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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 OSTI2024

Detailed Characterization of Vitrinite-Rich Subbituminous and Bituminous Coals for Utilization in Carbon Fiber Precursor Production

Chemical structures of candidate coals (one subbituminous coal from the Powder River Basin and three bituminous Eastern US coals) were examined for potential low-cost carbon fiber precursor production. Here, the structural evaluation examined the carbon skeleton ( 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)), the heteroatom functionality (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and NMR), the structural ordering and distribution of PAH sizes (HRTEM), and an estimation of the molecular weight distribution (laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, LDIMS). The molecular compositional distributions were also evaluated for a mixed solvent extract (atmospheric pressure photoionization, 21 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, FT-ICR MS). Significant structural differences existed between the subbituminous and bituminous coals, as expected with coalification (with the bituminous coals having a higher carbon content, lower oxygen content, higher aromaticity values, larger cluster sizes, and so forth). While the bituminous coals were similar in structure (close in rank with Blue Gem being hvAb and the rest being hvBb), structural differences were still evident. Specifically, structural similarities were evident for the average properties of Herrin and Springfield coals: same rank, similar moisture, and volatile matter yields, along with similar aromaticity and carbon and hydrogen content. However, significant structural differences were observed at the molecular level by 21 T FT-ICR MS, which showed that the Springfield coal was structurally more complex. Specifically, 21740, 16931, 30190, and 12982 unique elemental compositions were identified for the Monarch, Herrin, Springfield, and Blue Gem coals, further illustrating the complexity of the coal.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2021

Active virus-host interactions at sub-freezing temperatures in Arctic peat soil

Abstract Background Winter carbon loss in northern ecosystems is estimated to be greater than the average growing season carbon uptake and is primarily driven by microbial decomposers. Viruses modulate microbial carbon cycling via induced mortality and metabolic controls, but it is unknown whether viruses are active under winter conditions (anoxic and sub-freezing temperatures). Results We used stable isotope probing (SIP) targeted metagenomics to reveal the genomic potential of active soil microbial populations under simulated winter conditions, with an emphasis on viruses and virus-host dynamics. Arctic peat soils from the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research site in Alaska were incubated under sub-freezing anoxic conditions with H 2 18 O or natural abundance water for 184 and 370 days. We sequenced 23 SIP-metagenomes and measured carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) efflux throughout the experiment. We identified 46 bacterial populations (spanning 9 phyla) and 243 viral populations that actively took up 18 O in soil and respired CO 2 throughout the incubation. Active bacterial populations represented only a small portion of the detected microbial community and were capable of fermentation and organic matter degradation. In contrast, active viral populations represented a large portion of the detected viral community and one third were linked to active bacterial populations. We identified 86 auxiliary metabolic genes and other environmentally relevant genes. The majority of these genes were carried by active viral populations and had diverse functions such as carbon utilization and scavenging that could provide their host with a fitness advantage for utilizing much-needed carbon sources or acquiring essential nutrients. Conclusions Overall, there was a stark difference in the identity and function of the active bacterial and viral community compared to the unlabeled community that would have been overlooked with a non-targeted standard metagenomic analysis. Our results illustrate that substantial active virus-host interactions occur in sub-freezing anoxic conditions and highlight viruses as a major community-structuring agent that likely modulates carbon loss in peat soils during winter, which may be pivotal for understanding the future fate of arctic soils' vast carbon stocks.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

45Q Carbon Oxide Utilization LCA Training Workshop: Toolkit Overview

This training workshop was offered to inform stakeholders and LCA professionals of the tools and resources available from the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to support the development of an LCA that is compliant with the 45Q requirements. This presentation provides a descriptive overview which preceded a demonstration of the new and existing tools, available to view on the USEA website. A description and recording on USEA website here: https://usea.org/event/doenetl-45q-carbon-oxide-conversion-lca-training-workshop-hybrid.

Krynock, Michelle↗
DOE OSTI2025

Utilization of Carbon Supply Chain Wastes and Byproducts to Manufacture Graphite for Energy Storage Applications

This project explored how coal and waste coal can be transformed into high-value graphite used in batteries for electric vehicles and power grids. A manufacturing technique that converts coal into carbon foam and subsequently graphite was developed and refined to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting materials. Cost-effectiveness and environmental impacts were also evaluated. Coal-derived graphite, especially when processed at high temperatures, was shown to perform comparably to commercial graphite in battery tests. Advanced computer simulations were used to model battery behavior and predict long-term performance, demonstrating that coal-based graphite has the potential to support electric vehicle deployment while reducing reliance on imported materials. This work offers a promising pathway for cleaner energy storage solutions and creates economic opportunities for coal-reliant communities by generating new uses for mining byproducts.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2021

Sustainable, Net-Zero Carbon Steelmaking Utilizing Nuclear and Renewable-based Integrated Energy Systems

Decarbonizing Steelmaking: Emissions Background Industrial processes (including power) account for 28% of global CO2 emissions dominated by steel, cement, NH3, ethylene. Steel accounts for 7% of global CO2 emissions (25% of Industrial), 2-3 Gigatonnes annually. Given long asset life and large investments in steel industry, recommend: Detailed analysis, materials R&D and pre-pilot technology integration required by 2030 to position U.S. industry for an investment decision for building first net-zero integrated steel plan Symposium site: https://www.aiche.org/cei/conferences/competitive-energy-systems/2021

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Carbon Capture, Utilization, & Storage (CCUS) in Achieving a Net Zero Emissions Future - System Cost of Replacement Energy (SCoRE): A Tool for Assessing Technology Substitution Pathways to Decarbonization

This presentation outlines the SCoRE tool, which can be used to identify the least-cost technology substitution pathway to meeting a decarbonization target within an operating region of the United States. The presentation showcases results from an application of the tool in the ERCOT operating region.

Harker-Steele, Amanda↗
DOE OSTI2022

Rules and Tools Crosswalk: A Compendium of Computational Tools to Support Geologic Carbon Storage Environmentally Protective UIC Class VI Permitting

This report identifies computational tools useful for addressing aspects of the dedicated carbon storage (Class VI) well permit application under the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program. The survey was conducted by researchers of the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL) Research and Innovation Center in collaboration with representatives of the U.S. EPA, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and the four Regional Initiatives to Accelerate Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage: Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership of the Western United States (CUSP), Plains CO 2 Reduction Partnership Initiative to Accelerate Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Deployment (PCOR Partnership), Midwest Regional Carbon Initiative (MRCI), and the Southeast Regional Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership (SECARB-USA). A total of 59 tools were identified through the elicitation for this report. It is intended to serve as a reference that can be used by geologic carbon storage stakeholders to identify computational tools that may be used to develop Class VI permit applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Adapting Technology Learning Curves for Prospective Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessments of Emerging Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways

Comparisons of emerging carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies with equivalent incumbent technologies are necessary to support technology developers and to help policy-makers design appropriate long-term incentives to mitigate climate change through the deployment of CCU. In particular, early-stage CCU technologies must prove their economic viability and environmental reduction potential compared to already-deployed technologies. These comparisons can be misleading, as emerging technologies typically experience a drastic increase in performance and decrease in cost and greenhouse gas emissions as they develop from research to mass-market deployment due to various forms of learning. These changes complicate the interpretation of early techno-economic assessments (TEAs) and life cycle assessments (LCAs) of emerging CCU technologies. The effects of learning over time or cumulative production themselves can be quantitatively described using technology learning curves (TLCs). While learning curve approaches have been developed for various technologies, a harmonized methodology for using TLCs in TEA and LCA for CCU in particular is required. To address this, we describe a methodology that incorporates TLCs into TEA and LCA to forecast the environmental and economic performance of emerging CCU technologies. This methodology is based on both an evaluation of the state of the art of learning curve assessment and a literature review of TLC approaches developed in various manufacturing and energy generation sectors. Additionally, we demonstrate how to implement this methodology using a case study on a CO 2 mineralization pathway. Finally, commentary is provided on how researchers, technology developers, and LCA and TEA practitioners can advance the use of TLCs to allow for consistent, high-resolution modeling of technological learning for CCU going forward and enable holistic assessments and fairer comparisons with other climate technologies.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

BETO 2021 Peer Review - Feasibility Study of Utilizing Electricity to Produce Intermediates from CO2 and Biomass

Capturing and converting CO2 generated from bioethanol facilities into valuable products, leveraging renewable electricity as the primary energy input, could increase overall biorefinery carbon utilization by as much as 40% and provide a means to decarbonize fuels and chemicals production. However, significant uncertainty exists around the costs, carbon intensity, risks, and technical challenges associated with electron-driven CO2 reduction. Thus, the overarching objective of this project is to guide existing and future research and development efforts by addressing these knowledge gaps for utilizing renewable electricity and CO2 to improve biorefinery economics and carbon utilization. By September 2023, this project will develop and publish a comprehensive design report for the integration of CO2 utilization into two existing conceptual biorefinery designs, which will include conceptual process models, pioneer and nth plant economics, identification and quantification of technological risks, and projections for future cost reductions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

An economic analysis of the role of materials, system engineering, and performance in electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion to formate

The development of technologies that utilize carbon dioxide is important to mitigating climate change. The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is one technology that can utilize greenhouse gasses that would be otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere by producing chemicals and fuels from carbon dioxide and electricity. Significant progress has been made in the experimental performance of carbon dioxide reduction systems with novel catalyst designs, new materials, and systems engineering; however, no work has linked such changes in stack design and materials to capital costs for the stack itself. In this study, we present an analysis that accounts for and analyzes the impacts of alternative materials and system architectures on manufactured costs of carbon dioxide reduction stacks, thus providing a framework to understand exactly how these advances impact the at-scale capital costs of these systems. Specifically, we consider the impact that the addition of a catholyte buffer layer has on an electrolyzer reducing carbon dioxide to formate, finding that the cost of manufacturing this part only increases stack costs by about $30/m 2 at high manufacturing rates, while previous work finds that this part improves system performance. This work shows that the links between system performance, materials, and costs are nonlinear, and that achieving low-cost scalability requires optimization of not just performance parameters but also the use of low-cost and highly scalable materials. These results bridge experimental and techno-economic analysis of processes for carbon dioxide reduction, informing researchers by providing a quantifiable estimate of the impact of advances in electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction technology on manufactured stack capital costs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterization of Coal Seam Produced Water from the Appalachian Basin: Geochemistry, Microbiology, and Biocatalyst Development for Biological CO 2 Conversion

To enhance domestic energy repositories, it is necessary to develop carbon utilization technologies to repurpose unused carbon sources, and/or enhance the economic viability and carbon conversion efficiency of current technologies. To this end we have developed a biocatalyst, enriched from coal seam produced water, to convert gaseous and liquid C1 compounds (e.g. CO 2 , bicarbonate, formate, and/or methanol) into acetate, a C2 organic acid with a projected global market size of $\$$32.4 billion USD by 2030.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Selective Electrochemical Reduction of CO 2 to Metal Oxalates in Nonaqueous Solutions Using Trace Metal Pb on Carbon Supports Enhanced by a Tailored Microenvironment

In this work, the electroreduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to oxalate is enabled by incorporating trace metallic lead (Pb) on carbon‐based supports (CBS) with polymer overlayers. These composite materials serve as an efficient electrocatalytic system for the facile conversion and storage of CO 2 , a pernicious atmospheric pollutant. Results from controlled potential electrolysis experiments indicate that 1) trace metallic Pb on the ppb scale is active toward the reductive coupling of CO 2 to oxalate at comparable Faradaic efficiencies to bulk metallic Pb and 2) polymer encapsulation of this trace metallic Pb leads to promotion of CO 2 reduction (CO 2 R) selectively to metal oxalates over other products such as CO. Importantly, metal oxalates are important alternative cementitious materials and precursors for other materials’ synthesis applications. The solid products undergo rigorous spectroscopic characterization, including 13 CO 2 labeling experiments, to ensure the metal oxalates are in fact produced from CO 2 R. These findings serve as a model for leveraging microenvironment effects to enhance activity and selectivity for CO 2 R using trace‐metal catalysts for carbon utilization and storage technologies.

alternative cementitious materials↗
DOE OSTI2023

Grid-Integrated Production of Fischer-Tropsch Synfuels from Nuclear Power

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) investigates the relative economic profitability of an integrated energy system (IES) coupling an NPP with a synfuel production process at selected case study locations across the United States. In the synfuel IES, a high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) plant is thermally and electrically coupled with an NPP to produce zero-carbon hydrogen. The synthetic fuel is produced from this H 2 combined with a CO 2 supply using the reverse water gas shift process followed by the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction. This analysis considers a system in which the CO 2 is sourced from regional CO 2 emitters via the construction and operation of pipeline-based CO 2 supply networks. Locating the FT plant at the same site as the NPP and HTSE plants enables the NPP to provide zero-carbon heat and power to the HTSE plant and zero-carbon power to the FT plant as well as avoid the requirement for long-distance H 2 product transport from the HTSE plant to the FT plant. Hydrogen storage is used to enable the NPP to dispatch power to the electrical grid (instead of the HTSE plant) when grid demand increases, thus enabling the FT plant to continue to operate in a steady-state production mode. The ability to cease hydrogen production for several hours within each day enables the NPP to provide power to the grid to balance the electricity market during peak periods and maximize revenues for the nuclear synfuel IES. The FT process design considered has a 99% carbon conversion efficiency. The use of nuclear energy and nuclear energy-derived hydrogen enables synfuel production to achieve this high level of carbon utilization. Additionally, the life-cycle carbon emissions of the nuclear-based synfuel production process are very low, with WTW emissions of approximately 25 gCO 2 e/MJ, including steam credits (generated from FT process excess heat), and approximately 7 gCO 2 e/MJ, if steam credits are excluded. This compares favorably with the WTW emissions of 90.5 gCO 2 e/MJ for a compression-ignition, direct injection (CIDI) vehicle with a fuel economy of 31.6 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGGE), using low-sulfur diesel produced using conventional petroleum production and refining processes. Several NPPs in various regions of the U.S. are considered as case study analyses. Supply locations and transportation via pipeline of the CO 2 feedstock to the NPP site are analyzed through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) CO 2 Transport Cost model. The team finds that the amount of CO 2 generated by different sectors is sufficient for the synfuel production process at all locations considered. The CO 2 transportation costs are functions of the distance of the source to the NPP location, the CO 2 capture cost at the source, and the quantity of CO 2 transported. Historical electricity prices for the NPP case study locations are collected and analyzed. Monthly average prices, price range, and duration of negative-price periods vary among these locations. For each location, an auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) model is trained on historical electricity price data. ARMA validation is done to ensure the synthetic price distributions represent one of historical prices with high fidelity. Synthetic time series from these ARMA models are used in a coupled dispatch and system optimization in the Holistic Energy Resource Optimization Network (HERON) to compute the differential net present value (NPV) of the IES. The team finds that this econometric is positive, ranging from $14M–1.3bn (2020) depending on the location. The optimal synfuel IES configuration to obtain this increase in NPV often maximizes the size of the synfuel production process with regards to the size of the NPP. However, the team shows that the NPP still plays a stabilizing role for the grid: In periods of high prices and high loads, more electricity from the NPP is sent to the grid. A high variability of electricity prices and extreme maximum prices tend to drive up electricity production. While it requires significant investment, the synfuel IES could increase the economic profitability for the existing fleet of LWRs across the country while still maintaining the grid stabilizer role of NPPs. During its lifetime, the main costs for the nuclear synfuel IES are the carbon feedstock transportation costs, followed by the capital expenses (CAPEX) and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs while the revenue comes first from the IRA H 2 production tax credit (PTC) and then from the sales of synfuel products. The profitability of the synfuel IES is most sensitive to the value of the hydrogen PTC and the synfuel products as well as the cost of the carbon feedstock, highlighting the importance of governmental incentives regarding hydrogen, carbon emissions, and synfuel in driving the deployment of future nuclear synfuel IESs.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Development of energetic and enzymatic limitations on microbial carbon cycling in soils

Soil organic carbon (SOC) constitutes an important reservoir in the global carbon cycle that is vulnerable to transformation and loss from land use and climate change. Anoxic conditions protect SOC from microbial degradation through limiting the energetics of respiration and inhibiting extracellular oxidative enzymes. Given growing evidence of prevalent anaerobic microsites in upland soils, we designed an experiment testing the development of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) signatures of energetic and enzymatic limitations on microbial carbon utilization across simulated soil aggregates or peds. Reactors comprised a soil column “aggregate” underlying an advective “macropore” channel. Soils received downward diffusive inputs of aerated porewater media with added nitrate, sulfate, or no amendment—where native ferrihydrite served as dominant anaerobic terminal electron acceptor (TEA). After 40 days, added nitrate resulted in highest bulk respiration and DOC production while sulfate did not differ from the control. Nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC) was higher (more favorable) with added TEAs at soil surfaces and decreased with depth, while NOSC in the non-amended soil remained lower and constant with depth. DOC generally increased with depth, which along with decreasing NOSC values indicates joint electron-donor and acceptor control over respiration energetics. Of all organic compound classes, only the relative abundance of phenolics increased between 0 and 0.5 cm depth, which aligns with the oxic-anoxic transition and suggests oxidative enzyme inhibition. Furthermore, our results suggest that oxygen limitation within upland soil aggregates may preserve SOC via both energetic and enzymatic C protection mechanisms, which are vulnerable upon exposure to oxygen.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Incremental approach for the life-cycle greenhouse gas analysis of carbon capture and utilization

Electro-fuels (e-fuels) are examples of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) hydrocarbon products that are derived from captured carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), while using renewable electricity as the energy feedstock. The environmental impacts of CCU products (e.g., e-fuel) are systematically quantified through life-cycle analysis (LCA). Previous studies evaluating LCA of e-fuels proposed frameworks with an expanded system boundary approach that included the entire supply chain of the production process generating the CO 2 for CCU, in addition to the supply chain of the CCU product. This expanded system boundary approach evaluates two system boundaries, and uses deduction methods to calculate the carbon intensity (CI) of the CCU product (e-fuel). This paper proposes a simpler system boundary using an incremental approach that can calculate identical CI of the CCU product (e-fuel), while avoiding the extensive calculations in the expanded system boundary framework. The proposed incremental approach allocates the burdens of the CO 2 capturing process to the CO 2 feedstock supplying the CCU production process (e.g., e-fuel production). The CI of the captured CO 2 supplied to CCU process is determined by the energy and material requirements for the CO 2 capturing process and transportation to the CCU plant. Thus, the CI of CO 2 supplied to CCU process can be directly linked to the CI of e-fuel without the need to conduct LCA of the preceding process that generates the CO 2 for CCU.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Influence of Inorganic Carbon Sources on Low-pH Succinic Acid Production by Issatchenkia orientalis : Process Insights and Kinetic Analysis

Bio-based succinic acid (SA) production has attracted significant interest; however, the relationship between fermentation conditions and SA biosynthesis remains insufficiently understood, particularly under low-pH operation. In this study, an engineered, acid-tolerant, nonmodel yeast, Issatchenkia orientalis , was employed to investigate the role of inorganic carbon supplementation in SA production from glucose. Because regulation of gas-phase CO 2 during fermentation is challenging due to low solubility and off-gas losses, liquid-phase inorganic carbon sources, carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) and sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ), were evaluated as indirect CO 2 donors. Fermentations were conducted in a corn steep liquor-based medium under acidic conditions. Shake-flask experiments demonstrated that H 2 CO 3 supplementation increased SA production, achieving a maximum titer of 8.9 g/L and a yield of 0.46 g/g glucose. Kinetic analysis of bench-scale fermentations showed that the SA formation was well described by the Luedeking–Piret model, indicating mixed growth-associated product formation with a substantial nongrowth-associated contribution under carbonic acid supplementation. Guided by these kinetic insights, a two-stage fed-batch fermentation strategy was implemented, resulting in an SA titer of 30 g/L and a yield of 0.57 g/g glucose within 115 h. Overall, this work provides process-relevant insights into integrating inorganic carbon utilization with low-pH fermentation to inform more sustainable SA biomanufacturing.

fed-batch fermentation↗