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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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NASA NTRS2004

Development of a Multi-bus, Multi-source Reconfigurable Stirling Radioisotope Power System Test Bed

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has typically used Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) as their source of electric power for deep space missions. A more efficient and potentially more cost effective alternative to the RTG, the high efficiency 110 watt Stirling Radioisotope Generator 110 (SRG110) is being developed by the Department of Energy (DOE), Lockheed Martin (LM), Stirling Technology Company (STC) and NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The SRG110 consists of two Stirling convertors (Stirling Engine and Linear Alternator) in a dual-opposed configuration, and two General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules. Although Stirling convertors have been successfully operated as a power source for the utility grid and as a stand-alone portable generator, demonstration of the technology required to interconnect two Stirling convertors for a spacecraft power system has not been attempted. NASA GRC is developing a Power System Test Bed (PSTB) to evaluate the performance of a Stirling convertor in an integrated electrical power system application. This paper will describe the status of the PSTB and on-going activities pertaining to the PSTB in the NASA Thermal-Energy Conversion Branch of the Power and On-Board Propulsion Technology Division.

Coleman, Anthony S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Micro-grid for Future Planetary Surface Needs

Under the current Artemis Program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will send its next set of astronauts (first woman and next man) to the Moon by 2024 and establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface by 2028. The challenge of creating a sustained lunar surface presence is significantly different than previous efforts. Lunar surface operations will require access to continuous and highly reliable power to support mission needs, such as to support ISRU operations. Adding to this challenge, the lunar surface operations are not going to be established over a single effort, rather the system and operations will evolve and grow over time (years). The first initial loads that arrive on the lunar surface will be integrated to their own dedicated power sources. As the lunar surface operations grow, so will the demand for power and at some point these individual loads will require more power than can be generated with any single power device. This power demand drives the need for inter-connecting the loads and power devices to share power between them, resulting in a micro-grid. One of the advantages of developing a lunar surface micro-grid is that allows lunar surface operations to resemble electrical utility operations on Earth; it allows power to be generated where it is convenient and allows power to be consumed where it is convenient, rather than negotiating between generation and consumption. The micro-grid concept also provides another benefit of affording the ability to increase overall system reliability by integrating dissimilar power generation and energy storage devices together, for example modifying the power generation strategy to include both solar arrays and nuclear. Creating a lunar surface micro-grid has its advantages, however there are significant challenges associated with an evolvable micro-grid concept. The challenges include how to efficiently transmit large amounts of power (10kW+) long distances (1kW+), how to effectively integrate dissimilar power generation and energy storage devices to maximize power consumption and minimize downtime, and how to physically connect these devices together with a connector that can survive the lunar environment (dust, extreme cold temperatures) and is capable of both astronaut and robotic operation. The basic components of the micro-grid have to be designed to ensure the system is sustainable, modular, and reconfigurable. An interface to the micro-grid has to be designed that allows for additional technologies, some of which may not yet be fully designed, to easily integrate into the micro-grid concept. This presentation discusses these lunar challenges in some more depth and offers a path forward in designing an evolvable micro-grid to meet the needs of the lunar surface operations and proposes a Universal Micro-grid Interface Converter to connect these dissimilar power sources and mission loads to the micro-grid.

Jeffrey Csank↗

DOE OSTI2025

Economic Evaluation of Modernization Expenditures for Electric Utility Distribution Systems: A Guide for Utility Regulators

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of potential grid modernization solutions is integral to integrated distribution system planning (IDSP). This report synthesizes and updates prior cost-effectiveness approaches identified by the U.S. Department of Energy for grid modernization investments, incorporating multi-objective decision-making. The structure of the report follows the IDSP process, from identifying objectives and priorities to prioritizing grid solutions. The report details two methods for conducting initial cost-effectiveness screening of individual and interdependent grid components: (1) Lowest Reasonable Cost and (2) Benefit-Cost Analysis. Drawing on solutions that passed the initial cost-effectiveness screen, the utility prioritizes grid solutions based on policy objectives and priorities, regulatory compliance, operational efficiencies, and other factors to develop a portfolio of distribution solutions. The utility uses multi-objective decision-making to assess each proposed expenditure against each objective and respective metric. The utility applies a weighting factor, reflecting the priority ranking of the objective, to the total numerical “score” based on the contribution of the proposed solution to addressing each objective. Ultimately, the utility ranks each expenditure from highest to lowest priority using the final score for each solution as well as its cost. The report includes examples of emerging best practices for states and utilities and a cost-effectiveness process checklist.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1975

Auxiliary propulsion thruster performance with ion machined accelerator grids

A substantial improvement in the performance of an 8-centimeter-diameter auxiliary propulsion thruster was achieved by reducing the diameter of the accelerator grid apertures. The accelerator grid hole geometry was defined by ion machining accelerator grids on an 8-centimeter thruster at thrust levels of 2.2, 4.4, and 6.7 millinewtons was (mN). A thruster with an ion machined accelerator grid was operated at a thrust of 4.4 mN for 1000 hours. The discharge propellant utilization was 92% at an eV/ion of 338. Thruster performance and accelerator grid hole geometry was documented as a function of thrust level. It was also determined that the small hole accelerator grid has a very low backstreaming voltage limit. In fact the thruster can be operated with the acclerator grid held at neutralizer tip potential.

Hudson, W. R.↗

DOE OSTI2026

BIL GRID-READY WIND: Reliable and Economical Grid Services Design, Implementation, and Demonstration at the Great Pathfinder Wind Power Plant

The GRID-READY WIND project aimed to demonstrate the ability of utility-scale wind power plants (WPPs) to deliver traditional and emerging grid services (GSs) in both grid-following (GFL) and grid-forming (GFM) modes through a centralized control framework, supplemented by local control adjustments at the wind turbine generator as needed. Throughout the project, the team offered recommendations on how the grid services demonstrated with WPPs could be applied to other inverter-based resources (IBRs), such as photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery energy storage systems (BESS), while considering the unique dynamics of these resources arising from their energy generation characteristics. The project sought to enhance the confidence of system operators (SOs) and planners in utilizing WPPs, alongside other IBRs such as PV plants and BESS, to provide essential grid services over extended periods under diverse operating conditions, thereby supporting their integration into the bulk power system.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advancing Grid Resilience through Smart Charge Management: Findings from Maryland’s Pilot

This report presents research findings from a four-year Smart Charge Management (SCM) pilot program conducted by Maryland’s largest electric utilities—Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), and Delmarva Power & Light (DPL)—to evaluate strategies for optimizing electric vehicle (EV) charging loads and enhancing grid stability. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Argonne National Laboratory collaborated with all project partners and examined the effectiveness of Time-of-Use (TOU) and Load Balancing (LB) strategies in managing peak demand, deferring costly infrastructure upgrades, and reducing grid constraints at the feeder level. Using charging data from over 4,600 EV drivers, the study analyzed SCM’s impact on the distribution systems of BGE and Pepco, which consists of over 2000 feeders. Unlike prior research that focused on system-wide trends or synthetic feeders, this analysis offers granular, feeder-level insights based on real-world operational data. It highlights how transformer density, load profiles, and infrastructure constraints influence smart charging performance. Results show feeder-level conditions play a crucial role in SCM effectiveness, with most feeders benefiting more from LB, while TOU-based SCM may be sufficient for others. By 2035, LB reduced peak charging loads by 27% on average, compared to 23% under TOU-based SCM, though some feeders saw reductions exceeding 35%, while others experienced minimal impact. Feeders with higher transformer utilization and limited capacity benefited more from LB, which more effectively distributed charging demand during off-peak hours. Beyond reducing grid constraints, SCM offers long-term operational and financial benefits. By shifting EV charging demand strategically, utilities can optimize asset utilization, delay infrastructure investments, and enhance grid performance. In terms of infrastructure upgrade deferrals, at the feeder level, LB consistently reduced peak charging loads and resulting infrastructure upgrade costs, particularly in high EV enrollment areas, decreasing the number of overloaded transformers by up to 35%, while TOU-based SCM achieved 20-30% reductions depending on feeder characteristics. At the system level, LB has the potential to defer total upgrade costs by $\$$186 million for BGE, compared to $\$$159 million under TOU-based SCM. For Pepco, TOU-based SCM performed slightly better, deferring upgrade costs by $\$$30 million, compared to $\$$29 million under LB. Section 4.5 reviews some of the system differences between BGE and Pepco. However, as EV adoption scales, TOU-based SCM will introduce secondary peak charging loads, reinforcing the need for more advanced, adaptive SCM approaches to prevent new grid challenges. As EV adoption continues to grow, feeder-level managed charging strategies will be essential for mitigating grid stress, improving infrastructure efficiency, and maintaining energy affordability for consumers. This report provides critical insights for utilities, Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), and state agencies on the role of feeder-specific smart charging in infrastructure planning, policy development, and grid modernization. The findings underscore the importance of tailored, data-driven SCM solutions that align with local grid conditions, ensuring a resilient, cost-effective transition to increasing EV adoption while safeguarding distribution system performance.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Sensor Data Analytics and Data Quality Assessment Software

The proposed framework derives a set of quality metrics to provide critical insights into and tracking of grid operations, sensor performance, sensor longevity, and event statistics. Power grid engineers can utilize this information to identify problems with existing sensor locations and problematic power grid assets including generators, transmission lines, load centers, and substations. This information can also be used to identify unexpected/abnormal behavior of power grid components, improve power grid observability, and operational monitoring, and thus enhance real-time decision-making support system. Power grid planners can utilize this information to augment existing sensing architecture with new sensors and improve the observability of the network.

Mahapatra, Kaveri↗

DOE OSTI2026

A Physical Model Enhanced Data Driven Method for High-Resolution Residential Load Profile Generation

Residential buildings account for significant energy consumption, creating opportunities to offer grid services. As electric utilities seek to implement effective system operation strategies, understanding residential energy consumption patterns becomes essential; However, the time intervals of load profiles measured by utilities' smart meters are typically from 15 minutes to 60 minutes. The low-resolution data make it hard to extract appliance-level load information, which is critical for providing grid services. This paper presents a load profile generator designed to produce synthetic load profiles for residential buildings that emphasizes the importance of accurate representations of realistic energy consumption patterns. The generator takes realistic low-resolution residential load measurements and weather data as inputs, producing 1-minute interval profiles that match the characteristics of the original profiles. Further, this generator can be used to populate load profiles in areas where actual measurements are limited to improve the ability of utilities to analyze their distribution systems. By providing more high-resolution residential building load profiles, this tool supports electric utilities to enhance their residential building load control strategies and improve overall grid stability.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1975

Auxiliary propulsion thruster performance with ion machined accelerator grids

A substantial improvement in the performance of an 8-centimeter-diameter auxiliary propulsion thruster has been achieved by reducing the diameter of the accelerator grid apertures. The accelerator grid hole geometry has been defined by ion machining accelerator grids on an 8-centimeter thruster at thrust levels of 2.2, 4.4, and 6.7 millinewtons (mN). A thruster with an ion machined accelerator grid has been operated at a thrust of 4.4 mN for 1000 hours. The discharge propellant utilization was 92% at an eV/ion of 338. Thruster performance and accelerator grid hole geometry has been documented as a function of thrust level. It was also determined that the small hole accelerator grid has a very low backstreaming voltage limit. In fact the thruster can be operated with the accelerator grid held at neutralizer tip potential.

Hudson, W. R.↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Graph-Net with Node Embeddings to Detect False Data Injection Attacks in Photovoltaic Systems

Distributed energy resources (DER) contribute to the operational stability of the larger power grid both at utility-scale as well as commercial and residential scales in aggregated forms. These DER in-turn are susceptible to increasing cyber threats. An adversary can plug into the same local network that a field photovoltaic (PV) system uses to interconnect its data loggers and inverters and manipulate certain measurements collected from the network or trick existing irradiance and inverter readings through false data injection attacks (FDIA). Control routines that rely on these measurements can propagate the false data, impacting critical decisions that result in a suboptimal operation or even cause intentional harm leading to inverter-tripping or unscheduled loads that need to be shed. To detect FDIA in PV systems, the paper introduces an attention-based graph neural network with node embeddings and applied it to a simple prototypical DC-coupled microgrid with PV, energy storage, and load. The algorithm shows a detection accuracy of up to 98.95%. The proposed FDIA detection technique will provide micro-grid operators with an effective method to safeguard their systems, guaranteeing the secure and reliable operation.

Parvez, Imtiaz [Utah Valley University]↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Microgrid for Lunar Surface Power

Sustained lunar surface operations will require access to continuous and highly reliable power to support mission needs and an ability to evolve and grow over time (years). The first initial loads that arrive on the lunar surface will contain their own dedicated power sources. Over time, as the lunar surface operations and power demands grow, these individual power loads will require more power than can be generated with any single power device. This demand drives the need for inter-connecting loads and power devices to share power between them, resulting in a micro-grid. One advantage of developing a lunar surface micro-grid is that it will allow lunar surface operations to resemble electrical utility operations on Earth; it allows power to be generated where it is convenient and allows power to be consumed where it is convenient and required. The micro-grid concept also provides another benefit of affording the ability to increase overall system reliability by integrating dissimilar power generation and energy storage devices together, for example modifying the power generation strategy to include both solar arrays and nuclear. This talk provides an overview of NASA’s interest in developing a lunar microgrid and provides areas where external entities can play a role in developing futuristic power needs.

Jeffrey Csank↗

DOE OSTI2026

Energy 101: Utilities [Slides]

The Energy 101: Utilities presentation, developed for the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), provides an overview of utilities. It covers fundamental concepts, technologies, considerations, case studies, and additional resources.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1978

DOE LeRC photovoltaic systems test facility

The facility was designed and built and is being operated as a national facility to serve the needs of the entire DOE National Photovoltaic Program. The object of the facility is to provide a place where photovoltaic systems may be assembled and electrically configured, without specific physical configuration, for operation and testing to evaluate their performance and characteristics. The facility as a breadboard system allows investigation of operational characteristics and checkout of components, subsystems and systems before they are mounted in field experiments or demonstrations. The facility as currently configured consist of 10 kW of solar arrays built from modules, two inverter test stations, a battery storage system, interface with local load and the utility grid, and instrumentation and control necessary to make a flexible operating facility. Expansion to 30 kW is planned for 1978. Test results and operating experience are summaried to show the variety of work that can be done with this facility.

Cull, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Dispersed solar thermal generation employing parabolic dish-electric transport with field modulated generator systems

This paper discusses the application of field modulated generator systems (FMGS) to dispersed solar-thermal-electric generation from a parabolic dish field with electric transport. Each solar generation unit is rated at 15 kWe and the power generated by an array of such units is electrically collected for insertion into an existing utility grid. Such an approach appears to be most suitable when the heat engine rotational speeds are high (greater than 6000 r/min) and, in particular, if they are operated in the variable speed mode and if utility-grade a.c. is required for direct insertion into the grid without an intermediate electric energy storage and reconversion system. Predictions of overall efficiencies based on conservative efficiency figures for the FMGS are in the range of 25 per cent and should be encouraging to those involved in the development of cost-effective dispersed solar thermal power systems.

Ramakumar, R.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Data-driven Modeling for Grid Edge IBRs: A Digital Twin Perspective of User-Defined Models

Recent events in Odessa have brought attention to the challenges associated with the interaction between Inverter- Based Resources (IBRs) and the transmission and distribution system. The NERC event diagnosis report has highlighted sev- eral issues, emphasizing the need for continuous performance monitoring of these IBRs by system operators. Key areas of concern include the mismatch of control and protection perfor- mance of IBRs between the original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-provided models and field measurements. The inability to replicate the realistic response can result in incorrect reliability and resilience studies. In this paper, we developed an approach on how to emulate the behavior of an IBR using measurement data obtained for system operators to utilize in real-time and long- term planning. Two experiments are conducted in the phasor domain and electromagnetic transients (EMT) domain to emulate the behavior for grid forming and grid following inverters under various operating conditions and the effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated in terms of accuracy and ease of utilizing user-defined models (UDMs)

Mahapatra, Kaveri [BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)]↗

NASA NTRS2015

Comparison of Numerically Simulated and Experimentally Measured Performance of a Rotating Detonation Engine

A quasi-two-dimensional, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) is described. The simulation operates in the detonation frame of reference and utilizes a relatively coarse grid such that only the essential primary flow field structure is captured. This construction and other simplifications yield rapidly converging, steady solutions. Viscous effects, and heat transfer effects are modeled using source terms. The effects of potential inlet flow reversals are modeled using boundary conditions. Results from the simulation are compared to measured data from an experimental RDE rig with a converging-diverging nozzle added. The comparison is favorable for the two operating points examined. The utility of the code as a performance optimization tool and a diagnostic tool are discussed.

combustion↗

DOE OSTI2025

Benefits of Dual Fuel Heat Pump Grid-responsive Control: A Model-based Control Optimization Approach Using Building and Equipment Co-simulation

Conventional dual fuel heat pumps lack the intelligent control mechanisms to efficiently manage the switch between heat pump and furnace, leading to sub-optimal energy usage and, in some cases, increased operating costs. To resolve this gap, this study applies optimized control on hybrid heat pumps. With a focus on equipment control strategies, we compare the performances of five spacing heating equipment, including a conventional heat pump (HP), a conventional furnace, a dual fuel heat pump (DFHP) with conventional control, a dual fuel heat pump with smart control, and a novel seamlessly fuel flexible heat pump (SFFHP). While DFHP runs on either gas or electricity at any given moment, SFFHP concurrently consumes gas and electricity by continuously optimizing the proportion of each. In this research, a co-simulation framework is developed by integrating a building envelope model with a physics-based heat pump simulation model to analyze the benefits of grid-responsive controls of DFHP and SFFHP. The model-based optimal controls adjust the operation of the heat pump and gas furnace based on utility price signals and marginal grid emission to minimize utility cost and CO 2 emissions for multiple climate zones, different utility tariffs, and marginal grid emission scenarios. Case studies in Chicago and Los Angeles demonstrate that SFFHP and DFHP, with model-based optimal control, can deliver significant reductions in peak demand, utility cost, and CO 2 emission. In Chicago, SFFHP and smart controlled DFHP yield up to 64.7% and 61.7% utility cost reduction and up to 15.7% and 8.5% CO 2 emission reduction compared to the gas furnace. In Los Angeles, SFFHP and smart controlled DFHP achieve up to 43.6% and 40.1% utility cost reduction and up to 13.8% and 14.1% CO2 emission reduction compared to conventional heat pumps. In conclusion, by leveraging the fuel flexibility nature of dual fuel heat pumps, the model-based control optimization approach makes dual fuel heat pump an attractive option for demand response programs.

Control↗

NASA NTRS1992

Multi-dimensional analysis of combustion instabilities in liquid rocket motors

A three-dimensional analysis of combustion instabilities in liquid rocket engines is presented based on a mixed finite difference/spectral solution methodology for the gas phase and a discrete droplet tracking formulation for the liquid phase. Vaporization is treated by a simplified model based on an infinite thermal conductivitiy assumption for spherical liquid droplets of fuel in a convective environment undergoing transient heating. A simple two parameter phenomenological combustion response model is employed for validation of the results in the small amplitude regime. The computational procedure is demonstrated to capture the phenomena of wave propagation within the combustion chamber accurately. Results demonstrate excellent amplitude and phase agreement with analytical solutions for properly selected grid resolutions under both stable and unstable operating conditions. Computations utilizing the simplified droplet model demonstrate stable response to arbitrary pulsing. This is possibly due to the assumption of uniform droplet temperature which removes the thermal inertia time-lag response of the vaporization process. The mixed-character scheme is sufficiently efficient to allow solutions on workstations at a modest increase in computational time over that required for two-dimensional solutions.

Grenda, Jeffrey M.↗