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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

Site Integration and Regulatory Considerations for an NPP Colocated with a Petroleum Refinery, Methanol Plant, and Wood Pulp Plant

This research explores the colocation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) with industrial applications. Three existing industrial sites were considered to demonstrate the siting process and illuminate technological gaps for future work. The three applications demonstrated for colocation here are a petroleum refinery, a methanol production plant, and a pulp and paper plant. This study uses a modified version of the EPRI siting criteria to explore the geological and demographic characteristics of the location of the current industrial site, as well as exploring external hazards from the industrial plant and its surrounding land use. Data was collected from public databases to estimate site characteristics. We then discuss how the site characteristics may impact the ability to colocate an NPP with an industrial application. The application site and 5 additional sites were explored for each application to give a general indication of the siting implications for an NPP in each area. The hazards for each industrial application was also explored to determine how colocation may impact reactor safety. The following gaps have been identified and should be explored in future research on colocation of NPPs with petroleum refineries, methanol plants, and pulp and paper plants: - There is a variety of industrial use, hazards, and pipelines in the surrounding area. A more thorough review of these hazards should be considered for colocation. - In general, the whole region around some applications seems to have softer soil, with implications for large site preparation costs. Further site investigations should prioritize looking into the geotechnical conditions. - Applications along coastlines are susceptible to flooding and hurricanes. The benefits of colocation should be weighed against the potential design implications. - The benefits of natural gas pipeline infrastructure in place should be explored further. If heat supply from the NPP is not required or not feasible due to the distance between the NPP and the application, there may be an opportunity to supply hydrogen to the plant through an existing pipeline. - Because there are several collocated industrial plants in the regions for the refinery and methanol plant, the benefits of sharing resources from the NPP should be explored further. This may open up additional sites for colocation. The following knowledge gaps were identified for the colocation of NPPs with these three industries, and industrial applications in general. These gaps are: - While the STAND tool contains many important characteristics for the reactor siting process, it is not calibrated for the colocation of NPPs with industrial facilities. - There are aspects of both the NPP and industrial application that need to be quantified for a siting analysis. Particularly, we need to understand the water intake requirements for NPPs and each application. - Further work may focus on adapting the STAND site comparison methodology to comparison of sites for co-location. This will involve using the data documented in this report as a starting point and performing a comprehensive and quantitative comparison. - Without spending significant resources, it would be impossible to gather data for each site to evaluate all aspects of siting. One approach to finding data and understanding its implications to siting is looking at FSARs for existing plants. For example, most sites considered in this study have small Vs30 values, indicating soft soil. However, there are NPPs located in the vicinity of most of the sites (e.g., Waterford Steam Electric Station near New Orleans) and reviewing available site characteristics and geotechnical data for these NPPs, might provide further information for siting. - The siting analysis in this study indicates that colocation of the NPP with the industrial site could be difficult based on external hazards, cooling requirements, weather, or population. We need to determine the impact of distance between the two facilities on cost and quality of energy transport. - This study did not touch on socioeconomic impacts for NPP colocation with industrial facilities. The input-output analysis methodology could be applied to the communities referenced in this study to determine the socioeconomic impact of these projects. - Similarly, the impacts of colocation on emergency planning was not explored in this study. The impacts on emergency planning infrastructure are somewhat related to the socioeconomic impacts, and could be explored using a similar methodology. - This study also did not address physical and cybersecurity, which will be important aspects of co-location [ref] . Cybersecurity will be important, regardless of the distance, but physical security will be important if the facilities are located very closely. Physical security might also be important for the steam lines between the plants, unless they are determined to be non-safety significant. - In many site l

08 - HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Highly Selective Methane to Methanol Conversion on Inverse SnO 2 /Cu 2 O/Cu(111) Catalysts: Unique Properties of SnO 2 Nanostructures and the Inhibition of the Direct Oxidative Combustion of Methane

Direct methane to methanol (CH 4 → CH 3 OH) conversion in heterogeneous catalysis has been a long-standing challenge due to the difficulties in equalizing the activation of methane and protection of the methanol product at the same reaction conditions. Here, we report an inverse catalyst, consisting of small structures of SnO 2 (0.5-1 nm in size) dispersed on Cu 2 O/Cu(111), for highly selective CH 3 OH production from CH 4 . This system was investigated by combining theoretical [density functional theory calculations (DFT), kinetic Monte Carlo simulations (KMC)] and experimental methods [scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS)]. The DFT and AP-XPS studies showed that on SnO 2 /Cu 2 O/Cu(111) the conversion of CH 4 by oxygen (O 2 ) preferred complete combustion to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The addition of water (H 2 O) enhanced the production of CH 3 OH to nearly 100% selectivity in KMC simulations. This trend was consistent with results of AP-XPS. The presence of water in the reaction environment rendered an extremely high amount of methoxy species (*CH 3 O), a precursor for CH 3 OH production. Further, the high CH 3 OH selectivity of SnO 2 /Cu 2 O/Cu(111) reflected the unique atomic and electronic structure of the supported SnO 2 nanoparticles. As a result, the O 2 adsorption and dissociation, and thus the full combustion of CH 4 to CO 2 , was completely suppressed; while the H 2 O dissociative adsorption was still feasible, providing active hydroxyl species for a truly selective CH 4 to CH 3 OH conversion.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Neutron Insights into Sorption Enhanced Methanol Catalysis

Sorption enhanced methanol production makes use of the equilibrium shift of the CO 2 hydrogenation reaction towards the desired products. However, the increased complexity of the catalyst system leads to additional reactions and thus side products such as dimethyl ether, and complicates the analysis of the reaction mechanism. On the other hand, the unusually high concentration of intermediates and products in the sorbent facilitates the use of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopy. Despite being a post-mortem method, the INS data revealed the change of the reaction path during sorption catalysis. Concretely, the experiments indicate that the varying water partial pressure due to the adsorption saturation of the zeolite sorbent influences the progress of the reaction steps in which water is involved. Experiments with model catalysts support the INS findings.

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

Elucidating the factors controlling the methanol synthesis from CO 2 on ZnPd-ZnO/TiO 2 catalysts prepared by direct/inverse impregnation

The direct hydrogenation of CO 2 to methanol over supported ZnPd intermetallic catalysts remains a challenge due to the complex nature of the active sites, which are highly dependent on both the dispersion of ZnPd intermetallics and their proximity to ZnO. This study investigates the effect of the Pd and Zn incorporation order on methanol synthesis over TiO 2 -supported ZnPd catalysts. Catalysts were prepared via direct (Pd/Zn), inverse (Zn/Pd), and co-impregnation (Pd+Zn) methods using anatase TiO 2 as the support. Comprehensive characterization by XRD, HRTEM, CO-DRIFTS and XPS revealed that the formation of small and crystalline intermetallic β-ZnPd particles and their interaction with ZnO/ZnO x depends on the sequence of Pd and Zn incorporation. It was found that, under the reaction conditions, the ZnO x species plays a critical role in facilitating the formation of the intermetallic ZnPd through the interactions between Pd and ZnO x . In addition, ZnO x species have also been shown to modulate key catalytic properties, such as CO 2 activation and methanol selectivity. Specifically, the ZnPd/Pd surface ratio, determined by Pd dispersion and proximity to ZnO/ZnO x , was shown to determine the methanol production from CO 2 directly or via a CO intermediate. The Pd/Zn catalyst showed superior selectivity due to the in-situ formation of intermetallic species facilitated by Pd-ZnO x interactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Green Methanol via an Integrated Direct Air Capture, CO 2 Electrolyzer, and Hydrogenation Reactor

This project pioneered a groundbreaking reactor design to produce green methanol by harnessing the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (eCO 2 RR), a cornerstone of power-to-fuels technology. The effort integrated three innovative technologies to achieve carbon-neutral methanol production at a target cost of under $\$$800/ton: 1. Direct Air Capture (DAC): Using a cutting-edge sorbent material developed at Holocene, scalable models were developed to integrate captured atmospheric CO₂ into the reactor system. 2. Intermediate-Temperature CO 2 Electrolyzer: Developed by the University of Tennessee (UTK), this electrolyzer utilizes a cost-effective, proton-conducting solid acid electrolyte (CsH 2 PO 4 , CDP) and a mixed-metal oxide cathode. It achieves high faradaic efficiencies (>98%) by effectively suppressing hydrogen evolution at high current densities, converting CO 2 to CO with remarkable selectivity. 3. Catalysis and Reactor Engineering: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) contributed world-class expertise in heterogeneous catalysis and reactor design. Their advanced ASPEN modeling drove systems integration and supported techno-economic and life cycle analyses. This effort was further bolstered by partnerships with industry leaders Air Company and Plug Power, who provided critical guidance on scaling, systems engineering, and the integration of water electrolyzers into large-scale operations. During Phase 1, the team focused on modeling and validating a lab-scale reactor demonstrating the feasibility of the integrated approach. Key accomplishments include a 52% increase in current density at 0.8 V while maintaining >98% CO faradaic efficiency, successful 10× scale-up of the electrolyzer with performance within 5% of coin-cell results, best-in-class durability (168-hour test at 0.6 V with 0.14 mA/cm 2 -h degradation), validated TEA confirming the $\$$800/ton methanol target, and completed preliminary LCA showing potential for net-negative GHG emissions under renewable energy scenarios.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Technoeconomic assessment of distillation heat transfer intensification using aeroelastically fluttering reeds

Dry cooling, where forced air is the heat transfer medium, is a preferable cooling method in arid locations lacking readily available process water. However, such locations often experience high ambient temperatures that limit the effectiveness of air cooling. The objective of this study is to quantify the economic and energetic benefits of heat transfer intensification via the implementation of aeroelastically fluttering reeds to the air-cooled condenser of a methanol distillation column. Condenser size and performance, regarding recovered methanol and required fan power, is evaluated across condenser operating temperatures (T cond ) from 60 to 62°C and heat transfer coefficients (U) U base –2U base for a range of inlet air temperatures based on ambient temperature data from Yuma, Arizona. Under typical design sizing, condenser capital cost was reduced by 6%–35% (1.3U base –2U base ) and nominal methanol recovery was increased from 0.26% to 0.38% (T cond = 62–60°C). At optimized condenser size, all enhanced U and T cond pairs increase methanol recovery and reduce fan power costs compared to the optimal Ubase reference. Overall, using enhanced heat transfer to maintain condenser temperature under a wider range of inlet conditions, rather than to reduce operation temperature, produces more favorable performance. Methanol price is not a determining factor in which pairs are profitable. Analysis was repeated for a global warming scenario, revealing more valuable improvements under elevated temperatures. Energy savings from condenser improvement to a methanol production system are not significant with respect to an optimized conventional system. Furthermore, unit economic and energetic incentives suggest implementation of fluttering reeds may be justified in other applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integrating the Fields of Catalysis: Active Site Engineering in Metal Cluster, Metal Organic Framework and Metal Single Site

Research evolved using nanoparticles synthesized and characterized under reaction conditions opened the door to study all three fields of catalysis: heterogeneous, homogenous, and enzyme. Fundamental studies of catalytic reactions ranging from hydrogenation to understand Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and isomerization ultimately led to the integration of three fields of catalysis. Our recent work on bridging heterogeneous, homogenous, and enzymatic catalysis was present including functionalization of dendrimer encapsulated metal clusters surface for lactonization, active site engineering in metal organic framework catalysts for methanol production and oligomerization, and single site catalyst for hydrogen production. We envision that the combination of active site engineering and unifying fields of catalysis could be applied to solve practical issues of science-based technology and develop new fields useful in energy research.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of Pressure and Temperature on Carbon Dioxide Reduction at a Plasmonically Active Silver Cathode

Here, carbon dioxide reduction at a plasmonically active silver cathode was investigated by varying the pressure and temperature at multiple applied potentials under both dark and illuminated conditions to understand the mechanism of selectivity changes driven by plasmon-enhanced electrochemical conversion. Carbon dioxide partial pressures (P Co 2 ) from 0.2 to 1 atm were studied during linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry at -0.7, -0.9, and -1.1 V RHE . At a given applied overpotential the total current density increased with increasing P Co 2 in both the dark and the light, but there were significant differences in the Tafel behavior between dark and illuminated conditions. The reduction of CO 2 to carbon monoxide (CO) was found to have first-order behavior with respect to P Co 2 at all applied potentials in both the dark and the light, likely indicating no change in the rate-determining step upon illumination. Activity for the hydrogen (H 2 ) evolution reaction decreased with increasing P Co 2 at slightly different rates in the dark and the light at each applied potential, making it unclear if light is influencing CO or H 2 intermediate adsorbate coverage. Both formate and methanol production showed no dependence on P Co 2 under any conditions, but the true reaction orders may be masked by the much higher activity for CO and H 2 at the silver cathode. The investigation of product distribution with temperature at 14, 22, and 32°C at -0.7, -0.9, and -1.1 V RHE in both the dark and the light demonstrated that the selectivity changes observed upon illumination are not caused by local heating of the cathode surface.

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

Operando XAS and DFT Uncover Structure-Performance Relationships in Re/TiO 2 for Selective CO 2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

The conversion of CO 2 into value-added chemicals, such as methanol, offers a promising pathway toward a renewable energy future. However, a precise kinetic control and a highly selective catalyst are necessary to overcome the thermodynamic preference for CO 2 hydrogenation to methane. Rhenium-based catalysts, particularly Re/TiO 2 , demonstrate high activity and selectivity for methanol under high-pressure conditions. For example, at 100 bar and 200 °C, a methanol selectivity of 97−99% was obtained. Catalysts with 1 wt % Re and 5 wt % Re/ TiO 2 were used to study the effect of cluster sizes. At 250 °C, the 1 wt % catalyst achieves 97% selectivity at 23% conversion, whereas 5 wt % Re/TiO 2 achieves 74% selectivity at 40% conversion, corresponding to a drop in space-time yield from 65 to 16 g CH 3 OH ·g Re −1 ·h −1 , respectively. X-ray absorption spectroscopy provided insights into the structure of the active sites, while density functional theory calculations revealed the effects of cluster size on the energy barriers for H 2 activation, CH 3 OH dissociation, and CH 3 OH desorption, all of which directly influence conversion and selectivity. These results underscore the importance of balancing cluster size for optimal catalyst performance and provide insights into the design of efficient and selective catalysts for renewable methanol production.

XAS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhanced Methanol Synthesis from CO 2 Hydrogenation Achieved by Tuning the Cu–ZnO Interaction in ZnO/Cu 2 O Nanocube Catalysts Supported on ZrO 2 and SiO 2

The nature of the Cu–Zn interaction and especially the role of Zn in Cu/ZnO catalysts used for methanol synthesis from CO 2 hydrogenation are still debated. Migration of Zn onto the Cu surface during reaction results in a Cu–ZnO interface, which is crucial for the catalytic activity. However, whether a Cu–Zn alloy or a Cu–ZnO structure is formed and the transformation of this interface under working conditions demand further investigation. Here, ZnO/Cu 2 O core–shell cubic nanoparticles with various ZnO shell thicknesses, supported on SiO 2 or ZrO 2 were prepared to create an intimate contact between Cu and ZnO. The evolution of the catalyst’s structure and composition during and after the CO 2 hydrogenation reaction were investigated by means of operando spectroscopy, diffraction, and ex situ microscopy methods. The Zn loading has a direct effect on the oxidation state of Zn, which, in turn, affects the catalytic performance. High Zn loadings, resulting in a stable ZnO catalyst shell, lead to increased methanol production when compared to Zn-free particles. Low Zn loadings, in contrast, leading to the presence of metallic Zn species during reaction, showed no significant improvement over the bare Cu particles. Therefore, our work highlights that there is a minimum content of Zn (or optimum ZnO shell thickness) needed to activate the Cu catalyst. Furthermore, in order to minimize catalyst deactivation, the Zn species must be present as ZnO x and not metallic Zn or Cu–Zn alloy, which is undesirably formed during the reaction when the precatalyst ZnO overlayer is too thin.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Mechanisms for CO 2 Reduction to Methanol Catalyzed by Surface-Immobilized Cobalt Phthalocyanine

Immobilized cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) is a highly promising architecture for the six-proton, six-electron reduction of CO 2 to methanol. This electroreduction process relies on proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions that can occur by sequential or concerted mechanisms. Immobilization on a conductive support such as carbon nanotubes or graphitic flakes can fundamentally alter the PCET mechanisms. We use density functional theory (DFT) calculations of CoPc adsorbed on an explicit graphitic surface model to investigate intermediates in the electroreduction of CO 2 to methanol. Our calculations show that the alignment of the CoPc and graphitic electronic states influences the reductive chemistry. These calculations also distinguish between charging the graphitic surface and reducing the CoPc and adsorbed intermediates as electrons are added to the system. This analysis allows us to identify the chemical transformations that are likely to be concerted PCET, defined for these systems as the mechanism in which protonation of a CO 2 reduction intermediate is accompanied by electron abstraction from the graphitic surface to the adsorbate without thermodynamically stable intermediates. Furthermore, this work establishes a mechanistic pathway for methanol production that is consistent with experimental observations and provides fundamental insight into how immobilization of the CoPc impacts its CO 2 reduction chemistry.

Adsorption↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of Organoiodide Adsorption Mechanisms

If the United States were to engage in the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, radioactive iodine must be removed from multiple plant off-gas streams to comply with governing regulations. One of these streams is the vessel off-gas (VOG), which arises from the separations process and is expected to contain iodine in primarily organic iodine forms and at parts-per-billion concentrations. The relative lack of knowledge surrounding organic iodine removal from the VOG prompted the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy to initiate experimental efforts targeted at understanding organic iodide removal from prototypic VOG streams. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), this effort has focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of iodine removal from VOG streams by using silver-based sorbents. An important aspect of this testing is developing an understanding of how the sorption of methyl iodide (CH 3 I), the most studied organic iodide species to date, compares with the sorption of other volatile organic iodide species potentially present in the VOG. The work presented here reflects initial testing that will continue to be developed, and final results will be incorporated into an end-of-year report that details a multiyear testing campaign designed to understand iodine mitigation from VOG streams. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether similar reaction pathways govern both CH 3 I and iodobutane (C 4 H 9 I) sorption onto silver mordenite (AgZ), a common silver-based iodine sorbent. More specifically, the authors hypothesized that the sorption of C 4 H 9 I by AgZ will result in the formation of butanol (C 4 H9OH). Effluent monitoring of CH 3 I sorption testing has confirmed methanol production, but analogous monitoring of effluents from C 4 H 9 I sorption studies has not been performed. A series of tests was completed to test this hypothesis with the aim of detecting C 4 H 9 OH downstream of the AgZ bed. Test conditions varied the bed depth, gas stream humidity, and bed temperature post sorption. The effluent gas stream downstream of the AgZ bed was sampled by using gas-tight syringes, and these samples were analyzed by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. Thin bed C 4 H 9 I tests conducted at -65 and 0°C dew points did not result in C 4 H 9 OH detection in the effluent. This suggests that the sorption mechanism and subsequent reactions could be different from those observed for CH 3 I. The sorption testing continues; additional results will be included in final end-of-year report and will increase the fundamental understanding of organic iodide sorption by AgZ from VOG streams.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nuclear Thermal Energy Storage Configurations for Industrial Combined Heat and Power Supply: Conceptual Study and Engineering Designs

The industries examined in this report primarily rely on moderate-temperature heat provided by gas- or coal-fired boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) plants, delivered through standard process steam systems. High-temperature energy demands are often industry-specific and typically exceed the capabilities of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). While it is technically feasible to replace process steam from fossil-based heat sources with nuclear energy, certain industries, such as methanol production and pulp and paper, face technoeconomic challenges in integrating nuclear energy without major changes or a technological shift. This is mainly due to the limited external energy demand remaining after the use of internal byproducts, waste heat recovery, and simple efficiency improvements. Achieving full decarbonization of these processes with nuclear energy would require significant technological advancements, involving experimental technology and substantial investments, making widespread adoption in existing industrial plants unlikely in the near term. This study reviews TES options in the context of enabling a flexible CHP supply while maintaining a steady nuclear heat input. Heat storage systems that interface between the reactor primary fluid and the CHP system offer superior performance and flexibility. Specifically, steam extraction downstream of the reheater with a two-tank molten-salt TES appears as the best solution regarding thermodynamic system benefits and system drawbacks. Using selected system configurations, a conceptual design of an industrial energy park was developed for industries with varying energy demands, such as steel production plants utilizing electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and chemical plants, as well as for those with constant energy demands, like petroleum refineries. This design highlights the capabilities of TES and explores its potential business cases. The study also conceptually develops the potential for integrating additional energy sources with nuclear systems through the implementation of TES. The potential of the HTGR-TES-CHP system was also evaluated considering key uncertainties such as industrial demand profiles, external grid access availability, and eligible tax credit levels, using the Holistic Energy Resource Optimization Network. Sensitivity of net present value to these uncertainties was analyzed to determine the optimal number of nuclear reactors (and CHP systems) and the suitable TES capacity. The results were interpreted from a decision-maker’s perspective, focusing on three key areas: deployment strategy (oversized units vs. undersized units with TES support), industrial process characteristics (thermal-intensive single profiles vs. electricity-intensive combined profiles), and operational goals (maximizing profits vs. minimizing natural gas (NG) consumption or external grid dependence). The optimization results indicate that the HTGR-TES-CHP system significantly reduces reliance on NG boilers for individual industrial processes by 9-60% (in NG capacity factor), with an average reduction of 38%, compared to standalone NG boiler operation case (Business As Usual [BAU]). For combined industrial processes, the reduction ranges from 37-77%, with an average of 60%. Additionally, the system greatly reduces dependence on external grids. In meeting industrial electrical demands, a 33-100% self-sufficient internal electricity supply is achieved for single industrial process, with an average of 74%, compared to the BAU scenario, where 100% of electricity is imported. For combined processes, 35-100% of internal electricity demands are met by the reactor, with an average of 73%. At last, the relative NG price levels at which the proposed HTGR-TES-CHP system can cost-effectively enter the market currently dominated by existing NG boilers were estimated. For a moderate HTGR CAPEX level ($\$$2500/kWth, $\$$6329/kWe), the analysis suggests that NG prices must be 2.5 to 7 times higher than HTGR variable operating and maintenance costs for single industrial process, and 5.5 to 9.5 times higher for a combined process scenario. Tax credit modeling shows that the Investment Tax Credit significantly reduces the price threshold needed to break even, making the system competitive with NG boilers in certain cases.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluating Technology Adoption Risks in Early-Stage Materials Research

Development of new technologies often begins with fundamental materials science research. Decisions at this stage can shape factors related to the eventual adoption readiness of the technology, such as process scalability or materials availability. Here we present the early-Stage Technology Evaluation for Adoption Risks (STEAR) framework as a method for qualitatively assessing metrics spanning four categories of adoption risks: value proposition, market acceptance, resource maturity, and license to operate. We conduct a case study applying STEAR to different methanol production processes at a range of technology readiness levels and demonstrate how the assessment identifies key challenges related to adoption readiness. Finally, we discuss efforts to expand the applicability and utility of STEAR, including focus group feedback and complementary quantitative analysis methods.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1979

Demand and supply of hydrogen as chemical feedstock in USA

Projections are made for the demand and supply of hydrogen as chemical feedstock in USA. Industrial sectors considered are petroleum refining, ammonia synthesis, methanol production, isocyanate manufacture, edible oil processing, coal liquefaction, fuel cell electricity generation, and direct iron reduction. Presently, almost all the hydrogen required is produced by reforming of natural gas or petroleum fractions. Specific needs and emphases are recommended for future research and development to produce hydrogen from other sources to meet the requirements of these industrial sectors. The data and the recommendations summarized in this paper are based on the Workshop 'Supply and Demand of Hydrogen as Chemical Feedstock' held at the University of Houston on December 12-14, 1977.

Huang, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The contribution of methanol to the 3.4 micron emission feature in comets

A fluorescence model for cometary emission in the nu2, nu3, and nu9 bands of methanol is described. This model is used in conjunction with observed spectra of several comets to determine the possible contribution of CH3OH to the frequently seen 3.4-micron 'cometary organic' feature. For Comets P/Halley and Wilson, methanol production rates are retrieved from the flux in the nu3 band centered at about 3.52 microns.

Reuter, Dennis C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Serendipitous images of methanol in Comet Levy (1900 XX)

Reuter's (1992) model of the IR fluorescence of methanol is used to retrieve a methanol production rate of 3 +/- 1 x 10 exp 26/s and an abundance relative to water of about 0.1 percent. It is argued that calibration is of paramount importance and that a near-simultaneous spectrum is necessary for achieving a reliable estimate of the continuum underlying the emission feature.

Hoban, Susan↗
DOE OSTI2020

Design of additively manufactured methanol conversion reactor for high throughput production

Additively manufactured methanol conversion reactor was designed and fabricated for high throughput fuel production while capturing carbon dioxide. Here, the reactor designed is part of large effort in integrating electrolyzer and catalytic reactor system. Processing in fabricating the steel, titanium, and nickel alloy reactors were optimized to improve the catalyst deposition process and reaction efficiency. Microstructure of the additively manufactured reactors were characterized. General design is utilized to improve the performance of the reactor while exploring the benefit of freeform in additive manufacturing.

08 HYDROGEN↗