship with other community characteristics and find that the strongest predictor of premium reductions is the underlying flood risk level within the community. Thus, CRS appears to reduce the cost of living in the riskier communities.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Experimental study of three-dimensional CO 2 -water drainage and fracture-matrix interactions in fractured porous media

Estimation of CO 2 storage capacity in fractured porous reservoirs requires a better understanding of the CO 2 -water flow fundamentals in fracture-matrix systems. There are few core-flood experiments on three-dimensional CO 2 -water drainage in a fracture-matrix system, yet none have examined the impacts of the capillary continuity of fractures and fracture-matrix interactions. In this study, twelve drainage experiments were conducted in four fracture-matrix columns, each comprising a vertical stack of a cylindrical rock core, a filter paper serving as an analogue to a horizontal fracture, and a ceramic plate. Here, the core sample was surrounded by open space at the top and circumferential sides to model fractures, allowing for 3-D CO 2 -water drainage in the rock core and displaced water draining across the horizontal fracture. X-ray computed tomography was conducted to visualize the dynamic invasion/drainage processes in four rock core samples showing contrasts in anisotropy, permeability, and heterogeneity. Experimental results show (1) the equilibrium CO 2 saturations in the rock matrix vary from 0.10 to 0.60 at controlled capillary pressures up to 200 kPa, (2) the CO 2 saturations in the matrix increase with water saturation in the horizontal fracture resulting in better capillary continuity for water to drain across the fracture, and (3) the fracture water saturation can be enhanced by the non-uniform fracture capillary pressure and countercurrent flow of CO 2 and water across the fracture-matrix interface. In the case of high fracture water saturation, matrix CO 2 saturation largely depends on matrix anisotropy and heterogeneity. The core-scale experimental results contribute to understand the fracture-matrix interactions and CO 2 storage efficiency in fractured porous media.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Tailoring catalyst layer structures for anion exchange membrane fuel cells by controlling the size of ionomer aggreates in dispersion

The development of anion exchange membranes and ionomers plays a critical role in performance of anion exchange membrane fuel cells. However, the optimal design of catalyst layer structures still remains unexplored despite its significance. Herein, the rational design guide is presented for cathode and anode catalyst layers using m-TPN1 ionomer by controlling the size of ionomer aggregates in dispersion and comparing various catalyst layer structures. The size of m-TPN1 aggregates decreases, creating a more uniform ionomer distribution and a larger triple-phase-boundary. As ionomer distribution of the cathode catalyst layer becomes more uniform, the power density of membrane-electrode-assembly is enhanced. Also, the power density at fully humidified condition strongly correlates with the porosity of anode catalyst layer due to the limitation of hydrogen transport at anode by water flooding.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Hydrodynamics of countercurrent flow in an additive-manufactured column with triply periodic minimal surfaces for carbon dioxide capture

Computational investigation of the countercurrent flows in an additively manufactured (AM) column packed with triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) is challenging. Multiphase flow simulations using the volume of fluid (VOF) method can explain the column’s hydrodynamic characteristics, including interfacial area, liquid holdup, pressure drop, flow regime, etc. The interfacial area is a key factor dictating the mass transfer via the absorption process, and thereby the overall efficiency of the column. The impacts of a solvent's physical properties, liquid and gas loads, and contact angle on the hydrodynamics are extensively explored. The solvents include traditional solvent (monoethanolamine [MEA]) used in industry as well as a water-lean solvent (EEMPA) as prospective solvents for carbon capture. As expected, interfacial area and liquid holdup increase with increasing liquid loads (q L ). The EEMPA exhibits higher values for the interfacial area and liquid holdup compared to those for the MEA. The dry and wet pressure drops per unit length in the column at different gas loads (F G ) are calculated and further compared with the empirical correlations for traditional packings. At low gas loads, i.e., in the preloading regime, the predicted values of the wet and dry pressure drops match well with the corresponding values calculated from available correlations. The gas load has a marginal impact on the interfacial area at its lower value, but the higher value of F G (>2.18 $\sqrt{Pa}$) causes flooding in the column. The effect of varying contact angles on the interfacial area and liquid holdup in the preloading regime is also studied. Both interfacial area and liquid holdup decrease with the increase in the value of the contact angle. Altogether, the effect of the contact angle on interfacial area is more pronounced than other parameters influencing the interfacial area.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Thin hybrid capillary two-phase cooling system

A novel hybrid two-phase cooling system was developed that integrated a mechanically pumped two-phase loop with a capillary-driven two-phase cooling device. The latter cooling mechanism was based on evaporation/boiling from wick structures made by sintering copper particles on the interior surfaces of a copper cold plate. The cold plate provided cooling to two surfaces and each of them included four heaters in series. The novelty of the developed technology was preventing flooding of the evaporator wicks by isolating the evaporation surface from the pumped liquid flow that fed them. This arrangement allowed for a high liquid feed flow rate much greater than would be allowed by a capillary pumped system while maintaining a low thermal resistance at the evaporation surface. Using this approach, the cooling system removed over 850 W with a low pumping power below 1.0 W while using R245fa as the working fluid. The equivalent heat fluxes exceeded 970 W/cm 2 over areas less than 0.12 cm 2 . The measured thermal resistance was as low as 0.09 K-cm 2 /W. The presented thermal management solution enables an increase in the power of high heat flux electronic devices beyond the state-of-the-art.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Coastal Forest Seawater Exposure Increases Stem Methane Concentration

Methane (CH 4 ) exchange between trees and the atmosphere has recently emerged as an important, but poorly quantified process regulating global climate. The sources (soil and/or tree) and mechanisms driving the increase of CH 4 in trees and degassing to the atmosphere are inadequately understood, particularly for coastal forests facing increased exposure to seawater. Here, we investigated the eco-physiological relationship between tree stem wood density, soil and stem oxygen saturation (an indicator of redox state), soil and stem CH 4 concentrations, soil and stem carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations, and soil salinity in five forests along the United States coastline. We aim to evaluate the mechanisms underlying greenhouse gas (GHG) increase in trees and the influence of seawater exposure on stem CH 4 accumulation. Seawater exposure corresponded with decreased tree survival and increased tree stem methane. Tree stem wood density was significantly correlated with increased stem CH4 in seawater exposed gymnosperms, indicating that dying gymnosperm trees may accumulate higher levels of CH 4 in association with seawater flooding. Further, we found that significant differences in seawater exposed and unexposed gymnosperm tree populations are associated with increased soil and stem CH 4 and CO 2 , indicating that seawater exposure significantly impacts soil and stem greenhouse gas abundance. Our results provide new insight into the potential mechanisms driving tree CH 4 accumulation within gymnosperm coastal forests.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Fermentation‐mediated growth, signaling, and defense in plants

Summary While traditionally considered important mainly in hypoxic roots during flooding, upregulation of fermentation pathways in plants has recently been described as an evolutionarily conserved drought survival strategy, with acetate signaling mediating reprograming of transcription and cellular carbon and energy metabolism from roots to leaves. The amount of acetate produced directly correlates with survival through potential mechanisms including defense gene activation, biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites, and aerobic respiration. Here, we review root ethanolic fermentation responses to hypoxia during saturated soil conditions and summarize studies highlighting acetate fermentation under aerobic conditions coupled with respiration during growth and drought responses. Recent work is discussed demonstrating long‐distance transport of acetate via the transpiration stream as a respiratory substrate. While maintenance and growth respiration are often modeled separately in terrestrial models, here we propose the concept of ‘Defense Respiration’ fueled by acetate fermentation in which upregulation of acetate fermentation contributes acetate substrate for alternative energy production via aerobic respiration, biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites, and the acetylation of proteins involved in defense gene regulation. Finally, we highlight new frontiers in leaf‐atmosphere emission measurements as a potential way to study acetate fermentation responses of individual leaves, branches, ecosystems, and regions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Vanishing adsorption limit of Riemann problem solutions for the polymer model

Here we examine the vanishing adsorption limit of solutions of Riemann problems for the Glimm–Isaacson model of chemical flooding of a petroleum reservoir. A contact discontinuity is deemed admissible if it is the limit of traveling waves or rarefaction waves for an augmented system that accounts for weak chemical adsorption onto the rock. We prove that this criterion justifies the admissibility criteria adopted previously by Keyfitz–Kranzer, Isaacson–Temple and de Souza–Marchesin, provided that the fractional flow function depends monotonically on chemical concentration. We also demonstrate that the adsorption criterion selects the undercompressive contact discontinuities required to solve the general Riemann problem in an example model with non-monotone dependence.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Development of the Contamination Distribution Centered Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index in the Beaumont–Port Arthur Region of Texas

This study advances the Toxics Mobility Inventory (TMI) and the Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index (TMVI) to develop a new tool to assess the movement of hazardous substances and their implications for vulnerable communities. It emphasizes the need to include contamination distribution variables in such indices to address disproportionate impacts and more accurately reflect vulnerability. The study uses the TMI framework and TMVI methodology in the Beaumont–Port Arthur region of Texas, also integrating contamination distribution considerations into the analysis to develop a new framework and process. The new Contamination Distribution Centered Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index (CDC-TMVI) consolidates climate change and topography variables into a broader built environment vulnerability category while introducing a contamination sources category. Using ArcGIS Pro and ToxPi tools, the study evaluates 27 geospatial variables across four categories: built environment vulnerability, social vulnerability, health outcomes, and contamination sources. The results indicate significant contributions from contamination and social vulnerability variables, highlighting areas with higher risks of flooding and air pollution. This article advocates for future research and policy efforts to enhance the integration of contamination sources and their spatial distributions into toxics mobility assessments to better protect vulnerable populations. Furthermore, the unique methodology and findings serve as a basis for developing targeted measures and strategic planning to improve environmental health.

contamination↗

Correction: “When I talk about it, my eyes light up!” Impacts of a national laboratory internship on community college student success

The ORCID iDs are missing for the second, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth author. Please see the authors’ respective ORCID iDs here: Author Seth Van Doren’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0003-0674-277X (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0674-277X). Author Julio Jaramillo Salcido’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0002-4113-5345 (https://orcid.org/orcid.org/0000-0002-4113-5345) Author Gabriel Otero Munoz’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0002-1444-8020 (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1444-8020) Author Aparna Manocha’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0001-7824-9971 (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7824-9971) Author Colette L. Flood’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0002-8674-0872 (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8674-0872) Author Anne M. Baranger’s ORCID iD is: 0000-0002-1973-4632 (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1973-4632)

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Surface water and groundwater FTICR-MS, NPOC, and TN from nine wetlands and three upland wells at the Tanglewood Biological Station, Alabama

This dataset supports a broader study examining wetland hydrobiogeochemical responses to flood disturbance and the subsequent impacts on watershed nutrient export. The study was designed following ICON (integrated, coordinated, open, and networked) principles. Samples were collected from nine wetlands and three upland wells at the Tanglewood Biological Station, Alabama in August 2024 and February 2025, during the dry and wet season, respectively. The contents include geochemistry (dissolved organic carbon measured as non-purgeable organic carbon; total dissolved nitrogen) and organic matter characterization (FTICR-MS). Related water level data from the same locations can be found at https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/view/doi:10.15485/2530253. Additional geochemistry will be published in a separate data package. For details on how to navigate this data package, see this infographic from the River Corridor SFA https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/PNNLRiverCorridorSFA/About. In addition to a readme, this data package also includes a file-level metadata (FLMD) file that describes each file and a data dictionary (DD) that describes all column/row headers and variable definitions.This dataset is comprised of (1) a folder containing environmental context photos; (2) file-level metadata; (3) data dictionary; (4) field metadata; (5) readme; (6) international generic sample number (IGSN) mapping file; (7) the field protocol; and (8) a subfolder with sample data. The sample data subfolder contains (1) dissolved organic carbon (DOC, measured as non-purgeable organic carbon, NPOC) data and averages; (2) total nitrogen data and averages; (3) methods codes; and (4) a subfolder of 12 Tesla (12T) Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) data. All files are .csv, .pdf, .jpeg, or .jpg.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Power Plant Water Risk and Adaptive Measures Database

Project objective was to understand water-related constraints affecting conventional powerplant operations, specifically coal-fired power plants. Of concern were threats related to drought and flood affecting both water supply and ability of plant to discharge wastewater. Also of interest were adaptive measures taken to mitigate identified threats. This spreadsheet contains the responses provided by the power plant operators and owners. Data have been "sanitized" (e.g., random plant ID, binned location and generation capacity information) to ensure anonymity of individual power plants.

Adaptive Measures↗