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

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluating CO 2 mitigation strategies in SAF biorefineries: Techno-economic and life cycle analysis

The aviation sector requires scalable decarbonization strategies, and lignocellulosic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) represents a promising pathway. This study comparatively evaluates the techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) of three CO 2 management strategies integrated within a U.S.-based gasification–Fischer–Tropsch SAF biorefinery: (i) catalytic hydrogenation of captured CO 2 to methanol, (ii) geological CO 2 sequestration, and (iii) mineralization to sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ). Techno-economic analysis indicates that methanol synthesis requires approximately 26% higher capital investment and 33% higher operating costs than mineralization. Although methanol co-production generates the highest gross revenue, NaHCO 3 production reduces the SAF minimum selling price by approximately 38% relative to both methanol synthesis and geological sequestration pathways, reflecting a more balanced cost allocation through mineral co-product valorization. Geological sequestration lowers operating costs by nearly 50% compared with methanol synthesis but remains highly dependent on carbon credit mechanisms. LCA reveals substantial divergence in climate performance. Relative to methanol synthesis, sequestration improves net greenhouse gas performance by approximately 163%, transitioning the system from net-positive to net-negative emissions. Mineralization further enhances carbon mitigation, achieving roughly 85% greater carbon reduction than sequestration and over sixfold improvement relative to methanol synthesis within the defined system boundary. Sensitivity analysis identified hydrogen price, co-product market value, and process emissions as dominant drivers. Under baseline assumptions, CO 2 mineralization is found to offer the most balanced pathway.

Carbon capture and storage↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hydrogen Plasma Reduction of Silicates for Lunar Oxygen Liberation

As crewed missions to the moon become closer, the focus on in-situ resource utilization efforts has increased. Since lunar soil has abundant oxygen on the surface of the moon, work has been done to process this resource in an efficient manner. Hydrogen reduction of lunar regolith has emerged as a method of liberating oxygen that can be used for fuel and water production. Traditional reduction techniques require high temperatures and increased complexity when dealing with high amounts of silicates. Plasma can reduce silicates efficiently and thus has become of high interest for use in the lunar highlands where silicates exist in high quantities. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is exploring the use of low temperature plasmas for the reduction of silicates. This work shows that exposing silicates to a hydrogen plasma produces water. Residual gas analysis and optical emission spectroscopy were used to measure the relative quantities of water vapor production and OH (A-X) emission for hydrogen plasma interactions with lunar highland simulant and silica. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also used to observe surface modifications to the silicates that reflect the key chemical reactions that occurred. From this data, plasma has emerged as a promising solution to produce oxygen on the lunar surface. *Work supported by NASA's Science Technology Mission Directorate Center Innovation Fund.

R. P. Gott↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Plasma Reduction of Regolith for Oxygen Liberation

As crewed missions to the moon become closer, the focus on in-situ resource utilization efforts has increased. Since lunar soil has abundant oxygen on the surface of the moon, work has been done to process this resource in an efficient manner. Hydrogen reduction of lunar regolith has emerged as a method of liberating oxygen that can be used for fuel and water production. Traditional reduction techniques require high temperatures and increased complexity when dealing with high amounts of silicates. Plasma can reduce silicates efficiently and thus has become of high interest for use in the lunar highlands where silicates exist in high quantities. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is exploring the use of low temperature plasmas for the reduction of silicates. This work shows that exposing silicates to a hydrogen plasma produces water. Residual gas analysis and optical emission spectroscopy were used to measure the relative quantities of water vapor production and OH (A-X) emission for hydrogen plasma interactions with lunar highland simulant and silica. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also used to observe surface modifications to the silicates that reflect the key chemical reactions that occurred. From this data, plasma has emerged as a promising solution to produce oxygen on the lunar surface.

Ryan Gott↗
NASA NTRS2005

Molecular Hydrogen Fluorescence in IC 63

This grant has supported the acquisition, reduction and analysis of data targeting the structure and excitation of molecular hydrogen in the reflection nebula IC 63 and in particular the fluorescent emission seen in the UV. In addition to manpower for analyzing the FUSE data, the grant supported the (attempted) acquisition of supporting ground-based data. We proposed for and received observing time for two sets of ground based, data; narrow band imaging ([S II], [O III) at KPNO (July 2002; Observer: Burgh) and imaging spectro-photometry of several of the near-infrared rotation-vibration lines of H2 at the IRTF (October 2003; Observer: Andersson). Unfortunately, both of these runs were failures, primarily because of bad weather, and did not result in any useful data. We combined the FUSE observations with rocket borne observations of the star responsible for exciting the H2 fluorescence in IC 63: gamma Cas, and with archival HUT observations of IC 63, covering the long-wavelength part of the molecular hydrogen fluorescence.

Andersson, B-G↗
DOE OSTI2026

Public Reference Data for Megawatt-Scale Hydrogen Electrolysis - NLR Historical Wind

The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) demonstrate hydrogen electrolysis from variable sources, hydrogen compression and storage, and hydrogen fuel cell power production using megawatt-scale equipment at NLR’s Flatirons Campus as part of the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) initiative. This dataset represents part of that effort and is intended for academic, national laboratory, industrial, and other stakeholders to plan, design, and validate models of megawatt-scale hydrogen technologies and diverse energy infrastructure nationwide. These data provide a baseline for how existing hydrogen electrolysis technologies perform when coupled with various energy technologies. Future datasets will demonstrate how existing hydrogen fuel cell technologies can provide controllable, dispatchable, and variable power output for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and other variable loads. This dataset entry describes hydrogen production by conducting a statistical analysis of historical wind data over a five-year period (2020-2025) from a single 1.5MW turbine manufactured by General Electric (GE) located at NLR’s Flatirons Campus, to generate an experimental test profile that was deployed on a 1.25-MW proton exchange membrane type MC250 electrolyzer system manufactured by Nel Hydrogen . [1] While the electrolyzer balance-of-plant supports up to 2.5 MW of electrolysis, NLR only has a single 1.25-MW electrolysis stack. The historical wind data provided several metrics, however, the analysis particularly focused on the measured power output by the wind turbine. The power output time series of data for each day was categorized by total energy generation and standard deviation, and the day that represented the highest combination of these two metrics was chosen – December 25th, 2022. This process was then repeated for a moving four-hour window within this day to identify the most statistically variable period. Finally, this four-hour period was scaled by 65% to match the 1.25 MW electrolyzer. The electrolysis system controls hydrogen production by varying DC current applied to the stack, from a maximum of 3000 A to a minimum safe operation of 300 A, or 10%. Because the current – voltage characteristic changes as the stack ages and efficiency degrades, the actual minimum safe operating power changes over time. The historical wind profiles were translated from power (kilowatts) to current (amperes) using a curve fit with calibration data and sent to the electrolyzer power supply at 1 Hz frequency. For more details on the statistical analysis process, see the presentation labeled “ Public Reference Data for Megawatt-Scale Hydrogen Electrolysis” provided with each data entry. These datasets report relevant hydrogen balance-of-plant and system data, all captured at 1 Hz, including hydrogen mass production measured with an Emerson Coriolis flow meter. Each .zip file represents a single wind turbine electrolysis experiment and is formatted as follows: {technology}_{scaling factor}-{electrolyzer ramp rate in amperes/second} For instance, “wind-GE1.5MW_0.65-400.zip” represents the hour-long experiment using historical data from the wind-GE1.5MW turbine, scaled to 65%, with the electrolyzer power supply set to a maximum ramp rate (gain and slew) of 400 A/s. Each .zip folder contains the following files: A .csv file containing raw data An .xlsx file explaining all the fields in the raw data. A .png plot showing the time series of hydrogen production, electrolysis power consumption, and wind power input. A PDF file detailing the historical wind data statistical analysis used to generate the wind profile. An experiment labeled “characterization_200.zip” demonstrates the MC250 electrolyzer steady-state response with 30-minute load steps for a total duration of 5 hours. Finally, a .csv file is provided with all simulated wind experiments combined into one dataset labeled "combined_historical_wind_experiments.csv". NLR also built an AI/machine-learning predictive model based on these datasets. The model ingests the electrolyzer current command in amperes, as well as various pressures and temperatures across the system, and predicts hydrogen output in kilograms per hour. The complete model can be found at https://huggingface.co/NatLabRockies/ptmelt-hydrogen-electrolysis [1] nelhydrogen.com/product/mc-series-electrolyser .

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2013

Bulk Insolation Models as Predictors for Locations for High Lunar Hydrogen Concentrations

In this study we consider the bulk effects of surface illumination on topography (insolation) and the possible thermodynamic effects on the Moon's hydrogen budget. Insolation is important as one of the dominant loss processes governing distributions of hydrogen volatiles on the Earth, Mars and most recently Mercury. We evaluated three types of high latitude > 65 deg., illumination models that were derived from the Lunar Observing Laser Altimetry (LOLA) digital elevation models (DEM)'s. These models reflect varying accounts of solar flux interactions with the Moon's near-surface. We correlate these models with orbital collimated epithermal neutron measurements made by the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND). LEND's measurements derive the Moon's spatial distributions of hydrogen concentration. To perform this analysis we transformed the topographic model into an insolation model described by two variables as each pixels 1) slope and 2) slope angular orientation with respect to the pole. We then decomposed the illumination models and epithermal maps as a function of the insolation model and correlate the datasets.

Hydrogen Concentrations↗
DOE OSTI2020

Substrate–Support Interactions Mediate Hydrogenation of Phenolic Compounds by Pd/CeO 2 Nanorods

Ceria-supported palladium (Pd/CeO 2 ) has spawned significant attention in recent years due to its ability to catalyze selective hydrogenation of phenolic compounds to cyclohexanones and cyclohexanols at a mild temperature and pressure. However, the mechanistic basis by which ceria enhances catalytic conversion is still unclear. Here, we use the increase in the 13 C transverse relaxation rate upon the addition of nanoparticles (NPs) ( 13 C ΔR 2 ) to investigate the adsorption of phenolic compounds on the surface of the Pd/CeO 2 catalyst by solution NMR. We show that hydroxyphenols adsorb on the support more efficiently than underivatized phenol and methoxyphenols and that phenol derivatives with an oxygen atom at position 2 (i.e., 2-hydroxyphenol and 2-methoxyphenol) form very stable interactions with the Pd site of Pd/CeO 2 . An analysis of the kinetics of hydrogenation revealed that catalytic conversion is linearly correlated with the ability of the substrate to form interactions with the CeO 2 support and is inhibited by the formation of stable substrate–Pd adducts. Our data suggest that CeO 2 –substrate interactions mediate phenol hydrogenation more efficiently than Pd–substrate interactions and explain the exceptional catalytic performance reported for Pd/CeO 2 .

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

Development of a Digital Twin for Hydrogen Dispersion and Safety Assessment in an Electrolyzer Based Hydrogen Production Facility

Digital twin models are virtual representations of physical systems that use real-time data to simulate and optimize performance. This study presents the development and initial implementation of a digital twin (DT) for the electrolyzer-based hydrogen production facility at NREL's Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES), focused on enhancing safety and optimizing sensor placement through physics-based simulations and metadata integration. The DT incorporates detailed facility-specific information, including component layout, leak locations, and controlled release parameters, to model hydrogen dispersion under varying environmental conditions. Using steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations informed by real meteorological data, such as wind speed, direction, and vertical wind profiles, the DT enables visualization of hydrogen plume behavior and spatial concentration distributions. Comparative analysis between high and low wind speed scenarios illustrates the significant influence of wind dynamics on plume shape and extent, with horizontal momentum dominating dispersion at higher speeds, while buoyancy effects become more prominent under low wind conditions. These simulations generate a rich dataset embedded within the DT, allowing users to assess potential leak outcomes and identify optimal sensor locations based on concentration thresholds. The model supports scenario-based analysis to guide safety strategies and equipment deployment for open-area hydrogen infrastructure. The digital twin thus serves as a dynamic platform for virtual prototyping, providing predictive insight into hydrogen behavior and enhancing risk-informed decision-making. This initial phase establishes a validated foundation for future integration of transient, uncontrolled leak scenarios and real-time sensor feedback, positioning the DT as a critical tool for safety design, operational planning, and adaptive monitoring in hydrogen systems. Overall, the approach demonstrates the value of combining environmental data with digital simulations to inform safer and more efficient deployment of hydrogen technologies.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1991

Results of a technical analysis of the Hubble Space Telescope nickel-cadmium and nickel-hydrogen batteries

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Program Office requested the expertise of the NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Steering Committee (NAFBSSC) in the conduct of an independent assessment of the HST's battery system to assist in their decision of whether to fly nickel-cadmium or nickel-hydrogen batteries on the telescope. In response, a subcommittee to the NAFBSSC was organized with membership comprised of experts with background in the nickel-cadmium/nickel-hydrogen secondary battery/power systems areas. The work and recommendations of that subcommittee are presented.

Manzo, Michelle A.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of a Digital Twin for Hydrogen Dispersion and Safety Assessment in an Electrolyzer-Based Hydrogen Production Facility: Preprint

Digital twin models are virtual representations of physical systems that use real-time data to simulate and optimize performance. This study presents the development and initial implementation of a digital twin (DT) for the electrolyzer-based hydrogen production facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)'s Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES), focused on enhancing safety and optimizing sensor placement through physics-based simulations and metadata integration. The DT incorporates detailed facility-specific information, including component layout, leak locations, and controlled release parameters, to model hydrogen dispersion under varying environmental conditions. Using steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations informed by real meteorological data, such as wind speed, direction, and vertical wind profiles, the DT enables visualization of hydrogen plume behavior and spatial concentration distributions. Comparative analysis between high and low wind speed scenarios illustrates the significant influence of wind dynamics on plume shape and extent, with horizontal momentum dominating dispersion at higher speeds, while buoyancy effects become more prominent under low wind conditions. These simulations generate a rich dataset embedded within the DT, allowing users to assess potential leak outcomes and identify optimal sensor locations based on concentration thresholds. The model supports scenario-based analysis to guide safety strategies and equipment deployment for open-area hydrogen infrastructure. The digital twin thus serves as a dynamic platform for virtual prototyping, providing predictive insight into hydrogen behavior and enhancing risk-informed decision-making. This initial phase establishes a validated foundation for future integration of transient, uncontrolled leak scenarios and real-time sensor feedback, positioning the DT as a critical tool for safety design, operational planning, and adaptive monitoring in hydrogen systems. Overall, the approach demonstrates the value of combining environmental data with digital simulations to inform safer and more efficient deployment of hydrogen technologies.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Throughput Optimization of Molybdenum Carbide Nanoparticle Catalysts in a Continuous Flow Reactor Using Design of Experiments

Transition metal carbides (TMCs) have attracted significant attention because of their applications toward a wide range of catalytic transformations. However, the practicality of their synthesis is still limited because of the harsh conditions in which most TMCs are prepared. Recently, a solution-phase synthesis of phase-pure a-MoC1-x nanoparticles was presented. While this synthetic route yielded nanoparticles with exceptional catalytic performance, the reaction parameter space was not explored, and catalyst throughput was not optimized for scale-up. Continuous flow platforms coupled with statistical design of experiments (DoE) can provide a powerful method for understanding the reaction parameter space for optimizations. Here, we demonstrate the use of statistical DoE in tandem with response surface methodology for a parametric screening analysis to optimize the throughput of a MoC1-x nanoparticle synthesis utilizing a millifluidic flow reactor. A full factorial design was implemented to evaluate four input variables (reaction temperature, flow rate, solvent fraction of oleylamine, and precursor concentration) that carry statistically significant effects on three responses (throughput, residence time, and isolated yield). A Doehlert matrix was implemented to investigate each significant variable at a higher number of levels to optimize throughput. Our results give a nonintuitive set of experimental conditions that resulted in an optimized throughput of 2.2 g h-1. This translates to a 50-fold increase in throughput compared to the previously reported batch method. The catalytic performance of the MoC1-x nanoparticles produced under optimized throughput was demonstrated in the CO2 hydrogenation reaction. This DoE screening analysis and throughput optimization of MoC1-x synthesis open the door to an increased feasibility for scale-up.

design of experiments↗
DOE OSTI1992

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 33, No. 4, October-December 1992]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 499 Technical Note: Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Examination Question Bank System, C. L Jensen and N. L. Skinner; 506 Report on the Specialists’ Meeting on Passive and Active Safety Features of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactors Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency at Oarai Engineering Centre of Power Reactor and Nuclear Development Corporation, Japan, November 5-7,1991, S. R. Paranjpe; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 514 A Review of Hydrogen Production During Melt/Water Interaction in LWRs, D. F. Fletcher, B. D. Turland, and S. P. A. Lawrence; 535 A Review of the U 3 0 8 -Al Reaction as a Potential Heat Source in Research and Test Reactor Accidents, J. L. Snelgrove; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 543 Multilevel Interfaces for Power Plant Control Rooms II: A Preliminary Design Space, K. J. Vicente; DESIGN FEATURES: 549 Twenty-Second DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning and Treatment Conference, R. R. Bellamy, D. W. Moeller, and M. W. First; 562 Book Review: Safety Assessment of Unit 5 (WWER-440/W-213) of the Greifswald Nuclear Power Station, M. H. Fontana; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 576 Activities Related to Waste and Spent Fuel Management, M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 586 Analysis of Corrective Actions Applied to Nuclear Power Plant Operations, A. E. Cross; 593 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; 596 Operating U.S. Power Reactors, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 609 Non-Commercial Power Operating Experience; 614 World Nuclear Performance, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 623 General Administrative Activities, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 635 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 639 Proposed Rule Changes as of June 30, 1992; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 513 Fourth International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Waste Management RECOD '94; 585 International Topical Meeting on Advanced Reactors Safety; 622 International Workshop on Implementation of ALARA at Nuclear Power Plants; 648 Short Course on Nuclear Criticality Safety; 648 8th Topical Meeting on Problems in Reactor Physics MEPhi-VOLGA-93; 643 The Authors; 646 Reviewers of Nuclear Safety, Vol. 33

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technoeconomic Insights into Metal Hydrides for Stationary Hydrogen Storage

Abstract Metal hydrides (MHs) are promising candidates for storing hydrogen at ambient conditions at high volumetric energy densities. Recent developments suggest hydride‐based systems can cycle and operate at favorable pressures and temperatures that work well with fuel cells used in stationary power applications. In this study, we present a comprehensive design and cost analysis of MH‐based long duration hydrogen storage facilities for a variety of power end users (0 to 20 megawatts (MW) supplied over 0 to 100 hours), to offer insights on technical targets for material development and operation strategies. Our findings indicate that hydride‐based storage systems hold significant size advantage in physical footprint, requiring up to 65% less land than 170‐bar compressed gas storage. Metal hydride systems can be cost competitive with 350‐bar compressed gas systems, with TiFe 0.85 Mn 0.05 achieving $0.45/kWh and complex MH Mg(NH 2 ) 2 ‐2.1LiH‐0.1KH achieving $0.38/kWh. Extending charging times and increasing operating cycles significantly reduce levelized cost of storage, especially for complex MHs. Key strategies to further enhance the competitiveness of MHs include leveraging waste heat from fuel cells, reducing use of critical minerals, and achieving MH production costs of US$10/kg.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Potential for large-scale deployment of offshore wind-to-hydrogen systems in the United States

This study explores the role of producing low-carbon hydrogen using water electrolysis powered by offshore wind in facilitating the United States’ transition to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. This research introduces an open-source scenario analysis tool for offshore wind-to-hydrogen systems, aiming to assess the impact of technology, regional considerations, and policy incentives on the cost of producing low-carbon hydrogen through offshore wind. Conducting a regional techno-economic analysis at four U.S. coastal sites, the study evaluates two energy transmission configurations and examines associated costs for the years 2025, 2030, and 2035. The results highlight that locations using fixed-bottom technology may achieve cost-competitive water electrolysis hydrogen production by 2030 through leveraging geologic hydrogen storage and federal policy incentives. Furthermore, floating technology locations are expected to see an average 38% reduction in the levelized cost of hydrogen from 2025 to 2035.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Structural chemistry of penta- and hexanitrato thorium($\tiny{IV}$) complexes isolated using N–H donors

In this study, a series of fifteen tetravalent thorium phases were prepared. The compounds were isolated from acidic aqueous nitrate solutions using protonated nitrogen heterocycles of varying hydrogen-bond donation strength. Structural analysis via single crystal X-ray diffraction showed that the structures are built from pentanitrato, [Th(NO 3 ) 5 (H 2 O) 2 ] 1- , and hexanitrato, [Th(NO 3 ) 6 ] 2- , molecular units, with the latter being far more prevalent in the solid state. The vibrational properties of the compounds were examined using Raman and IR spectroscopy; the spectra are dominated by stretches characteristic of nitrate and the organic ions. The relative energetics of nitrate complexation was examined using electronic structure theory. These results confirmed that there are clear thermodynamic sinks for the penta- and hexanitrato structural units that were observed experimentally. Additionally, electrostatic surface potentials (ESPs) were calculated in an effort to better understand the counterion stabilization of the complexes. The ESP surfaces showed that the position of the water and nitrate molecules and the coordination geometry of the metal complex had a clear effect on the polarizability of the two structural motifs. Despite limited speciation of the Th–nitrate structural units, the compounds exhibit rich supramolecular chemistry resulting from hydrogen bonding of the Th complexes with the organic N–H donors and π–π stacking interactions from the protonated N-heterocycles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗