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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Distributed Acoustic Sensing to Estimate the Permeability

Optical fiber in a borehole can be interrogated with distributed acoustic sensors (DAS) to capture fracture displacements with the potential to map surrounding fracture networks. We designed a laboratory experiment to test the capability of DAS to determine borehole flow characteristics, and we show that for the first time DAS can be used to remotely estimate permeability. Optical fiber was wrapped around a bead filled pipe and the pressure drop and flow velocity were measured to directly calculate permeability. A machine learning model using statistical features from continuous DAS estimated the bulk permeability. Fluid interactions with the permeable material demonstrate insufficient resolution using DAS amplitude-based measurements for estimating pressure drop to infer permeability. Variations in the spectral domain relate DAS measurements to the pressure drop and provide consistent permeability estimates. Resolution with DAS is sufficient to estimate permeability and provides a reliable method to monitor at depth in borehole conditions.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement of gas-concentration-driven permeation for the examination of permeability, solubility, and diffusivity in varying materials

This manuscript describes the development and operation of an apparatus for the measurement of steady-state and transient gas permeation through different types of solid materials with varying geometries. It is capable of operation from 293 K to 673 K and could theoretically be used with any non-corrosive gas or a mix of gases, although only hydrogen isotopes are used in the current study. A quadrupole mass spectrometer is used to measure permeation fluxes as low as 1011 molecules/s. This unique test setup allows for the simultaneous measurement of diffusivity, solubility, and permeability. Furthermore, varying the pressure in the fore-sample volume allows for tests of Sievert’s law and can give information on surface effects.

Young, Katherine T. (ORCID:0000000285845576)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Acceleration of Pd-V intermetallic diffusion by hydrogen

Vanadium-based membranes have great potential for hydrogen purification due to their perfect selectivity, high permeability, and relatively low cost. With appropriate surface cleaning, V efficiently permeates hydrogen at elevated temperature, but performance declines due to its affinity to absorb impurities. Here, the application of palladium thin films maintains a clean surface that catalyzes hydrogen dissociation and recombination. Hydrogen permeation in Pd-V-Pd membranes initially reach theoretical permeability, but declines due to Pd-V interdiffusion. The objective of this work was to quantify the intermetallic diffusion process as a function of temperature and ambient. Pd-V composites were subjected to various annealing treatments and characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, as well as correlated to measurements of membrane permeability. In an inert environment Pd-V interdiffusion was observable as low as 300 °C, and the diffusion coefficient had an activation energy of 44 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the presence of hydrogen at partial pressures > 10 kPa accelerated interdiffusion six-fold at T = 400 °C. Membrane performance degraded with an activation energy 75 kJ/mol, suggesting that intermetallic diffusion leads to both a loss of catalytic activity and as well as degradation of bulk permeability. These findings provide a baseline for evaluating hydrogen permeable interdiffusion barriers to overcome these challenges.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2019

Collapse of Reacted Fracture Surface Decreases Permeability and Frictional Strength

Abstract Geochemical and geomechanical perturbations of the subsurface caused by the injection of fluids present risks of leakage and seismicity. This study investigated how acidic fluid flow affects hydraulic and frictional properties of fractures using experiments with 3.8‐cm‐long specimens of Eagle Ford shale, a laminated shale with carbonate‐rich strata. In low‐pressure flow cells, one set of samples was exposed to acidic brine and another set was exposed to neutral brine. X‐ray computed tomography and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy revealed that samples exposed to acidic brine were calcite‐depleted and had developed a porous altered layer, while the other set showed no evidence of alteration. After reaction, samples were compressed and sheared in a triaxial cell that supplied normal stress and differential pore pressure at prescribed sliding velocities, independently measuring friction and permeability. During the initial compression, the porous altered layer collapsed into fine particles that filled the fracture. This effectively impeded flow and sealed the fracture, resulting in fracture permeability to decrease 1 to 2 orders of magnitude relative to the unaltered fractures. This is a favorable outcome in subsurface applications where the goal is to reduce leakage risks. However, during shear the reacted fracture had lower frictional strength because the fine‐grained particles in the collapsed layer prevented the formation of interlocking microasperities. Therefore, coupled geochemical and geomechanical processes that could favorably seal fractures could also increase the likelihood of induced seismicity. These findings have important implications for geological carbon sequestration, pressurized fluid energy storage, geothermal energy, and other subsurface technologies.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Permeability and Induced Polarization of Mudstones

Electrical measurements can be used to estimate hydraulic properties such as permeability ( k ) in sedimentary rocks. Previous work has focused on sandstones, siltstones, and carbonates, while investigations on mudstones have rarely been reported. In this study, we report on electrical geophysical measurements for 23 mudstone samples using an experimental approach designed to reliably saturate these low permeability mudstones. The modified Hagen-Poiseuille model linking permeability to the formation factor ( F ) and an effective pore radius ( r ) provides an excellent fit to the data set with a near-constant pore radius, indicating that the effective porosity (1/ F ) is the controlling factor on k . In these samples, the surface area normalized to pore volume ( S por ), frequently used in permeability estimation models, varies by 1–2 orders of magnitude and is thus not a reliable proxy of the inverse effective hydraulic radius. The formation factor also exerts the primary control on induced polarization (IP) parameters, whereas Spor shows no relation to the IP parameters. A strong linear relationship is found between IP parameters (imaginary conductivity and normalized chargeability) and surface conductivity, although the proportionality factor is significantly lower than those observed in more permeable rocks and sediments. Apparent relationships between the polarization strength-derived and time constant-derived geophysical length scales and the effective hydraulic radius appear to be driven by variations in the electrochemical parameters (i.e., specific polarizability and diffusion coefficient). Overall, these findings emphasize that predicting hydraulic properties from electrical measurements in fine-grained rocks remains challenging and requires further investigation into the electrochemical properties involved.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dielectric and magnetic properties of microwave-absorbing FeAl x O y catalysts fabricated via solution combustion synthesis

Iron-based alumina (FeAl x O y ) nanocomposites are microwave-absorbers and catalysts, which makes them promising for emerging microwave-assisted thermocatalytic technologies. Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) has been used to synthesize FeAl x O y powders, and prior work has demonstrated that adjusting SCS parameters significantly changes phase composition and specific surface area of the products. However, it is unclear how synthesis parameters affect their microwave-absorbing properties, which are essential for optimizing microwave-assisted technologies. To address this challenge, in the present work, twelve different FeAl x O y products were synthesized at different combinations of the SCS parameters such as two fuels (citric acid and glycine), two heating modes (hotplate and muffle furnace), and three Fe:Al molar ratios (2:1, 1:1, 1:2). Dielectric and magnetic properties of the products were characterized using a network analyzer and a vibrating sample magnetometer. Based on the measured permittivity and permeability, penetration depth and reflection loss were calculated as a function of frequency and bed thickness. The products were heated by microwaves at 2.45 GHz and then examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. For all products, the magnetic saturation was lower than for bulk iron oxides because of the small crystallite size and aluminum substitution. The use of glycine induced high dielectric losses and enabled fast microwave-heating rates compared to citric acid. Higher Fe:Al ratio also led to higher dielectric and magnetic losses. With glycine fuel, SCS in a furnace induced larger penetration depth and lower microwave absorption than SCS on a hotplate. The minimization of reflected power was more sensitive to the thickness of the product bed than to the frequency of the electromagnetic field. Post-heating XRD analysis revealed different phase transformations in the FeAl x O y powders depending on the SCS parameters. As a result, an FeAl x O y material, synthesized via incipient wetness impregnation, lacked magnetic losses and did not heat well as compared to the SCS products.

Combustion synthesis↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cellulose acetate membranes exhibit exceptional monovalent to divalent cation selectivities

Salt transport properties of cellulose acetate membranes are reported for a series of chloride salts with mono- valent and divalent cations (LiCl, NaCl, MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 ). Measurements include salt permeability and sorption, with diffusivity values calculated from the permeability and sorption results. We report an exceptionally high LiCl/MgCl 2 selectivity of 750:1. Salts with similar valence (LiCl and NaCl; MgCl 2 and CaCl 2 ) have similar transport properties. The high monovalent/divalent selectivity arises from differences in both sorption and diffusion, with a LiCl/MgCl 2 solubility selectivity of about 11 and a diffusivity selectivity of about 70. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations show that ions tend to reside in isolated clusters of water. Increasing ion charge strengthens ion–water interactions relative to ion–polymer interactions, explaining the reduced sorption of divalent ions. Diffusion of ions through the membrane occurs via hop-like motion between water clusters. Lithium diffuses faster than magnesium due to weaker ion–water coordination for lithium, which allows for greater mobility within water clusters and more frequent hopping. Altogether, our atomistic simulations suggest that the high LiCl/MgCl 2 selectivity is linked to cellulose acetate’s high water/salt selectivity and is a consequence of low water content and relatively uniform water distribution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Microbial Curing of Cement for Energy Applications

Rutgers University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the University of Arizona executed this program over 36 months with a 4-Task Program: (M1)-Microbial Engineering (M2)-Microstructure Modelling, (M3) Cement and Concrete Formulation, (M4)-Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA). This program developed a new carbonate cement concrete manufacturing process called microbial curing (MBC). MBC utilizes in-situ microbial production of CO 2 that dissolves into pore-bound water to carbonate a cementitious material creating a bonding matrix of CaCO 3 and SiO 2 that hardens and densifies the material. This is the first work of this type where calcium silicate was used in microbial studies. All other work reported in the literature always used a soluble form of calcium. This final report describes the work done in the final quarter, the best procedures and results, and the final techno-economic and lifecycle analyses. This quarter, we cast and cured twenty-five (4”x8”) cylinder samples. The compressive strength, split tensile, Young’s modulus, chloride permeability, and creep measurements were performed. These measurements demonstrated that MBC of calcium silicate concrete exhibits scaling problems due to the escape of ammonia gas, a product of the microbial reaction to generate CO 2 . As curing proceeds, the ability for the gas to escape from within the cylinder is restricted by the outer cylindrical portions densifying, making the outer portion highly impermeable to gas flow. In contrast, the small samples cured are uniformly cured, forming materials whose mechanical properties are 7x better than the large samples. This problem needs to be solved before this technology can be commercialized. The techno-economic and lifecycle analyses indicate that the technology developed in this program exhibits a significant opportunity to reduce the cost of cement and CO 2 emissions associated with concrete, provided the curing issue associated with larger samples can be addressed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing Alabama’s CO 2 Storage in Shelby County (Project OASIS): Task 4.0 Deliverable – Geologic Analysis Report

Project OASIS (Optimizing Alabama’s CO 2 Storage in Shelby County) is a geologic and reservoir characterization study designed to evaluate deep saline formations for potential long-term carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage in central Alabama near the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) and Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston. The project centers on the Cambro-Ordovician Knox Group and underlying strata such as the Conasauga and Rome Formations, which were investigated through the drilling of two stratigraphic test wells to obtain electronic well logs, core, and sidewall core plugs. These data provide direct measurements of porosity, permeability, and lithologic variability critical for reservoir characterization. Complementing the well program, a limited 2D seismic survey was acquired to help select the site for Westover #2, and a more regional Seismic Exchange (SEI) seismic survey was licensed and interpreted to define structural and stratigraphic frameworks in a new Static Earth Model (SEM), map reservoir continuity, and identify potential sealing intervals. Integrated with geologic and reservoir modeling, these datasets form the basis for evaluating storage capacity, injectivity, and containment.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing Alabama’s CO 2 Storage in Shelby County (Project OASIS): Task 6.0 Deliverable – CarbonSAFE Phase III Readiness

The OASIS CarbonSAFE Phase II Project OASIS (Optimizing Alabama’s CO 2 Storage in Shelby County) is a geologic and reservoir characterization study designed to evaluate deep saline formations for potential long-term carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage in central Alabama near the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) and Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston. The project centers on understanding the potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Knox Group and underlying strata such as the Conasauga and Rome Formations for geologic storage of CO 2 . These formations were investigated as part of SECARB-USA (DE-FE0031830) and Project OASIS through the drilling of two stratigraphic test wells to obtain electronic well logs, core, and sidewall core plugs. These data provide direct measurements of porosity, permeability, and lithologic variability critical for reservoir characterization. Complementing the well program, a limited 2D seismic survey was conducted to help select the site for Westover #2 as part of SECARB-USA (DE-FE0031830), and a more regional Seismic Exchange (SEI) seismic survey was licensed and interpreted to define structural and stratigraphic frameworks in a new Static Earth Model (SEM), map reservoir continuity, and to identify potential sealing intervals. Integrated with geologic and reservoir modeling, these datasets form the basis for evaluating storage capacity, injectivity, and containment. While this document endeavors to provide readers with a high-level overview of Project OASIS activities and its suitability for subsequent CarbonSAFE Phases, such as a Phase III effort. Other project deliverables and milestones will provide more details on individual subjects.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Synthesis and Performance of Aromatic Polyamide Ionenes as Gas Separation Membranes

Here, we report the synthesis and thermophysical properties of seven primarily aromatic, imidazolium-based polyamide ionenes. The effects of varied para-, meta-, and ortho-connectivity, and spacing of ionic and amide functional groups, on structural and thermophysical properties were analyzed. Suitable, robust derivatives were cast into thin films, neat, or with stoichiometric equivalents of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-benzy-3-methylimidazolium bistriflimide ([Bnmim][Tf 2 N]), and the gas transport properties of these membranes were measured. Pure gas permeabilities and permselectivities for N 2 , CH 4 , and CO 2 are reported. Consistent para-connectivity in the backbone was shown to yield the highest CO 2 permeability and suitability for casting as a very thin, flexible film. Derivatives containing terephthalamide segments exhibited the highest CO 2 /CH 4 and CO 2 /N 2 selectivities, yet CO 2 permeability decreased with further deviation from consistent para-linkages.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Synthesis, Characterization, and Testing of High-Lithium-Density Composite Breeders

Solid tritium breeder materials must first and foremost have sufficiently high concentrations of lithium to enable a plant-scale tritium breeding ratio greater than 1:1. However, in addition to lithium content, such breeder materials must also meet other performance metrics including high tritium release rates, thermal conductivities, and irradiation damage tolerance. Perhaps most importantly, tritium breeders must maintain their mechanical integrity during reactor operation so as to avoid degradation which can jeopardize the functionality of the tritium breeder blanket module, which in most designs takes the form of a pebble bed geometry. Unfortunately, the mechanical robustness of most lithium-bearing ceramics under investigation for fusion applications is often inversely related to the lithium atom density. For example, a material such as lithium oxide (Li2O), which has one of the highest lithium atom densities, has a much lower mechanical splitting strength than lithium metatitanate (Li2TiO3), though Li2TiO3 has less than half the lithium atom density of Li2O. This work seeks to provide an alternative to monolithic ceramic tritium breeders, in the form of metal-reinforced composite tritium breeders. Specifically, composite tritium breeders have been synthesized combining Li2O with various ferrous metal reinforcements via electric field assisted sintering (EFAS), also known as spark plasma sintering (SPS). As the metal reinforcement content is increased, metallic networks are observed, via electron microscopy and X-ray computed tomography, to form throughout the composite material. Through destructive mechanical testing, even dilute metal reinforcement loading enables drastic mechanical strength improvements over pure Li2O while higher loadings give rise to quasi-ductile behavior and higher ultimate strengths than Li2TiO3 – while still maintaining a higher density of lithium atoms than Li2TiO3 and many other breeder candidates. In addition to microstructural characterization and mechanical testing, thermal property measurements and hydrogen permeability testing are underway to further assess the suitability of such composites for fusion reactor applications.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Utah FORGE: Triaxial Direct Shear Results - February 2025

This dataset contains results from nine triaxial direct shear tests conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory on samples from FORGE Well 16A(78)-32. The primary objectives of this work were to determine the shear strength in both intact and residual states, evaluate dilation against displacement, assess permeability in relation to displacement, time, and normal stress, understand the relationship between aperture and normal stress, and monitor the effluent chemistry as a function of time. The data includes time-series measurements of stress, displacement, permeability, and effluent chemistry, with and without experimental dilution corrections. Additional materials include profilometry data, photographic documentation of the experimental setups and apparatus, and test notes. The dataset is organized into folders corresponding to each test, containing hydromechanical data, effluent chemistry measurements, and images. The hydromechanical data consists of detailed time-series records capturing parameters such as shear force, confining pressure, permeability, and temperature. Effluent chemistry data tracks fluid composition changes over time. Also included are conference papers, presentation slides, and a summary document outlining the experiments.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

An integrated approach to derive relative permeability from capillary pressure

Surface tension affects all aspects of fluid flow in porous media. Through measurements of surface tension interaction under multiphase conditions, a relative permeability curve can be determined. Relative permeability is a numerical description of the interaction between two or more fluids and the porous media. It is a critical parameter for various tools that characterize subsurface multiphase flow systems, such as numerical simulation for carbon sequestration, oil and gas development, and groundwater contamination remediation. Therefore, it is critical to get a good statistical distribution of relative permeability in the porous media under study. Empirical formula for determining relative permeability from capillary pressure are already well established but do not provide the needed flexibility that is required to match laboratory-derived relative permeability curves. By expanding the existing methods for calculating relative permeability from capillary pressure data, it is possible to create both two and three-phase relative permeability curves. Mercury intrusion capillary pressure (MICP) data from the Morrow 'B' Sandstone coupled with interfacial tension and contact angle measurements were used to create a suite of relative permeability curves. Furthermore, these curves were then calibrated to a small sample of existing laboratory curves to elucidate common fitting parameters for the formation that were then used to create relative permeability curves from MICP data that does not have an associated laboratory-measured relative permeability curve.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multimaterial Aerosol Jet Printed Magnetic Nanocomposites for Microwave Circuits

Here this article demonstrates the process and characterization of additively manufactured polymer-matrix magnetic nanocomposites. These nanocomposites are composed of nickel-zinc ferrite (Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 ) nanoparticles in a polyimide matrix. These materials are printed using multimaterial aerosol jet printing where aerosols of nickel-zinc ferrite and polyimide inks are mixed in place to fabricate structures with nonunity relative permeability. To characterize these materials, we use energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to estimate the content of ferrite in the composite, fitted simulation models, and ring resonator measurements to estimate the permeability. In fully aerosol jet printed 1-mm 2 inductors, we demonstrate an increase in inductance density of 40% in a 4.5-turn microstrip spiral inductor using this printed composite. These fully printed inductors demonstrate an inductance density of 4.2-nH/mm 2 . EDS analysis shows films with 18 wt.% Ni 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 . Finally, we show microstrip transmission lines on printed composite compared to the same on polyimide subjected to a dc magnetic bias, displaying a magnetic resonance behavior.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

CO 2 storage site characterization using ensemble-based approaches with deep generative models

Estimating spatially distributed properties such as permeability from available sparse measurements is a great challenge in efficient subsurface CO 2 storage operations. In this paper, a deep generative model that can accurately capture complex subsurface structure is tested with an ensemble-based inversion method for accurate and accelerated characterization of CO 2 storage sites. We chose Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network with Gradient Penalty (WGAN-GP) for its realistic reservoir property representation and Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA) for its robust data fitting and uncertainty quantification capability. WGAN-GP are trained to generate high-dimensional permeability fields from a low-dimensional latent space and ES-MDA then updates the latent variables by assimilating available measurements. Several subsurface site characterization examples including Gaussian, channelized, and fractured reservoirs are used to evaluate the accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed method and the main features of the unknown permeability fields are characterized accurately with reliable uncertainty quantification. Furthermore, the estimation performance is compared with a widely-used variational, i.e., optimization-based, inversion approach, and the proposed approach outperforms the variational inversion method in several benchmark cases. We explain such superior performance by visualizing the objective function in the latent space: because of nonlinear and aggressive dimension reduction via generative modeling, the objective function surface becomes extremely complex while the ensemble approximation can smooth out the multi-modal surface during the minimization. This suggests that the ensemble-based approach works well over the variational approach when combined with deep generative models at the cost of forward model runs unless convergence-ensuring modifications are implemented in the variational inversion.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pure- and mixed-gas transport properties of a microporous Tröger's Base polymer (PIM-EA-TB)

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) offer tantalizing combinations of high selectivity and permeability in initial gas permeation measurements. Here, we report characterization of pure- and mixed-gas permeation properties of a thick (~80 μm) PIM consisting of Tröger's Base (TB) and Ethanoanthracene (EA) films. The effects of feed pressure and temperature on pure-gas permeabilities of CH 4 , N 2 , O 2 , H 2 , and CO 2 were investigated. The physical aging behavior of the thick film was tracked via pure-gas O 2 , N 2 , and CH 4 permeability at 35 °C. Gas permeability decreased noticeably and selectivity increased as aging time increased. Particular attention was given to mixed-gas measurements of CO 2 and CH 4 (50/50) permeabilities at 35 °C and fugacities ranging from 2 to 18 atm to explore whether the rigid, bridged, bicyclic TB and EA units could resist CO 2 -induced plasticization. These results are presented along with pure-gas CO 2 and CH 4 results for membrane samples aged at different times. PIM-EA-TB aged for ~24 h did not show signs of plasticization across the fugacity range considered. Furthermore, dual-mode competitive sorption presumably caused the CO 2 /CH 4 mixed-gas selectivity to be slightly higher than its corresponding pure-gas selectivity. However, as aging time increased, aged films underwent progressively more rapid and extensive CO 2 -induced plasticization with increasing fugacity, suggesting a systematic relationship between physical aging and plasticization in PIMs. Consequently, physical aging caused less improvement in mixed-gas CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity than it did in pure-gas selectivity, due mainly to plasticization effects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗