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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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52 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2020

Small Business Launches Down-to-Earth Products via NASA SBIR Program

Through the SBIR program, DSSP developed a multi-pulse solid rocket motor for NASA that will enable stabilized interplanetary flight for small satellites. Another of DSSP’s core innovations with roots in the SBIR program is already having an even greater impact. Originally proposed to fuel a microsatellite thruster for Earth-observation missions, DSSP’s HAN-based green electric monopropellants (GEM and AF-M315E) technology is powering larger satellites, enhancing downhole oil and gas recovery, and much more. Highly insensitive to ignition by spark, flame, or shock, GEM-based innovations are stable, non-toxic, and more controllable than conventional propellants.

Bruce R Cogan↗
DOE OSTI2025

Baseline Cost Analysis of Energy Wastewater Treatment with Preliminary Feasibility Analysis of Critical Mineral Recovery

Critical mineral recovery from wastewater is an enhancement of conventional mining that can help meet growing demand. This work investigates two energy wastewaters that have previously been shown to be enriched in critical minerals, oil and gas produced water in the Permian Basin and combustion residual leachate. Treatment of these two wastewaters using reverse osmosis or thermal-based methods concentrates critical minerals, which improves the economic viability of critical mineral recovery. Revenue from mineral recovery could also offset treatment costs for operators. This work evaluates the cost of treatment for each wastewater and evaluates the potential revenue from critical minerals concentrated in the brine. The levelized cost of water for combustion residual leachate ranges from USD 1.90 to USD 16.20 (USD 2023/m 3 permeate) and for produced water ranges from USD 14.40 to USD 24.30 (USD 2023/m 3 distillate). Recovery opportunities range from USD 0.11 to USD 1.13 (USD 2023/m 3 permeate) for leachate and from USD 8.28 to USD 42.10 (USD 2023/m 3 distillate) for produced water, dominated by the value of magnesium and lithium. Comparing the maximum value of critical minerals contained in produced water and the maximum treatment costs, the value of critical minerals exceeds the cost of treatment by USD 17.80/m 3 distillate, which signals a potential revenue opportunity.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
NASA NTRS1995

Development of CFC-Free Cleaning Processes at the NASA White Sands Test Facility

The NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) is developing cleaning and verification processes to replace currently used chlorofluorocarbon-113- (CFC-113-) based processes. The processes being evaluated include both aqueous- and solvent-based techniques. The presentation will include the findings of investigations of aqueous cleaning and verification processes that are based on a draft of a proposed NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) cleaning procedure. Verification testing with known contaminants, such as hydraulic fluid and commonly used oils, established correlations between nonvolatile residue and CFC-113. Recoveries ranged from 35 to 60 percent of theoretical. WSTF is also investigating enhancements to aqueous sampling for organics and particulates. Although aqueous alternatives have been identified for several processes, a need still exists for nonaqueous solvent cleaning, such as the cleaning and cleanliness verification of gauges used for oxygen service. The cleaning effectiveness of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), ethanol, hydrochlorofluorocarbon-225 (HCFC-225), tert-butylmethylether, and n-Hexane was evaluated using aerospace gauges and precision instruments and then compared to the cleaning effectiveness of CFC-113. Solvents considered for use in oxygen systems were also tested for oxygen compatibility using high-pressure oxygen autoignition and liquid oxygen mechanical impact testing.

Beeson, Harold↗
DOE OSTI2026

Green pretreatment strategies for enhanced microbial lipid fermentation and synergistic high-quality lignin recovery for next-generation integrated biorefineries

Miscanthus × giganteus (Mxg) is a warm-season perennial grass being commercialized as a biomass feedstock for temperate farms. Three process strategies were compared for converting Mxg into single-cell oil and extracted lignin intermediates, as hydrothermal (HT) processing and two natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), ChCl:LA (choline chloride:lactic acid) and ChCl:Gly (choline chloride:glycerol). Pretreatments were performed at 10% and 50% solids loading at 140 °C, 2 h; HT: 190 °C, 10 min. Enzymatic hydrolysates, generated at 10% solids using washed and unwashed biomass, were evaluated for microbial lipid production. Maximum glucose conversions from washed biomass reached 83.5% (ChCl:LA), 52.7% (ChCl:Gly), and 74.0% (HT). Remarkably, NADES-derived hydrolysates effectively replaced refined sugars for the cultivation of the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides, achieving ∼51% higher biomass (OD 90.7) and lipid titers of 19.36 g/L within 45 h using a two-stage fermentation strategy. Lipid contents ranged from 34.5–44.5% dry weight, demonstrating reduced reliance on purified sugars. Beyond carbohydrate valorization, ChCl:LA pretreatment enabled high-purity lignin recovery (>89%) in a lignin-first strategy. Structural analyses (2D-HSQC and ³¹P NMR) showed syringyl (78.15%), guaiacyl (15.15%), and p-hydroxyphenyl (6.41%) units, with higher phenolic hydroxyl content (0.91 mmol/g) and a lower S/G ratio (0.19) than HT lignin (0.87 mmol/g, S/G 0.22). These attributes favor downstream lignin depolymerization into low-molecular-weight aromatics. Overall, NADES pretreatment simultaneously enhances microbial lipid yields and recovers high-quality lignin, advancing the economic feasibility of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production from bioenergy crops within an integrated biorefinery framework.

2D HSQC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Review: Pre-Darcy flows in low-permeability porous media

The widely used Darcy’s law specifies a linear relation between the Darcy velocity of fluid flow and the pressure gradient that drives the flow. However, studies have shown that Darcy velocity can exhibit a nonlinear dependence on the pressure gradient in low-permeability porous media such as clay and shale when the pressure gradient is adequately low. This phenomenon is referred to as low-velocity non-Darcian flow or pre-Darcy flow. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the theories, experimental data, and modeling methods for pre-Darcy flow in low-permeability porous media. The review begins by outlining the fundamental mechanisms underlying pre-Darcy flow that regulate the unique characteristics such as nonlinear dependence of the Darcy velocity on the pressure gradient and its relevance to fluid–rock interactions. The review then proceeds to present a thorough compilation of experimental investigations performed in various low-permeability geomaterials including tight sandstones, shales, and clays. Next, empirical and theoretical models and simulation methods that have been developed to fit and interpret experimental data are reviewed. Finally, the review underscores the challenges encountered in conducting and interpreting pre-Darcy flow experiments and suggests future research directions. By analyzing previous experimental investigations, this review aims to offer a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to enhance their understanding of fluid dynamics in low-permeability geomaterials. This provides insights into the application of pre-Darcy flow in numerous natural and engineered processes such as shale oil and gas recovery, contaminant transport in low-permeability aquifers, and geological disposal of nuclear waste.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Multiscale Approach to Simulate Non‐Isothermal Multiphase Flow in Deformable Porous Materials

Coupled thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical processes in porous materials play important roles in several energy and environmental technologies. The Darcy-Brinkman-Biot (DBB) framework has proven effective in modeling multiphase fluid flow in deformable porous solids across both pore and Darcy scales, including in systems where fractures coexist with a porous matrix. In this study, we extend the DBB framework, originally designed for isothermal conditions, to address non-isothermal problems by incorporating an energy conservation equation. The resulting solver, hybridBiotThermalInterFoam, enables simulations of coupled multiphase fluid flow, heat transfer, and solid deformation in hybrid-scale systems containing both solid-free regions and ductile porous domains. The new solver is validated through comparisons with analytical solutions and, also, against established heat transfer solvers chtMultiRegionFoam and compressibleInterFoam. Further, a series of 2D and 3D case studies, including two-phase heat transfer in solid-free, static, or deformable porous media, highlights the solver's capacity to simulate complex flow dynamics and heat transport in systems involving high mobility ratios, viscous fingering, and fracture propagation. Our results establish the feasibility of incorporating thermal effects in simulations of a wide variety of energy geotechnics and environmental applications, including enhanced hydrocarbon recovery, soil remediation, and enhanced geothermal energy systems.

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Surface engineering of polymeric membranes with metal oxides for improved fouling resistance and superior oil-water separation

Rapid industrial growth has increased the need for efficient membranes to separate oil-water emulsions. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes, although widely used due to their chemical inertness and favorable mechanical properties, suffer from fouling due to their intrinsic hydrophobicity. Modifying these membranes after fabrication offers a practical solution as it easily fits into existing large-scale manufacturing processes. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), an atomically-precise vapor phase surface modification technique, can create ultrathin metal oxide layers that greatly improve membrane hydrophilicity without significantly affecting the original pore size. However, PVDF's lack of reactive chemical moieties makes ALD challenging. Here, in this study, we present a simple alkali treatment that greatly enhances ALD nucleation and growth on PVDF membranes. This treatment imparts exceptional oil-water emulsion separation capabilities and antifouling behavior in PVDF membranes after just a few ALD cycles, surpassing the performance of PVDF membranes coated with hundreds of ALD cycles. This dramatic reduction in the number of ALD cycles required could enable cost-effective modification of commercial PVDF membranes at scale using spatial, roll-to-roll ALD. These modified membranes outperform reported modified PVDF membranes, with >99 % permeance recovery and <1 % irreversible loss of permeance and >98 % oil rejection from oil-water emulsions over 100 h continuous operation, making them promising for advanced water purification technologies.

Atomic layer deposition↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Roles of Oil–Water Interfaces in Forming Ultrasmall CaSO 4 Nanoparticles

In natural and engineered environmental systems, calcium sulfate (CaSO 4 ) nucleation commonly occurs at dynamic liquid–liquid interfaces. Although CaSO 4 is one of the most common minerals in oil spills and oil–water separation, the mechanisms driving its nucleation at these liquid–liquid interfaces remain poorly understood. Here, in this study, using in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we examined CaSO 4 nucleation at oil–water interfaces and found that within 60 minutes of reaction, short rod-shaped nanoparticles (with a radius of gyration (R g ) of 17.2 ± 2.7 nm and a length of 38.2 ± 5.8 nm) had formed preferentially at the interfaces. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) analysis identified these nanoparticles as gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O). In addition, spherial nanoparticles measuring 4.1 nm in diameter were observed at oil–water interfaces, where surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) revealed an elevated pH compared to the bulk solution. The negatively charged oil–water interfaces preferentially adsorb calcium ions, collectively promoting CaSO 4 formation there. CaSO 4 particle formation at the oil–water interface follows a nonclassical nucleation (N-CNT) pathway by forming ultrasmall amorphous spherical particles which then aggregate to form intermediate nanoparticles, subsequently growing into nanorod-shaped gypsum. These findings of this study provide insights into mineral scaling during membrane separation and can inform more efficient oil transport in energy recovery systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Marine Algae Industrialization Consortium (MAGIC): Combining biofuel and high-value bioproducts to meet the RFS

The Marine Algae Industrialization Consortium (MAGIC) was formed to address pressing challenges in the commercialization of microalgae as a source of biofuel. The “Marine Algae Industrialization Consortium (MAGIC): Combining biofuel and high-value bioproducts to meet the RFS” project formally addressed two US Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) goals: (1) Model the sustainable supply of 1 million metric tonnes ash free dry weight (AFDW) cultivated algal biomass and (2) Demonstrate valuable co-products produced along with biofuel intermediates to increase value of algal biomass by 30%. To achieve these goals, the project demonstrated and validated high-value co-products to drive down the cost of biofuel by increasing the value of algae “co-products” towards increasing the selling price of total algae biomass as one of the key drivers of economics and adoption. This was accomplished through five core, interdependent tasks including: (1) strain selection to identify and deliver strains for mass culture, (2) mass culture using a hybrid cultivation system and following key operating parameters for downstream applications to provide algae feedstock, (3) recovery and conversion to evaluate two alternative methods to separate dry algae biomass into oil and residuals for downstream testing, (4) product assessment to determine biofuel, aquafeed or poultry feed product efficacy using algae biomass fractions as well as to provide critical performance data for valuation and (5) commercialization to use technoeconomic and life cycle assessments (TEA/LCA) as iterative design and assessment tools including consideration of target markets, competitors, and distribution channels to guide product assessment, development and valuation. A total of 46 peer-review publications, many open-access, provide detail of much of the work carried out and the results of the tasks. Additional reports and presentations provide other technical and public engagement material. At a high level, using a variety of approaches, more than 1000 marine microalgae strains were evaluated to ultimately identify the seven winners that were down-selected to be grown in mass culture. Strain selection demonstrated that there were no ‘super strains’ and that each candidate had strengths and limitations for specific products, growth conditions or operational considerations. Mass culture growth of these seven strains at >5000 L / 29 m 2 scale found that four them were suitable for product assessment. More than 250 kg of biomass was produced across hundreds of pond runs along with thousands of cultivation entries on the growth and biomass characteristics as well as environmental parameters. In the process, dozens of standard operating procedures were generated as was custom software to process and analyze cultivation data. Recovery and conversion of algae biomass demonstrated that a hexane solvent based extraction protocol was most effective at recovering oil (biocrude) from algae and four strains were processed to produce oil and lipid extracted algae (residuals) for downstream testing. Membrane-based oil separation was less successful, but may still be applicable to other commercial applications in the future. Product testing demonstrated that algae biocrude is of high quality and hydrotreating generated numerous fractions of high quality composition for fuel and lubricate based applications. Aquafeed studies performed at a variety of scales showed that both whole and defatted (lipid extracted algae) microalgae were suitable as a feed ingredient, but that the specifics of the fed animal and biochemical composition of the algae are critical factors when determining formulation. Similarly, poultry studies on whole and defatted microalgae generally showed positive outcomes on animal growth and health, with some microalgae providing enhanced nutritional composition of the animal product. Economic and life cycle assessments covered a wide range of possible commercialization and sustainability scenarios. Replacement value, improved product value added, consumer values marketing added valuation and improved animal health were considered as alternatives for microalgae valuation. Using the open pond system, algae productivity was identified as the key driver of commercialization economics, but combination of co-products (e.g. animal feed) with biofuel production substantially increased the total selling price of algae. Modeled microalgae selling price exceeded $\$$1500/tonne and could generate competitive biofuel selling prices below $\$$5 gallon gas equivalents using realistic algal productivities. Short (process scale) and longer (decadal trends) sustainability assessments show that marine microalgae can enhance the sustainability of energy production and lead to other realized benefits in water, fertilizer and land use for other sectors (e.g. agriculture). This project successfully demonstrated all of the components of an end-to-end process from mass microalgae cultivation and dewatering, to recovery and conversion of algae biomass components, to final product demonstration and process valuation; the combined results provide a framework for future commercialization of algae based biofuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Simultaneous Determination of Halogens and Metals in Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Oil by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

A major barrier to integrating pyrolysis-derived oil into conventional refinery technology is the presence of impurities, particularly halogens and metals, that can deactivate catalysts. This study presents a novel, cost-effective approach for the simultaneous analysis of a subset of halogens, metals, nonmetals, and metalloids in complex, industrially relevant distilled pyrolysis oil samples, this was previously achievable only through multiple techniques. Excellent results were obtained using a widely accessible inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method with helium gas mode and standard laboratory consumables, enabling high-throughput analysis and efficient evaluation of adsorbent performance. Sample preparation is straightforward, requiring only dilution in a compatible matrix, and provides accurate and precise quantification, with 75%–137% spike recovery for Be, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, Tl, and Pb, and 62%–65% spike recovery for Cl and 109%–133% spike recovery for Br. Additionally, an enhanced version of the method using ICP-MS/MS and hydrogen gas is described, which has higher accuracy with 69%–112% spike recovery for Be, B, Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, Tl, and Pb, with 85%–102% spike recovery for Cl and 63%–93% spike recovery for Br. Helium mode detection limits for industrially relevant elements (V, Fe, Ni, Cu, As, and Pb) are less than 1.7 µg/kg, and less than 0.2 mg/kg for Br and Cl. Furthermore, this methodology facilitates rapid systematic evaluation of adsorption capacities of materials under time-on-stream conditions and supports robust comparisons across diverse operating environments.

Lazarcik, James [University of Wisconsin-Madison, ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data for Sustainable Co-Production of Plant Lipids and Cellulosic Sugars from Transgenic Energycane at an Industrially Relevant Scale: A Proof of Concept for Alternative Feedstocks

Development of sustainable and scalable technologies to convert lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels is critical to achieving carbon neutrality. The potential of transgenic bioenergy crops as a renewable source of sugars and lipids has been demonstrated at bench-scale. However, scaling up these processes is important for holistic analysis. Here proof-of-concept for chemical-free hydrothermal pretreatment of transgenic energycane-oilcane line L13 at an industrially relevant scale to recover vegetative lipids along with cellulosic sugars is presented. Pilot-scale processing of 97 kg of transgenic energycane-oilcane L13 stems and high solids pretreatment of bagasse enhanced the recovery of cellulosic glucose and xylose by 5-fold as compared to untreated bagasse and helped in the enrichment of vegetative lipids in the biomass residues which allowed its recovery at the end of the bioprocess. Palmitic and oleic acids were the predominant fatty acids (FAs) extracted from stems and leaves. The processing did not affect lipid composition. The efficiency of lipid recovery from untreated biomass was 75.9% which improved to 88.7% upon pretreatment. The vegetative tissues of transgenic energycane-oilcane L13 contained 0.42 metric tons/hectare of lipids. Processing vegetative tissues yielded 0.38 metric tons/hectare of lipids. This approaches an oil yield similar to soybean (global average 0.44 metric tons/hectare) and is almost twice as high as the oil yield from sugarcane engineered to hyperaccumulate lipids (0.20 metric tons/hectare). The study suggests that further optimization by state-of-the-art metabolic engineering and biomass processing can establish transgenic bioenergy crops for commercial drop-in fuel production.

Biomass Analytics↗
NASA NTRS2022

Plasma Assisted Nutrient Recovery from Inedible Biomass via Ash Leaching

Sustaining a human presence on the Moon, Mars, or deep space will require closing loops on many life support systems. Some form of agriculture will be required because plants produce the vitamins, antioxidants, and essential oils in our diets that degrade over time in stored foods. In addition, they provide dietary fiber, restore air, and purify water. Growing plants will require recycling nutrients trapped in inedible vegetation. Researchers at KSC have investigated the use of a thermal plasma with various carrier gases to thermally degrade inedible plant biomass for nutrient recovery. Previous work demonstrated a thermally degrading environment such as a muffle furnace improved nutrient recovery from inedible biomass prior to an acid leaching process. However, a muffle furnace is an inefficient process. We have explored the use of a small scale, thermal plasma for degradation of pellets to enhance the breakdown of plant stems, leaves, and debris to further close the nutrient loop. Plasma carrier gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2), and air were used to explore variations in recovery and potential chemical by-products. Plasma processed inedible biomass was added to varying concentrations of acid solution for leaching of nutrients (e.g. potassium (K) , magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P)) for reuse in the crop production cycle. We also examined total N2 recovery. Results are presented showing the impact of plasma processing prior to acid leaching on recovery of plant nutrients.

Kenneth Engeling↗
DOE OSTI2024

Site-specific Design Case Study for Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a thermal process that converts wet biomass to renewable hydrocarbon fuel blendstocks (i.e., renewable naphtha, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)). It can utilize a wide range of pure and blended wet feedstocks, including sewage sludge from water resource recovery facilities (WRRF), food and agriculture wastes, algae, fats, oils and greases (FOG) and blends of dry and wet wastes/feedstocks. Historically, techno-economic analysis (TEA) and annual state of technology (SOT) assessments with standard economic assumptions used by the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) were conducted for the wet waste HTL pathway leveraging experimental data collected from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) continuous flow reactor systems. The objective of the SOT assessment has been to guide and track progress of BETO’s HTL research and development (R&D) toward reduced cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the pathway. However, gaps exist between BETO’s traditional SOT updates and the needs of key external stakeholders that – if addressed – will accelerate technology adoption. This Business Case Study aims to bridge this gap by providing an updated design, TEA, and LCA based on PNNL’s FY23 R&D with added analyses and information that provide enhanced relevance for stakeholders of the HTL technology. This includes specific siting, regional wet waste resource inventory and transportation cost analyses, fuel market information, sustainable fuel policy impacts, economic metrics of net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis, and statistical analysis of cost and technical uncertainties of the HTL plant design. The study focuses on the “Detroit combined statistical area (CSA)” region for siting of a wet waste HTL plant adjacent to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) facility with guidance from industry participants. Regional resource and siting analyses were conducted to identify feedstock availability, scale, and cost, as well as a beneficial site location. TEA with detailed rigorous capital cost estimation for the specific site application was conducted to evaluate the key economic metrics of most value to industrial partners. These include total capital investment, operating costs, minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of the biocrude and fuel blendstock, and NPV and internal rate of return IRR with sustainable fuel credits. Life cycle analysis was conducted to evaluate the supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the wet waste HTL process as compared with petroleum derived diesel. This study is also informed by years of R&D and process de-risking learnings and was conducted with a basic engineering HTL plant design and costing that akin to a “first-of-a-kind” plant economics. This differs from our conventional “nth plant ” SOT assessments. Specifically, the HTL process model has been updated with more operationally reliable methods for feed heating and phase separations. Further, we have implemented additional spare equipment for redundancy, a more rigorous installed equipment cost estimation approach, and additional costs associated with feed formatting and delivery, building, piping and site development. An Excel-based cost sheet based on the basic engineering design is also released alongside the report that allows users to conduct customized TEA with their own feed composition and financial assumptions.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Synergistic Thermo-Microbial-Electrochemical (T-MEC) Approach for Drop-In Fuel Production from Wet Waste

This project successfully developed and demonstrated the synergistic thermo-microbial-electrochemical (T-MEC) process, converting food waste into sustainable biofuels while achieving self-sustaining wastewater treatment and hydrogen production. By integrating hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), the project advanced waste-to-fuel technology and expanded the understanding of sustainable waste valorization. It established a scalable framework for achieving high carbon efficiency, effective pollutant removal, and energy recovery, showcasing the potential of combining biological, thermal, and electrochemical systems to optimize resource recovery and reduce environmental impacts. The project demonstrated the technical effectiveness of the T-MEC process, achieving over 50% improvement in carbon efficiency and reducing waste processing costs by more than 25% compared to anaerobic digestion (AD). The HTL pilot reactor processed food waste at 90 kg/h, producing up to 200 L/day of biocrude oil with high conversion efficiency. A critical desalting step in pretreatment prevented catalyst fouling, enabling efficient hydrotreating with 100% deoxygenation and denitrogenation and sulfur reduction to <15 ppm. This positioned the kerosene fraction as a strong candidate for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The MECs achieved rapid startup, 86.4% COD removal, and hydrogen production rates of 1.8 L H 2 /L cat /day, among the highest recorded for pilot-scale systems. The integrated process achieved 65% carbon efficiency to biocrude and 58% to finished fuels, outperforming AD's 41% and 33% efficiencies for biogas and natural gas vehicle fuels. System analysis highlighted economic potential, with minimum fuel selling prices (MFSP) decreasing from $\$$25/GGE at 5 tpd to $\$$10/GGE at 500 tpd due to economies of scale. Future work will focus on reducing MEC material and membrane costs, enhancing performance through higher current densities, and creating tailored operational strategies for diverse feedstocks. Optimization of the integrated system will improve scalability and feasibility, positioning the T-MEC process as a competitive solution for converting wet waste into sustainable fuels and clean water. Beyond its technical and economic achievements, the project offers significant public benefits. The T-MEC process provides a sustainable alternative to landfilling and incineration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources. Converting waste into SAF and renewable fuels supports decarbonization in the transportation sector, advancing energy independence and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, the process minimizes environmental pollutants, transforming them into valuable products like hydrogen and fuels, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental Investigation of Buoyant Flow in Realistic Bedforms With Heterogeneous Wettability

Submeter-scale geologic heterogeneity greatly affects CO 2 plume migration and retention. In this work, we present meter-scale laboratory experiments that can capture the impact of realistic submeter-scale geologic heterogeneity on multiphase flow and trapping. We produce realistic sedimentary formations consisting of ripple deposits with varying grain size contrast and wettability in a meter-scale slab chamber. Then, we conduct multiphase flow experiments with analog fluids through these structures and measure the saturation patterns, capillary heterogeneity trapping (CHT), and overall trapping performance. When we alter the ripple bedform architecture, variations in trapped saturation and CHT (10–20%) increment are exhibited. Similar growth in trapping performance is also observed when grain size contrast increases. Finally, wettability changes (water- to oil-wet) can increase nonwetting saturation and CHT up to 5% and 10–20%, respectively. These results emphasize the importance of correctly characterizing the impact of small-scale heterogeneities and wettability changes. We believe this is the first time that multiphase flow experiments were conducted in meter-scale domains with realistic ripple bedforms and heterogeneous wettability to investigate plume migration and trapping.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Investigating Material Properties of Subsurface Rock Formations Modified by Engineering Mineral Precipitation (Final Scientific and Technical Report)

Montana State University’s (MSU) Energy Research Institute (ERI), in collaboration with the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) and the Department of Civil Engineering (CE), has conducted a long‐term research program aimed at developing a novel cementing agent to address wellbore integrity and reduce the unwanted upward migration of fluids and greenhouse gases from the subsurface. The primary technology developed through this research program is known as ureolysis‐induced calcite precipitation (UICP), which harnesses bio‐chemical processes to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ). The same general process can also be called microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) when microbes provide the process-catalyzing urease enzyme. Both terms are used in this report. Results have conclusively demonstrated that, if properly controlled, UICP can successfully seal fractures, high permeability zones, and compromised cement in the vicinity of wellbores and in nearby caprock. This technology has been successfully deployed to mitigate annular leakage in two test wells and over sixty commercial wells with a 100% success rate. This success in downhole deployment generates consideration of other subsurface applications where UICP could provide benefit to the energy sector, such as shale property modification for unconventional oil and gas recovery. The focus of this research project was to investigate fundamental material and mechanical properties of select shale cores and analyze how these properties change due to engineered mineral precipitation with the intent to control these properties to achieve a range of engineering objectives. Ultimately, the project aim was to identify valuable new areas where application of UICP might contribute to national energy security and environmental protection. The research workplan coupled UICP treatment of core samples, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization, and mechanical strength testing at MSU with advanced X‐Ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging and numerical modeling performed by collaborators at two national laboratories, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Experimental results are useful to inform geo-mechanical models which could be applied to predict mineralized rock formation behavior at field scale. Our findings suggest that NMR and μCT methods to detect and quantify biomineral formation in shale fractures are complementary and consistent with each other. Either could be used to estimate the volume of new mineral formed by UICP in shale fractures. The use of surfactants and guar gum to enhance biomineral precipitation in shale fractures merits further research. UICP can, under some conditions, increase the tensile strength of sealed shale fractures beyond that of the intact shale. These findings demonstrate that continued research in this area may be valuable to understanding and improving shale resource recovery techniques.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗