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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 847 records · Page 47
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Assessment of UTP A 2133 Mn as a Matching Filler Metal for Alloy 800H in Section III, Division 5 Applications

Six alloys are qualified in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) for elevated-temperature nuclear components. Due to reactor design alloy restrictions and motivation to improve operational efficiency and plant lifetimes, it is necessary to maximize the usefulness of qualified alloys. One of these alloys is Alloy 800H, which is qualified for a maximum temperature of 760°C and a maximum 300,000-hour service life. However, the welding filler metals qualified to join Alloy 800H have stress rupture factors that reduce the allowable weldment strength by factors as low as 0.59 times the Alloy 800H base metal. In an effort to improve the weldment creep-rupture performance, or to increase the stress reduction factor, non-code qualified filler metals are under investigation by the Department of Energy?s Advanced Reactor Technologies program. For this investigation, UTP A 2133 Mn filler metal (Fe-Cr-Ni-Mn-Nb) was used to join 0.5 in. thick Alloy 800H plate to demonstrate passing an ASME BPVC Section IX weld qualification. The multi-pass, pulsed GTAW process showed successful weld qualification results, and additional property measurements were conducted to compare previous analyses of Alloy 82 and Alloy 617 filler metals. Future work will evaluate the cross-weld creep-rupture performance of the UTP A 2133 Mn in comparison to Alloy 82 and Alloy 617 filler metals.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Energy Dense Batteries Based on Highly Conductive Solid Electrolyte and Cathode Materials

Solid Power’s Phase II program builds on promising Phase I results to further develop, scale, and integrate Oakridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) material technologies into prototype cells relevant to electric vehicle applications. These cells will provide excellent energy density, specific energy, safety, and low cost compared to conventional Li-ion. The optimal material system is targeted for integration into >10 Ah pouch cells to demonstrate the ability to reach the United State Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) performance targets and the specific targets of Solid Power’s automotive OEM stakeholders.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Decoupling electrode kinetics to elucidate reaction mechanisms in alkaline water electrolysis

Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) presents key advantages, including reduced material costs, enhanced operational stability, and compatibility with non-precious metal catalysts, positioning it as a scalable route for hydrogen production. In this study, we introduce a minimally invasive single-cell configuration incorporating a reference electrode via diaphragm extension to form an internal ion channel. This setup, combined with an interfaced potentiostat and auxiliary electrometer, enables real-time, independent monitoring of anode and cathode behavior, offering high-resolution electrochemical diagnostics. While it is well established that the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) exhibits sluggish kinetics in alkaline media, our study reveals that this limitation persists even in practical AWE systems where nickel-based substrates are used as electrodes. This observation is supported by both experimental data and voltage breakdown modeling. Arrhenius-type analysis reveals that localized electric fields induced by catalysts shift the reaction kinetics from classical Butler–Volmer behavior toward a Marcus-like regime, where interfacial molecular dynamics and bimolecular charge transfer dominate. We propose a semi-empirical model and a surficial reaction mechanism to describe these dynamics. This work underscores the critical need for cathode innovation and provides a rational framework for designing advanced catalysts and electrode architectures to optimize AWE performance.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2020

Transforming Energy through Sustainable Mobility: Expanding Energy-Efficient Mobility Options

As the nation's premier facility for energy-efficient transportation research and development solutions, NREL blazes new trails with a whole-system approach that combines vehicle, building, and infrastructure connectivity and automation to optimize mobility and increase energy efficiency. NREL also explores new options for high-performance engines to maximize energy efficiency and on-road vehicle performance, while minimizing emissions, enhancing energy security, increasing U.S. jobs, and lowering drivers' costs.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Novel thermal energy storage component: Development, performance, and phase transition diagnosis

Thermal energy storage (TES) using phase change materials (PCMs) is a promising technology for capturing and storing excess thermal energy for later use. However, challenges such as poor heat transfer efficiency and a lack of modular, scalable designs have limited widespread adoption of TES in real-world applications. This study developed and evaluated modular brick-type and blade-type TES prototypes featuring an aluminum housing, an embedded serpentine coil for active or passive thermal exchange, and a cost-effective metal mesh to enhance PCM thermal conductivity. The blade-type TES achieved notable geometric efficiency, with a thickness-to-length ratio of 0.03 and a thickness-to-width ratio of 0.08, enabling highly compact and modular thermal storage suitable for space-constrained applications. The paper presents a detailed evaluation of the TES prototypes’ performance. The comparative analysis indicated that the TES prototypes provide a highly cost-effective, thermally optimized alternative for compact energy storage and load shifting. A novel diagnostic technique was also introduced: using a portable endoscope to capture real-time visualizations of PCM phase transitions inside the TES. This method provides critical insights into internal heat transfer mechanisms, identifies potential issues, and offers valuable support for optimizing the TES design and developing the control algorithm. Overall, the modular brick-type and blade-type TES designs demonstrated in this work provide a scalable, efficient, and economically viable solution for advancing TES across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The designs’ compact structure, enhanced thermal performance, and integrated diagnostic capabilities make them strong candidates for future deployment in energy-efficient systems.

Gao, Zhiming [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000271397995)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Structured Adsorbent Architectures for Transformative Carbon Dioxide Capture Performance (Final Report)

Svante is a world leader at using solid sorbents for low-cost Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) capture, a technology which is recognized as critical in meeting the dual mandates of energy security/reliability and the mitigation of man-made CO 2 emissions. Svante has been developing proprietary adsorbent material compositions, forming them into structured laminates, developing and optimizing process cycles, and system design for efficient capture of CO 2 from post-combustion flue gases of thermal power plants and industrial facilities. The deployment of first-generation CO 2 capture technology has been significantly hampered by high costs and energy penalties, among other barriers. Second generation CO 2 capture technologies (including the Mark I variant of Svante’s Veloxotherm™ adsorption-based technology), utilizing single adsorbent architecture, show promise for reducing the barriers to deploying CO 2 capture plants in commercially meaningful numbers. The objective of this project was to evaluate the Recipient’s transformational (Mark-II) VeloxoTherm™ Technology via the development and bench-scale testing of an advanced structured adsorbent, including novel Bi-layer, laminated adsorbent structures and segmented beds. Svante selected, synthesized, and characterized tailored solid adsorbents for computational modeling, advanced structured adsorbent development, process simulations, and dynamic bench scale (~1-10 kg/day CO 2 captured) testing using an existing single-bed VeloxoTherm™ Station (VTS) coupled with a natural gas-fired boiler. Segmented beds used the in-house, multi-bed Process Demonstration Unit (PDU) to demonstrate key performance indicators (KPIs), such as recovery, product purity, regeneration energy, and the integrated system's productivity in lifetime analysis. Segmented beds were used at a 1 tonne per day (TPD) unit at an industrial site to provide bench-scale validation of performance in an industrial setting. Svante was developing and optimizing the post-combustion CO 2 adsorption technology architectures, including the Bi-layer and segmented laminated adsorbent structure design, integrated rapid cycle temperature swing adsorption (RC-TSA) cycle, flow path architecture, and adsorbent bed construction and packaging (including gas porting) to progress towards achievement of DOE’s Transformational CO 2 Capture goals of 95% CO 2 purity and a cost of electricity at least 30% lower than a supercritical Pulverized Coal (PC) power plant with CO 2 capture, or approximately $30 per tonne of CO 2 captured ready for demonstration by 2030. The main requirements to reach the DOE target cost of carbon capture below $30/MT using Rapid-Cycling Temperature Swing Adsorption (RC-TSA) are as follows: (1) Increased capacity at different CO 2 concentrations, (2) Increased sorbents cycle life, (3) Increased O 2 resistance, and (4) Decreased steam requirement to extract 1 kg of CO 2 .

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Synchronous Machine Governor Upgrade

Conventional generation sources play a critical role in the stability and reliability of the electrical grid, particularly as we transition towards more renewable energy sources. To understand and accurately emulate their behavior for optimizing grid operations and ensuring seamless integration with renewable technologies, it is essential to better emulate the grid- and plant-level impacts of conventional generation sources, such as natural gas (NG) driven heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) and combustion turbines (CTs). Therefore, a governor model is developed in a programmable logic controller (PLC) to investigate the performance of the conventional generator under various dynamic operating conditions and to identify the impact on grid stability in a controlled environment. The governor model aims to enable the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) based emulation of these conventional generation sources using the existing 2 MVA synchronous machine/generator that is driven by a flexible 2.5 MW variable speed drive. This setup will allow us to replicate the dynamic characteristics and response behaviors of NG-driven HRSGs and CTs. The controls for the emulated conventional plants follow the industry standard and are adjustable, ensuring they accurately reflect the operational capabilities and limitations of real-world systems. These controls include load-following capabilities, ramp rates, startup and shutdown sequences, and emissions characteristics. By incorporating these adjustable controls, we aim to capture the nuanced impacts of conventional generation, such as their ability to provide ancillary services like frequency regulation, voltage support, and spinning reserve. In this report, we simulate two types of dynamic operations: grid-connected and islanding. For each dynamic operation, representative starting sequences are tested, including turbine purge, ignition, speed ramping up, generator excitation and synchronizing, and breaker close. The HIL based tests provides insights for field deployment, specifically the high-fidelity governor model provides results to predict the potential stability and reliability risk and suggest possible integration measures (e.g., generation and load balancing, tuning of governor control parameters). Ultimately, this enhanced emulation capability will be integrated into our Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES), enabling us to conduct comprehensive studies on the interactions between conventional and renewable energy sources. By better understanding these interactions, we can develop strategies to optimize the overall performance and reliability of the grid. This will support the deployment of advanced grid management techniques, such as demand response, grid-forming inverters, and energy storage systems. The main contributions are summarized as follows: (1) This report introduces a PLC-based governor model for gas turbines. This model accurately simulates the dynamic behavior of conventional generation sources under various operational scenarios; (2) The model is integrated with an HIL testbed that includes a 2.5 MW variable speed drive and a 2 MVA synchronous machine. This setup enables realistic, real-time emulation of conventional power plants, particularly NG driven HRSGs and CTs; (3) The developed model is adaptable to various gas turbine configurations and allows for precise control over parameters such as MW ramp rates. This flexibility makes it a valuable tool for future research and industry collaboration; and (4) By incorporating the model into the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems, the report lays the groundwork for future studies on interactions between conventional and renewable energy sources, enhancing the ability to develop advanced grid management strategies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2014

IN-CORE FLUX SENSOR EVALUATIONS AT THE ATR CRITICAL FACILITY.

As part of an Idaho State University (ISU)–led Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) National Scientific User Facility (NSUF) collaborative project that includes Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), flux detector evaluations were completed to compare their accuracy, response time, and longduration performance. Special fixturing, developed by INL, allows real-time flux detectors to be inserted into various Advanced Test Reactor Critical Facility (ATRC) core positions to perform lobe power measurements, axial flux profile measurements, and detector crosscalibrations. Detectors initially evaluated in this program included miniature fission chambers, specialized self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs), and specially developed commercial SPNDs. Results from this program provide important insights related to flux detector accuracy and resolution for subsequent ATR and CEA experiments and yield new flux data required for benchmarking models in the ATR Life Extension Program (LEP) Modeling Update Project.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1976

The plasmatron: Advanced mode thermionic energy conversion

A theory of the plasmatron was developed. Also, a wide range of measurements were obtained with two versatile, research devices. To gain insight into plasmatron performance, the experimental results are compared with calculations based on the theoretical model of plasmatron operation. Results are presented which show that the plasma arc drop of the conventional arc (ignited) mode converter can be suppressed by use of an auxiliary ion source. The improved performance, however, is presently limited to low current densities because of voltage losses due to plasma resistance. This resistance loss could be suppressed by an increase in the plasma electron temperature or a decrease in spacing. Plasmatron performance characteristics for both argon and cesium are reported. The argon plasmatron has superior performance. Results are also presented for magnetic cutoff effects and for current distributing effects. These are shown to be important factors for the design of practical devices.

Hansen, L. K.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Science Case for a Wide Field-of-View Very-High-Energy Gamma-ray Observatory in the Southern Hemisphere

This white paper outlines the wide science program that would be enabled by the construction of a next-generation gamma-ray observatory using ground-level particle detectors in the Southern Hemisphere: the Southern Gamma-ray Survey Observatory (SGSO). This science case rests on four main pillars: unveiling galactic and extragalactic particle accelerators, monitoring the transient sky at very high energies, probing particle physics beyond the Standard Model, and the characterization of the cosmic ray flux. Several currently ongoing efforts to advance the technical performance of such an observatory will briefly be discussed in Section 8. However, the focus of this document will be on the broad spectrum of astrophysical questions SGSO will address, rather than the details of the technical implementation of a detector. To assess the potential to specific astrophysical applications, a “straw man” detector design is used. This design provides an increase in effective area, number of channels, and a lower energy threshold compared to existing observatories such as the HAWC gamma-ray observatory. Intrinsic figures of merit that quantify the potential performance of SGSO (like angular resolution and background rates) are based on the demonstrated performance of HAWC. Details on this design and its performance are given in Section 3. This approach is chosen as a balance to obtain both an ambitious and feasible performance, suitable to a wide range of applications, while keeping the assumptions about the technical implementation to a minimum. It is foreseen that some applications could benefit from enhanced performance over the straw man design in certain energy ranges; the feasibility and need of reaching enhanced performance will be discussed case by case. The outcome of the studies presented in this document will give an overview of the scientific potential of a next-generation gamma-ray observatory in the southern hemisphere and provide guidance to the finalization of the design of such an observatory.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Review on Low-Grade Thermal Energy Harvesting: Materials, Methods and Devices

Combined rejected and naturally available heat constitute an enormous energy resource that remains mostly untapped. Thermal energy harvesting can provide a cost-effective and reliable way to convert available heat into mechanical motion or electricity. This extensive review analyzes the literature covering broad topical areas under solid-state low temperature thermal energy harvesting. These topics include thermoelectricity, pyroelectricity, thermomagneticity, and thermoelasticity. For each topical area, a detailed discussion is provided comprising of basic physics, working principle, performance characteristics, state-of-the-art materials, and current generation devices. Technical advancements reported in the literature are utilized to analyze the performance, identify the challenges, and provide guidance for material and mechanism selection. The review provides a detailed analysis of advantages and disadvantages of each energy harvesting mechanism, which will provide guidance towards designing a hybrid thermal energy harvester that can overcome various limitations of the individual mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Peak Load Management in Distribution Systems Using Legacy Utility Equipment and Distributed Energy Resources

The ability to perform peak load management in distribution systems has several benefits for utilities, including reduced demand charges and improved reliability, efficiency, and utilization of the network infrastructure. This paper demonstrates the coordinated operation of an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) and a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) to achieve peak load management using a realistic laboratory test bed. A commercial ADMS reduces the peak demand by reducing system voltages using a dynamic voltage regulation (DVR) application. A prototype DERMS-based on real-time optimal power flow-controls distributed battery energy storage systems to further reduce the feeder power. Results from the experiments conducted using a model of a real distribution feeder show that the coordinated operation of the ADMS and DERMS is effective in accomplishing peak load management.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1992

Beamed energy propulsion

Beamed energy concepts offer an alternative for an advanced propulsion system. The use of a remote power source reduces the weight of the propulsion system in flight and this, combined with the high performance, provides significant payload gains. Within the context of this study's baseline scenario, two beamed energy propulsion concepts are potentially attractive: solar thermal propulsion and laser thermal propulsion. The conceived beamed energy propulsion devices generally provide low thrust (tens of pounds to hundreds of pounds); therefore, they are typically suggested for cargo transportation. For the baseline scenario, these propulsion system can provide propulsion between the following nodes: (1) low Earth orbit to geosynchronous Earth orbit; (2) low Earth orbit to low lunar orbit; (3) low lunar orbit to low Mars orbit--only solar thermal; and (4) lunar surface to low lunar orbit--only laser thermal.

Shoji, James M.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Ionic liquids and derived materials for lithium and sodium batteries

The ever-growing demand for advanced energy storage devices in portable electronics, electric vehicles and large scale power grids has triggered intensive research efforts over the past decade on lithium and sodium batteries. The key to improve their electrochemical performance and enhance the service safety lies in the development of advanced electrode, electrolyte, and auxiliary materials. Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquids consisting entirely of ions near room temperature, and are characterized by many unique properties such as ultralow volatility, high ionic conductivity, good thermal stability, low flammability, a wide electrochemical window, and tunable polarity and basicity/acidity. These properties create the possibilities of designing batteries with excellent safety, high energy/power density and long-term stability, and also provide better ways to synthesize known materials. IL-derived materials, such as poly(ionic liquids), ionogels and IL-tethered nanoparticles, retain most of the characteristics of ILs while being endowed with other favourable features, and thus they have received a great deal of attention as well. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the various applications of ILs and derived materials in lithium and sodium batteries including Li/Na-ion, dual-ion, Li/Na–S and Li/Na–air (O 2 ) batteries, with a particular emphasis on recent advances in the literature. Their unique characteristics enable them to serve as advanced resources, medium, or ingredient for almost all the components of batteries, including electrodes, liquid electrolytes, solid electrolytes, artificial solid–electrolyte interphases, and current collectors. Finally, some thoughts on the emerging challenges and opportunities are also presented in this review for further development.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

A multi-criteria land suitability assessment of field allocation decisions for switchgrass

With the goal of evaluating biomass resource availability in certain regions in the United States, the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, national laboratories, and Forest Service research laboratories, together with academic and industry collaborators, performed a resource analysis study, 2016 Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 1: Economic Availability of Feedstocks, using POLYSYS model to estimate biomass potential. The study provided county- and state-level biomass potential projections, with biomass feedstock production estimates and suitability assessment of lands acreage likely to transition to energy crops. For this analysis, we estimate biomass supply by year 2028, more specifically, lands acreage transition to switchgrass in the Midwest of the United States, across 50 counties in 3 states (Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado). We propose a multi-criteria site suitability framework, to determine the potential acreage and production for switchgrass, at the field level. Site selection criteria span agronomic and ecosystem services such as previous land cover, crop rotation, soil water holding capacity, crop productivity, field efficiency, topography, soil organic matter, soil leaching propensity, distance to surface water bodies, and soil erosivity. Efficient agricultural field selection for dedicated energy crops field allocation is critical to evaluate biomass resource availability, and it is our position that estimation at the field level would provide a more accurate and useful estimation to support an emerging bioeconomy. Using field suitability scores and county-level assessments, we model land allocation decision for energy crop in the future, estimating the spatial distribution of dynamics of energy crop adoption with priority to fields scoring the highest. Additionally, compared with POLYSYS results from the report mentioned above, our method shows good performance overall, with about 2% and 1.2% of difference in switchgrass acreage allocation and crop production, respectively.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Project Milestone. Analysis of Range Extension Techniques for Battery Electric Vehicles

This report documents completion of the July 2013 milestone as part of NREL’s Vehicle Technologies Annual Operating Plan with the U.S. Department of Energy. The objective was to perform analysis on range extension techniques for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This work represents a significant advancement over previous thru-life BEV analyses using NREL’s Battery Ownership Model, FastSim,* and DRIVE.* Herein, the ability of different charging infrastructure to increase achievable travel of BEVs in response to real-world, year-long travel histories is assessed. Effects of battery and cabin thermal response to local climate, battery degradation, and vehicle auxiliary loads are captured. The results reveal the conditions under which different public infrastructure options are most effective, and encourage continued study of fast charging and electric roadway scenarios.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nek5000/RS performance on advanced GPU architectures

The authors explore performance scalability of the open-source thermal-fluids code, NekRS, on the U.S. Department of Energy's leadership computers, Crusher, Frontier, Summit, Perlmutter, and Polaris. Particular attention is given to analyzing performance and time-to-solution at the strong-scale limit for a target efficiency of 80%, which is typical for production runs on the DOE's high-performance computing systems. Several examples of anomalous behavior are also discussed and analyzed.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1983

Advanced technology cogeneration system conceptual design study: Closed cycle gas turbines

The results of a three task study performed for the Department of Energy under the direction of the NASA Lewis Research Center are documented. The thermal and electrical energy requirements of three specific industrial plants were surveyed and cost records for the energies consumed were compiled. Preliminary coal fired atmospheric fluidized bed heated closed cycle gas turbine and steam turbine cogeneration system designs were developed for each industrial plant. Preliminary cost and return-on-equity values were calculated and the results compared. The best of the three sites was selected for more detailed design and evaluation of both closed cycle gas turbine and steam turbine cogeneration systems during Task II. Task III involved characterizing the industrial sector electrical and thermal loads for the 48 contiguous states, applying a family of closed cycle gas turbine and steam turbine cogeneration systems to these loads, and conducting a market penetration analysis of the closed cycle gas turbine cogeneration system.

Mock, E. A. T.↗