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

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At least 703 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Metal Hydride Compressor for High-Pressure (875 bar) Hydrogen Delivery

Metal hydride hydrogen compression utilizes a reversible heat-driven interaction of a hydride-forming metal alloy with hydrogen gas. This paper reports on the development of a laboratory scale two-stage Metal Hydride Compressor (MHC) system with a feed pressure of 150 bar delivering high purity H2 gas at outlet pressures up to 875 bar. Stage 1 and stage 2 AB 2 metal hydrides are identified based on experimental characterization of the pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) behavior of candidate materials. The selected metal hydrides are each combined with expanded natural graphite, increasing the thermal conductivity of the composites by an order of magnitude. These composites are integrated in two compressor beds with internal heat exchangers that alternate between hydrogenation and dehydrogenation cycles by thermally cycling between 20 °C and 150 °C. The prototype compressor achieved compression of hydrogen from 150 bar to 700 bar with an average flow rate of 33.6 g/hr.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2012

CO₂ Capture Membrane Process for Power Plant Flue Gas

Because the fleet of coal-fired power plants is of such importance to the nation's energy production while also being the single largest emitter of CO₂, the development of retrofit, post-combustion CO₂ capture technologies for existing and new, upcoming coal power plants will allow coal to remain a major component of the U.S. energy mix while mitigating global warming. Post-combustion carbon capture technologies are an attractive option for coal-fired power plants as they do not require modification of major power-plant infrastructures, such as fuel processing, boiler, and steam-turbine subsystems. In this project, the overall objective was to develop an advanced, hollow-fiber, polymeric membrane process that could be cost-effectively retrofitted into current pulverized coal-fired power plants to capture at least 90% of the CO₂ from plant flue gas with 95% captured CO₂ purity. The approach for this project tackled the technology development on three different fronts in parallel: membrane materials R&D, hollow-fiber membrane module development, and process development and engineering. The project team consisted of RTI (prime) and two industrial partners, Arkema, Inc. and Generon IGS, Inc. Two CO₂-selective membrane polymer platforms were targeted for development in this project. For the near term, a next-generation, high-flux polycarbonate membrane platform was spun into hollow-fiber membranes that were fabricated into both lab-scale and larger prototype (~2,200 ft²) membrane modules. For the long term, a new fluoropolymer membrane platform based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) [PVDF] chemistry was developed using a copolymer approach as improved capture membrane materials with superior chemical resistance to flue-gas contaminants (moisture, SO₂, NO x , etc.). Specific objectives were: - Development of new, highly chemically resistant, fluorinated polymers as membrane materials with minimum selectivity of 30 for CO₂ over N₂ and CO₂ permeance greater than 300 gas permeation units (GPU) targeted; - Development of next-generation polycarbonate hollow-fiber membranes and membrane modules with higher CO₂ permeance than current commercial polycarbonate membranes; - Development and fabrication of membrane hollow fibers and modules from candidate polymers; - Development of a CO₂ capture membrane process design and integration strategy suitable for end-of-pipe, retrofit installation; and - Techno-economic evaluation of the "best" integrated CO₂ capture membrane process design package In this report, the results of the project research and development efforts are discussed and include the post-combustion capture properties of the two membrane material platforms and the hollow-fiber membrane modules developed from them and the multi-stage process design and analysis developed for 90% CO₂ capture with 95% captured CO₂ purity.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Low-cost, highly transparent flexible low-e coating film to enable electrochromic windows with increased energy savings

Five Quads of energy are lost through windows annually in the U.S. Low-e coatings are increasingly employed to reduce the wasted energy. Most commonly, the low-e coating is an oxide material applied directly to the glass at high temperature. With over 100,000,000 existing homes, a retrofit product is crucial to achieve widespread energy savings. Low-e films, i.e. coatings on polymeric substrates, are now also available to meet this need. However, the traditional oxide materials and process is incompatible with low temperature plastics. Alternate high performing low-e films typically incorporate materials that limit visible transmission to 35% or less. Further, the cost is high. The objective of this award was to develop a retrofit, integrated low-e/electrochromic window film to dramatically reduce energy lost through windows. While field testing of state-of-the-art electrochromic (EC) windows show the energy savings are maximized if a low-e coating is used in conjunction with the EC, available low-e films have a low visible transmission (~70% or less) that limits the achievable clear state and therefore, appearance and energy savings potential. Comprehensive energy savings models were completed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL). A parametric approach was used to project energy usage for windows with a large range of low-e properties across all U.S. climate zones, without limiting the study to materials that had already been produced commercially or made in a lab. The model enables projection of energy savings for low-e films as well as integrated low-e/EC products. This project developed a novel low-e film, optimized for compatibility with EC windows, using low temperature, high deposition rate processes for the growth of low-e coatings on plastic films by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Silica films with good density and optical properties were demonstrated at deposition rates as high as 130Å/sec. A simple bi-layer low-e stack of silica and a transparent conductive oxide demonstrated 90% visible transmission with high thermal infrared reflectivity characteristic of conventional low-e coatings. A slightly more complex stack provided high solar infrared reflection without sacrificing visible transmission or thermal infrared reflection. Successful completion of the effort produced a prototype integrated low-e, dynamic window film with characterized energy saving potential. Cost modeling for the passive bi-layer, low-e film projects a manufacturing cost of ~$0.50/ft2 for a plant with 10M ft2/yr capacity. The novel thin film processes developed here enable high deposition rate (low cost), optical quality oxide coatings at low temperatures. When combined with engineered materials, ITN’s coating will result in low-cost, low-e films that reflect a high degree of infrared radiation without substantially reducing the visible transmission. The resultant window film will improve the U-value and achieve SHGC improvements over bare glass. The new low-e coating will be particularly attractive when combined with an electrochromic film. Low-e coating design guided by energy savings modeling allows customization of the product for different climate zones.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Safeguards by Design Table Top Exercises Final Report (FY 2023)

This University Engagement project challenged engineering students at universities, that do not have bachelor’s degree programs in nuclear engineering but do have research reactors and some nuclear engineering coursework, to develop capacity in Safeguards by Design concepts through the application of Tabletop Exercises. This University Engagement project was part of the U. S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, Office of International Nuclear Safeguards, Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI), Human Capital Development (HCD): University Engagement Program. This program exposed university students with Mechanical Engineering majors and Nuclear Engineering minors to the concepts of international nuclear safeguards. In FY22, three teams at the University of Rhode Island and two teams at the University of Texas Austin participated in researching, designing, building, and testing projects to support international nuclear safeguards measurements or verification. The projects involved engaging in activities at the university’s research reactors. All the projects engaged students with prototyping a design and/or tool for application at the Universities’ reactor. However, for FY23, the direction of the HCD project had changed to implementing a Tabletop Exercise in Safeguards by Design (SBD). A Tabletop Exercise was not executed during FY23, but relationships with both Universities was maintained and how to integrate the exercise into the curriculum of both programs was determined.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of Composite Photocatalyst Materials that are Highly Selective for Solar Hydrogen Production and their Evaluation in Z-Scheme Reactor Designs

The key technology gap preventing a vertically stacked dual-bed particle suspension reactor from achieving the DOE MYRD&D ultimate cost target for H 2 production remains the lack of materials in particle form factor that exhibit ≥10% solar-to-H 2 energy conversion (STH) efficiency as a suspension. Therefore, our project goals centered around strategies to increase the STH efficiency by enhancing photophysical properties of perovskite oxide particles including increased visible-light absorption, increased selectivity for electrocatalysis of the H 2 evolution reaction (HER) and the O 2 evolution reaction (OER) through development of ultrathin oxide coatings, correlating composition and structure to function, and improving understanding of multiscale transport and kinetic processes.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

System and component development for long-duration energy storage using particle thermal energy storage

Energy storage, at various scales, will be required to maintain reliable power supply from variable renewable resources, and improve grid resilience. Long-duration energy storage (10-100 h) can substitute baseload coal power generation and increase levels of renewable power supply. Thermal energy storage (TES) has siting flexibility and the ability to store a large capacity of energy, and thus it has the potential to meet the needs of long-duration energy storage. Here, a novel TES system was developed by using solid particles as storage media and charging/discharging electricity from renewable power connected via the electric grid. The particle TES uses low-cost silica sand at 30-40$/Ton that is stable at high temperatures of >1,000 degrees C. Thus, the particle TES system has an overall low storage cost and high thermal-power efficiency. Key components of the system were conceptually designed and modeled for their performance. Conversion of electricity to thermal energy using electric heating can achieve a >98% charging efficiency, and the conversion of thermal energy back to electricity uses an air-Brayton combined power cycle with >52% thermal-to-electricity efficiency at >1,170 degrees C to achieve a >50% roundtrip efficiency after subtracting estimated plant parasitic losses. Laboratory-scale prototypes were fabricated and tested to verify their design approaches and operations relevant to product-scale components.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Compliant rolling-contact architected materials for shape reconfigurability

Architected materials can achieve impressive shape-changing capabilities according to how their microarchitecture is engineered. Here we introduce an approach for dramatically advancing such capabilities by utilizing wrapped flexure straps to guide the rolling motions of tightly packed micro-cams that constitute the material’s microarchitecture. This approach enables high shape-morphing versatility and extreme ranges of deformation without accruing appreciable increases in strain energy or internal stress. Two-dimensional and three dimensional macroscale prototypes are demonstrated, and the analytical theory necessary to design the proposed materials is provided and packaged as a software tool. An approach that combines two-photon stereolithography and scanning holographic optical tweezers is demonstrated to enable the fabrication of the proposed materials at their intended microscale.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Utilization of O-X-B mode conversion of 28 GHz microwaves to heat core electrons in the upgraded Proto-MPEX

The magnetic geometry of the Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) was recently altered to enable more effective utilization of 28 GHz microwave auxiliary power, specifically: (1) to heat plasma electrons in the radial core of the device and (2) to deliver the heated plasma to the target plate of the device. To achieve this goal, the microwave launcher geometry and placement were significantly re-engineered, guided by previous experimental results and computational modeling. The core electron temperature in the launcher region is observed to increase from 3 eV to 11 eV with 30 kW of auxiliary power after the improvements, and an increase from 3 eV to 6 eV is concurrently measured in the target region (~1 m from the launcher) at electron density above O-mode cutoff. Radially resolved measurements in the launcher region exhibit a strong dependence on the magnetic geometry. The conclusions of a magnetic field scan reinforce the effectiveness of the intended O-X-B mode conversion scenario that is currently planned for microwave heating of the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Identification and characterization of influenza variants resistant to a viral endonuclease inhibitor

The influenza endonuclease is an essential subdomain of the viral RNA polymerase. It processes host pre-mRNAs to serve as primers for viral mRNA and is an attractive target for antiinfluenza drug discovery. Compound L-742,001 is a prototypical endonuclease inhibitor, and we found that repeated passaging of influenza virus in the presence of this drug did not lead to the development of resistant mutant strains. Reduced sensitivity to L-742,001 could only be induced by creating point mutations via a random mutagenesis strategy. Furthermore, these mutations mapped to the endonuclease active site where they can directly impact inhibitor binding. Engineered viruses containing the mutations showed resistance to L-742,001 both in vitro and in vivo, with only a modest reduction in fitness. Introduction of the mutations into a second virus also increased its resistance to the inhibitor. When using the isolated wild-type and mutant endonuclease domains, we used kinetics, inhibitor binding and crystallography to characterize how the two most significant mutations elicit resistance to L-742,001. These studies lay the foundation for the development of a new class of influenza therapeutics with reduced potential for the development of clinical endonuclease inhibitor-resistant influenza strains.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Gold Code-Phase-Shift Keying: A Power and Bandwidth Efficient Communication Scheme for Smart Buildings

Advanced communications, sensors and controls play an important role in reducing the energy consumption of smart buildings. Wireless sensors have been recently deployed in buildings to provide monitoring and control of several devices such as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems. In this paper, we present a low-power bandwidth-efficient communication scheme that can be driven by energy harvesting in self-powered wireless sensors. The proposed communication scheme is based on Gold code-phase-shift keying (CPSK) spread-spectrum signaling that improves both transmitter range and power consumption. We present our efforts toward exploring the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a hardware prototypic Gold CPSK spread-spectrum radio transceiver. Experimental testing in addition to end-to-end system-level simulation-based studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of the Gold CPSK transceiver in terms of receiver sensitivity, coverage range, average probability of bit-error over standard Gaussian and Rayleigh fading-type channels, and multiple access capabilities. The specific engineering tradeoffs are also discussed.

Killough, Stephen M.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Status of the Perpendicular Biased 2nd Harmonic Cavity for the Fermilab Booster

This is a status report on the 2nd harmonic cavity for the Fermilab Booster as part of the Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) for increasing beam transmission efficiency, and thus reducing losses. A set of tuner rings has been procured and is undergoing quality control tests. The Y567 tube for driving the cavity has been successfully tested at both injection and extraction frequencies. A cooling scheme for the tuner and cavity has been developed after a thorough thermal analysis of the system. RF windows have been procured and substantial progress has been made on the mechanical designs of the cavity and the bias solenoid. Finally, the goal is to have a prototype cavity ready for testing by the end of 2017.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Integrating Detectors to Meet National Facility Needs

The objective of the work reported upon was to perform research and develop and test advanced prototype imaging x-ray detectors needed to meet pressing scientific research needs at U.S. synchrotron x-ray user facilities. The high x-ray brightness of the Nation’s x-ray synchrotron sources in the DOE National Laboratories holds promise to advance science and technology in a broad range of fundamental and applied disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biomedical areas and engineering. At present, progress in many areas is limited not by the x-ray source but by the lack of imaging x-ray detectors capable of meeting experimental needs. Specifically, there is pressing need for imaging detectors with high dynamic range, low noise, high frame rates and the ability to capture x-ray images with x-rays of energy > 20 keV. This Final Technical Report summarizes progress made at Cornell University on novel integrating x-ray detector platforms that address these characteristics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Mixed-Mode Pixel Array Detector for X-rays Above 20 keV (Final Report)

The objective of the work reported upon was to perform research and development and test advanced prototype imaging x-ray detectors needed to meet pressing scientific research needs at U.S. x-ray synchrotron user facilities. The high x-ray brightness of the Nation’s x-ray synchrotron sources in the DOE National Laboratories holds promise to advance science and technology in a broad range of fundamental and applied disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biomedical areas and engineering. At present, progress in many areas is being limited not by the x-ray source but by the lack of imaging x-ray detectors capable of meeting experimental needs. Specifically, there is pressing need for imaging detectors with high dynamic range, low noise, high frame rates and the ability to capture x-ray images with x-rays of energy > 20 keV. This Final Technical Report summarizes progress made at Cornell University on novel integrating x-ray detectors that address these characteristics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Vibrational Energy Harvesting Sensor Based on Linear and Rotational Electromechanical Effects

In this investigation, a magnetically coupled double-spring design is presented for harvesting low-level non-stationary random vibrational energy. The sensor relies on multimodal coupling between the translation and rotation of a two-spring magnet and coil system to widen the harvesting bandwidth. Energy methods are used to develop a model to characterize the electromechanical response of the system, the solution of which is obtained using stochastic techniques based on a particle swarm algorithm. This approach provides an efficient method to estimate system parameters that otherwise are difficult or impossible to determine with independent measurements. The experimental results demonstrate agreement with the theoretical predictions over a limited bandwidth. The sensor can effectively harvest non-stationary vibration energy down to 10 -4 g within a limited bandwidth of 130–150 Hz. The sensor prototype has an operational volume of 2.6 cm 3 with a calculated power density of 0.2 W/cm 3 . The sensor’s small size results in a coupling efficiency of approximately 6% across the tested bandwidth.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Hybrid Approach for Model Order Reduction of Barotropic Quasi-Geostrophic Turbulence

We put forth a robust reduced-order modeling approach for near real-time prediction of mesoscale flows. In our hybrid-modeling framework, we combine physics-based projection methods with neural network closures to account for truncated modes. We introduce a weighting parameter between the Galerkin projection and extreme learning machine models and explore its effectiveness, accuracy and generalizability. To illustrate the success of the proposed modeling paradigm, we predict both the mean flow pattern and the time series response of a single-layer quasi-geostrophic ocean model, which is a simplified prototype for wind-driven general circulation models. We demonstrate that our approach yields significant improvements over both the standard Galerkin projection and fully non-intrusive neural network methods with a negligible computational overhead.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

John Deere, NREL Develop Inverter for Construction Vehicles

Hybrid-electric construction vehicles need inverter systems that can operate at high-power and high-temperature conditions. Heavy-duty vehicles from John Deere Electronic Solutions (JDES) could benefit from these types of inverter technologies as some of their heavy-duty vehicle engine coolant system temperatures can reach up to 115 degrees C. With help from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), JDES developed a power-dense inverter that uses wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors - a variety of semiconductor that has the potential to support the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles. NREL's expertise in heat transfer and thermal management helped develop a prototype that works well under the high-stress operation of JDES's commercial hybrid loader. This work supports efforts by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office to identify solutions to address the increase in electrical energy consumption through the development of more efficient power electronic devices.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2018

ROV used in Sludge Retrieval and Treatment Project - 18575

The Orano-operated waste treatment site at La Hague, France, has treated large quantities of nuclear waste through-out its many decades of operation. During a period of over twenty years, a significant amount of the radioactive sludge resulting from the liquid waste treatment processes was placed into a set of adjoining tanks, called the STE2 silos. Now that those tanks are reaching capacity, a project has begun to retrieve this waste, transfer it to another location for homogenisation and characterization, and to then send it to another facility for conditioning and long-term storage. Because of the conditions inside and around these tanks, the waste retrieval process has many limitations. For example, the high radiation levels require that the retrieval be done efficiently, with a high removal rate and that operation be done remotely. The sludge retrieval tool will be operated and navigated while hidden inside the tank, under a significant amount of supernatant liquid, but needs to be accessible for maintenance and modifications and able to be transferred from one tank to the next. Additionally, the highly viscous consistency of the sludge requires special suction capabilities. All of these conditions need to be met, by a system that fits into the tanks' 900 mm (<3 ft) access ports. After almost three years of profound engineering, construction and testing efforts, a final design has been approved. The tool consists of a 250 kg (∼550 lb), remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) with an Archimedes-type screw attachment. It is delivered into and retrieved from the tank through a shielded glovebox that allows for maintenance and exchange of attachments. Sludge is sucked through a rotating screw and out a second tank opening with a consideration for limiting external water usage. To locate and navigate the tool, cameras detect LEDs attached to the ROV's buoys, and then calculate the ROV's position and orientation. With preliminary design and testing of the prototype complete, the project is preparing to award the ROV manufacturing contract and finalize the design of auxiliary systems, such as the rinsing and maintenance processes and localization instrumentation. After extensive final testing, the gloveboxes will be placed over the tanks in mid-2020, with entry into the first tank expected in April 2024. The ideas and experiences Orano is currently gathering during this effort will be of interest to laboratories and facilities that will soon be retrieving waste sludge from their aging storage tanks. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

High-bandwidth Modulation of H2/Syngas Fuel to Control Combustion Dynamics in Micro-Mixing Lean Premix Systems

The goal of this program was to develop and demonstrate fuel injection technologies that will facilitate the development of cost-effective turbine engines for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants, while improving efficiency and reducing emissions. The program involved developing a next-generation multi-point injector with enhanced stability performance for lean premix turbine systems that burn hydrogen (H2) or synthesis gas (syngas) fuels. A previously developed injector that demonstrated superior emissions performance was improved to enhance static flame stability through zone staging and pilot sheltering. In addition, piezo valve technology was implemented to investigate the potential for enhanced dynamic stability through high-bandwidth modulation of the fuel supply. Prototype injector and valve hardware were tested in an atmospheric combustion facility. The program was successful in meeting its objectives. Specifically, the following was accomplished: Demonstrated improvement of lean operability of the Parker multi-point injector through staging of fuel flow and primary zone sheltering; Developed a piezo valve capable of proportional and high-bandwidth modulation of gaseous fuel flow at frequencies as high as 500 Hz; The valve was shown to be capable of effecting changes to flame dynamics, heat release, and acoustic signature of an atmospheric combustor. The latter achievement indicates the viability of the Parker piezo valve technology for use in future adaptively controlled systems for the mitigation of combustion instabilities, particularly for attenuating combustion dynamics under ultra-lean conditions.

08 HYDROGEN↗