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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

A study of the efficiency of hydrogen liquefaction

The search for an environmentally acceptable fuel to eventually replace petroleum-based fuels for long-range jet aircraft has singled out liquid hydrogen as an outstanding candidate. Hydrogen liquefaction is discussed, along with the effect of several operating parameters on process efficiency. A feasible large-scale commercial hydrogen liquefaction facility based on the results of the efficiency study is described. Potential future improvements in hydrogen liquefaction are noted.

Baker, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Composite-Material Tanks with Chemically Resistant Liners

Lightweight composite-material tanks with chemically resistant liners have been developed for storage of chemically reactive and/or unstable fluids . especially hydrogen peroxide. These tanks are similar, in some respects, to the ones described in gLightweight Composite-Material Tanks for Cryogenic Liquids h (MFS-31379), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 1 (January, 2001), page 58; however, the present tanks are fabricated by a different procedure and they do not incorporate insulation that would be needed to prevent boil-off of cryogenic fluids. The manufacture of a tank of this type begins with the fabrication of a reusable multisegmented aluminum mandrel in the shape and size of the desired interior volume. One or more segments of the mandrel can be aluminum bosses that will be incorporated into the tank as end fittings. The mandrel is coated with a mold-release material. The mandrel is then heated to a temperature of about 400 F (approximately equal to 200 C) and coated with a thermoplastic liner material to the desired thickness [typically approxiamtely equal to 15 mils (approximately equal to 0.38 mm)] by thermal spraying. In the thermal-spraying process, the liner material in powder form is sprayed and heated to the melting temperature by a propane torch and the molten particles land on the mandrel. The sprayed liner and mandrel are allowed to cool, then the outer surface of the liner is chemically and/or mechanically etched to enhance bonding of a composite overwrap. The etched liner is wrapped with multiple layers of an epoxy resin reinforced with graphite fibers; the wrapping can be done either by manual application of epoxy-impregnated graphite cloth or by winding of epoxy-impregnated filaments. The entire assembly is heated in an autoclave to cure the epoxy. After the curing process, the multisegmented mandrel is disassembled and removed from inside, leaving the finished tank. If the tank is to be used for storing hydrogen peroxide, then the liner material should be fluorinated ethylene/propylene (FEP), and one or more FEP O ring(s) should be used in the aluminum end fitting(s). This choice of materials is dictated by experimental observations that pure aluminum and FEP are the only materials suitable for long-term storage of hydrogen peroxide and that other materials tend to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. Other thermoplastic liner materials that are suitable for some applications include nylon 6 and polyethylene. The processing temperatures for nylon 6 are lower than those for FEP. Nylon 6 is compatible with propane, natural gas, and other petroleum-based fuels. Polyethylene is compatible with petroleum- based products and can be used for short-term storage of hydrogen peroxide.

DeLay, Thomas K.↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Co-Optimization of Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Cost, Emissions, and Performance

The combustion of petroleum-based fuels contributes to increases in atmospheric CO2, contributing to climate change. As other sectors electrify, current battery technology makes this impractical for the aviation industry. The fastest pathway to reducing the carbon contributions of aviation is to create low or no net carbon-emitting drop-in petroleum alternatives. This research explores 3 potential sorghum derived jet fuel molecules from 4 different production routes, hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), and Jet A, to identify how blends including these fuels could offer improved performance (MJ/kg, MJ/L) and improved emissions (gCO2/MJ) while minimizing costs. Different applications will value each target metric differently. This research utilizes the Jet Fuel Blend Optimizer (JudO) to create a 4-dimensional Pareto front across potential solutions. The molecules considered will not offer reduced cost compared to conventional jet fuel (Jet A), but they can be utilized to create blends with higher specific energy, greater energy density, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Considerations including carbon credits, the sale of byproducts, and the valuation of improved performance will make the proposed molecules more commercially viable. At the lowest region of GHG solutions, coupled with equivalent LCFS approximations, JudO determined blends that could achieve as high as 69% overall carbon reductions at a premium of $0.34/L.

Feldhausen, John J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Low NO/x/ and fuel flexible gas turbine combustors

The feasibility of various low NO(x) emission gas turbine combustor configurations was evaluated. The configurations selected for fabrication and testing at full pressure and temperature involved rich-lean staged combustion utilizing diffusion flames, rich-lean prevaporized/premix flames, and staged catalytic combustion. The test rig consisted of a rich burner module, a quench module, and a lean combustion module. Test results are obtained for the combustor while burning petroleum distillate fuel, a coal derived liquid, and a petroleum residual fuel. The results indicate that rich-lean diffusion flames with low fuel-bound nitrogen conversion are achievable with very high combustion efficiencies.

Lew, H. G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Microbial production of advanced biofuels

Concerns over climate change have necessitated a rethinking of our transportation infrastructure. One possible alternative to carbon-polluting fossil fuels is biofuels produced by engineered microorganisms that use a renewable carbon source. Two biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel, have made inroads in displacing petroleum-based fuels, but their uptake has been limited by the amounts that can be used in conventional engines and by their cost. Further, advanced biofuels that mimic petroleum-based fuels are not limited by the amounts that can be used in existing transportation infrastructure but have had limited uptake due to costs. In this Review, we discuss engineering metabolic pathways to produce advanced biofuels, challenges with substrate and product toxicity with regard to host microorganisms and methods to engineer tolerance, and the use of functional genomics and machine learning approaches to produce advanced biofuels and prospects for reducing their costs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hydrothermal liquefaction of wastewater-grown algae to produce synthetic aviation fuel: A combined experimental study and techno-economic assessment

Large-scale algae farms may someday become a consistent source of biomass feedstock for biofuels. Near-term supplies of algal biomass are available at certain water resource recovery facilities as algae cultivation is used as a method for nutrient recovery from specific effluent streams. Algae grown as a service shifts the value to the service rather than its sole use as a feedstock, which could enable the provision of algal biomass at low to no cost to biofuel producers. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) can readily upgrade wet feedstock slurries, such as algae, to produce a carbon-enriched biocrude. The HTL biocrude can be hydrotreated and distilled, producing a variety of distillate fuels, including synthetic aviation fuel (SAF). We present a pathway, showing the experimental production of SAF from wastewater-grown algae via HTL, along with a techno-economic assessment to identify opportunities for process improvements. Critical quality attributes of the SAF, such as density, viscosity, surface tension, and freeze point, were estimated within the expected fuel experience ranges when compared against petroleum jet fuel. The average minimum fuel selling price of fuels from wastewater-grown algae for breakeven economics was $\$9.04$ per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE). The sale of co-products such as struvite fertilizers and cement additives can add revenue to reduce the net cost. Ultimately, the selling price is influenced by the scale of the HTL processing facility. Adjusting estimations in the process scale, algae yield, and capital cost estimation can lower the price to $\$6.51$/GGE or raise it to $13.07/GGE.

Biofuels↗
DOE OSTI2025

Drop-in sustainable aviation fuels enabled by feedstock-agnostic lignin deoxygenation

Current sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) require blending with petroleum-derived fuels due to incomplete hydrocarbon distributions, most notably a lack of aromatics. Lignin, the most abundant renewable source of aromatics, is a promising feedstock for addressing this limitation. Here, we demonstrate a sequential reductive catalytic fractionation and continuous hydrodeoxygenation process that converts multiple woody feedstocks into aromatic hydrocarbons at up to 93% of the theoretical carbon yield. Blending these products with commercial SAFs produces drop-in compatible fuels with elastomer swell performances equivalent to conventional aviation fuels. The process is adaptable across multiple biomass sources, yielding aromatic hydrocarbons with consistent enthalpic efficiencies and fuel properties. These findings establish a scalable route to 100% drop-in SAFs, leveraging lignin-derived aromatics within the existing biofuels infrastructure.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2012

Alternate-Fueled Combustion-Sector Emissions

In order to meet rapidly growing demand for fuel, as well as address environmental concerns, the aviation industry has been testing alternate fuels for performance and technical usability in commercial and military aircraft. Currently, alternate aviation fuels must satisfy MIL-DTL- 83133F(2008) (military) or ASTM D 7566- Annex(2011) (commercial) standards and are termed drop-in fuel replacements. Fuel blends of up to 50% alternative fuel blended with petroleum (JP-8), which have become a practical alternative, are individually certified on the market. In order to make alternate fuels (and blends) a viable option for aviation, the fuel must be able to perform at a similar or higher level than traditional petroleum fuel. They also attempt to curb harmful emissions, and therefore a truly effective alternate fuel would emit at or under the level of currently used fuel. This paper analyzes data from gaseous and particulate emissions of an aircraft combustor sector. The data were evaluated at various inlet conditions, including variation in pressure and temperature, fuel-to-air ratios, and percent composition of alternate fuel. Traditional JP-8+100 data were taken as a baseline, and blends of JP- 8+100 with synthetic-paraffinic-kerosene (SPK) fuel (Fischer-Tropsch (FT)) were used for comparison. Gaseous and particulate emissions, as well as flame luminosity, were assessed for differences between FT composition of 0%, 50%, and 100%. The data showed that SPK fuel (a FT-derived fuel) had slightly lower harmful gaseous emissions, and smoke number information corroborated the hypothesis that SPK-FT fuels are cleaner burning fuels.

Saxena, Nikita T.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Meeting sustainable aviation fuel policy targets through first generation corn biorefineries

This paper investigates options to produce low carbon and renewable aviation fuel through existing commercial first generation biorefineries, which could be strategic given the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market for personal mobility. We evaluate the environmental impact of retrofitting a first generation biorefinery to produce aviation fuel through chemical process simulation. The analysis investigates the potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and displacing fossil fuel (petroleum-based jet kerosene) in the aviation fuel industry through using corn feedstocks in dry grind biorefineries to convert sugars to 1,4-dimethylcyclooctane (DMCO), which qualifies as renewable jet-A fuel blend and is infrastructure compatible. Further, the average life cycle GHG emissions for a baseline case and a scenario with carbon capture and storage (CCS) of fermentative CO 2 are 36 and 5g CO 2 e/MJ DMCO, respectively. Investment in CCS at the biorefinery and adoption of crop best management practices on farms are essential for mitigating the risks of induced land use change GHG emissions for existing corn biorefineries. DMCO as a low-carbon aviation fuel could be a strategic fuel product for retrofitting existing corn dry grind facilities. For aviation fuel supply, corn dry grind facilities could displace about 12% of jet fuel demand in the near term, which would meet sustainable aviation fuel policy targets. We conclude that corn-to-DMCO shows promise for near-term low-carbon fuel markets in the aviation industry and as a bridge to developing biomass-based jet fuel in the future.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Growing Intermediate Winter Oilseed Feedstocks for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

Ensuring an adequate supply of feedstock is a key challenge to achieving a significant production volume of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). One promising feedstock for SAFs is intermediate winter oilseeds added to existing crop production as alternatives to the winter fallow period. In this work, three intermediate winter oilseed crops─camelina ( Camelina sativa L. Crantz .), carinata ( Brassica carinata ), and pennycress ( Thlaspi arvense L .)─are evaluated for their life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when harvested and processed into hydroprocessed renewable jet (HRJ). We evaluate solvent extraction (SE) and mechanical pressing as alternative oil extraction methods and examine the impacts of various allocation methods used in the oil extraction process. The GHG emissions reduction potential of camelina-, carinata-, and pennycress-derived HRJs are 50.4%, 65.2%, and 65.7%, respectively, compared to petroleum jet fuel, with SE as an oil extraction method and under mass-based allocation. Combined with the estimated production potential of camelina, carinata, and pennycress as intermediate winter oilseed, 2.5 billion gallons of HRJ can be produced annually, and the total GHG savings could amount to 19.3 million tons when these HRJs replace petroleum jet fuels. In addition, we collect literature information to assess the impacts of these intermediate winter oilseeds on indirect land use change emissions and soil organic carbon sequestration potentials.

camelina↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effect of fuel composition and EGR on spark-ignited engine combustion with LPG fueling: Experimental and numerical investigation

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of a spark-ignited (SI) cooperative fuel research (CFR) engine fueled with different liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuels and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Here, the effects of LPG fuel composition on engine combustion characteristics are initially evaluated at two different compression ratios (CR). Results show normal combustion at CR 7 and heavy knocking combustion at CR 10 for all the tested fuels, with a more substantial impact for the LPG fuel with high proportions of n-butane species. The Livengood-Wu (LW) integral method is then used to analyze the knock occurrence risk of individual fuel based on the reactivity of the tested fuels. The introduction of EGR then demonstrates the potential of knock intensity reduction below the borderline knock limit. A zonal-based kinetic interactions study is also performed to understand the knock mitigation effectiveness of EGR over the pressure–temperature domain relevant to SI engine operation. Finally, a multidimensional, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation model is shown to predict the LPG combustion characteristics and presents the evolution of in-cylinder temperature and chemical species to demonstrate the development of end-gas autoignition events without and with EGR.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2024

Microbial Communities in Model Seawater-Compensated Fuel Ballast Tanks: Biodegradation and Biocorrosion Stimulated by Marine Sediments

Some naval vessels add seawater to carbon steel fuel ballast tanks to maintain stability during fuel consumption. Marine sediments often contaminate ballast tank fluids and have been implicated in stimulating fuel biodegradation and enhancing biocorrosion. The impact of the marine sediment was evaluated in model ballast tank reactors containing seawater, fuel (petroleum-F76, Fischer–Tropsch F76, or a 1:1 mixture), and carbon steel coupons. Control reactors did not receive fuel. The marine sediment was added to the reactors after 400 days and incubated for another year. Sediment addition produced higher estimated bacterial numbers and enhanced sulfate reduction. Ferrous sulfides were detected on all coupons, but pitting corrosion was only identified on coupons exposed to FT-F76. Aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria increased, and the level of dissolved iron decreased, consistent with the stimulation of aerobic hydrocarbon degradation by iron. We propose that sediments provide an inoculum of hydrocarbon-degrading microbes that are stimulated by dissolved iron released during steel corrosion. Hydrocarbon degradation provides intermediates for use by sulfate-reducing bacteria and reduces the level of fuel components inhibitory to anaerobic bacteria. The synergistic effect of dissolved iron produced by corrosion, biodegradable fuels, and iron-stimulated hydrocarbon-degrading microbes is a poorly recognized but potentially significant biocorrosion mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Uncertainty analysis for techno-economic and life-cycle assessment of wet waste hydrothermal liquefaction with centralized upgrading to produce fuel blendstocks

Wet waste hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising technology for producing transportation fuels with much lower greenhouse gases emissions than petroleum-based fuels. However, its techno-economic and life cycle assessment are primarily based on laboratory scale testing data, subject to considerable uncertainties, and even bias, due to knowledge gaps. Here, a preliminary uncertainty analysis of key economic measures was conducted based on the 2019 state-of-technology model for biocrude production. Building on the preliminary analysis, this work presents a comprehensive uncertainty analysis in both economic and environmental measures of the entire supply chain of wet waste hydrothermal liquefaction to fuel blendstocks including biocrude upgrading based on the 2021 state-of-technology model. The analysis includes the most recent developments in hydrothermal liquefaction and biocrude upgrading technologies and Monte Carlo simulation based on an integrated model system including an improved reactor yield model, reduced-order process model, discounted cash flow economic model and simplified life-cycle assessment model. The estimated biocrude yield ranges from 42.2% to 52.4% with a median of 47.3%. The estimated fuel yield ranges from 34.7% to 42.7% with a median of 38.7%. The estimated minimum fuel selling price ranges from $\$ $2.28/gge to $\$ $3.45/gge with a median of $\$ $2.80/gge. Relative to petroleum-derived diesel, the estimated reduction in supply chain greenhouse gas emissions ranges from 73.4% to 81.8% with a median of 77.7%. Compared to the 2019 state-of-technology analysis, a significant improvement in biocrude selectivity and economic measures and reduction in uncertainties were achieved due to the incorporation of additional continuous experimental data sets, technology development and de-risking, and improvement in model accuracy.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

What fuel properties enable higher thermal efficiency in spark-ignited engines?

The Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative from the US Department of Energy aims to co-develop fuels and engines in an effort to maximize energy efficiency and the utilization of renewable fuels. Many of these renewable fuel options have fuel chemistries that are different from those of petroleum-derived fuels. Because practical market fuels need to meet specific fuel-property requirements, a chemistry-agnostic approach to assessing the potential benefits of candidate fuels was developed using the Central Fuel Property Hypothesis (CFPH). The CFPH states that fuel properties are predictive of the performance of the fuel, regardless of the fuel's chemical composition. In order to use this hypothesis to assess the potential of fuel candidates to increase efficiency in spark-ignition (SI) engines, the individual contributions towards efficiency potential in an optimized engine must be quantified in a way that allows the individual fuel properties to be traded off for one another. This review article begins by providing an overview of the historical linkages between fuel properties and engine efficiency, including the two dominant pathways currently being used by vehicle manufacturers to reduce fuel consumption. Then, a thermodynamic-based assessment to quantify how six individual fuel properties can affect efficiency in SI engines is performed: research octane number, octane sensitivity, latent heat of vaporization, laminar flame speed, particulate matter index, and catalyst light-off temperature. The relative effects of each of these fuel properties is combined into a unified merit function that is capable of assessing the fuel property-based efficiency potential of fuels with conventional and unconventional compositions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Reduced Petroleum Use Through Easily Reformed Fuels and Dedicated Exhaust Gas Recirculation

This project was proposed to demonstrate a >25% reduction in petroleum usage for a light duty SI vehicle by synergistically combining the Dedicated EGR combustion system developed at SwRI with modified fuel formulations incoroporating biofuel components. Typically, a D-EGR engine yields a 10% gain in fuel efficiency relative to the base engine through a combination of improved thermodynamic efficiency from the EGR application and the significant increase in compression ratio realized through the knock reduction benefits of EGR and hydrogen addition. As the D-EGR performance is strongly linked to hydrogen production, the proposal team anticipated that gasoline formulation changes could enhance the hydrogen production rate relative to a conventional gasoline. This was expected to provide additional efficiency gains to the engine. The final step of incorporating biofuel components would then yield a final result meeting the >25% petroleum reduction target.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS1978

Durability of foam insulation for LH2 fuel tanks of future subsonic transports

In connection with the potential short-supply of petroleum based fuels, NASA has initiated investigations concerning the feasibility of aircraft using as fuel hydrogen which is to be stored in liquid form. One of the problems to be solved for an operation of such aircraft is related to the possibility of a suitable storage of the liquid hydrogen. A description is presented of an experimental study regarding the suitability of commercially available organic foams as cryogenic insulation for liquid hydrogen tanks under extensive thermal cycling typical of subsonic airline type operation. Fourteen commercially available organic foam insulations were tested. The thermal performance of all insulations was found to deteriorate with increased simulated flight cycles. Two unreinforced polyurethane foams survived over 4200 thermal cycles (representative of approximately 15 years of airline service) without evidence of structural deterioration. The polyurethane foam insulations also exhibited excellent thermal performance.

Sharpe, E. L.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Long-Term Corrosion Studies Of Pine Derived Bio-Oil And Blends With Heavy Fuel Oil

Biomass derived liquid fuels offer a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to those produced by combustion of petroleum derived liquid fuels. However, the corrosivity of bio-oils toward the less expensive structural materials creates a material selection problem for designers of storage tanks and combustion systems. Samples of candidate structural materials are being exposed for thousands of hours in multiple fast pyrolysis bio-oils and conditions to evaluate the corrosion resistance of these materials. One method to mitigate the corrosivity of bio-oils and speed their adoption, while also decreasing the pollution issues associated with low quality petroleum derived fuels, is to utilize blends of bio-oil and heavy fuel oil in engines currently solely burning a petroleum-based fuel. In addition to the corrosion studies conducted in 100% bio-oil, studies were also conducted with blends of the fast pyrolysis bio-oil produced from pine tree components with a heavy fuel oil that is used in ocean-going ships. This bio-oil had a very high carboxylic acid content which made it very corrosive to carbon and 2¼ Cr-1 Mo steel and even 409 stainless steel. The heavy fuel oil was not corrosive to carbon steel, but its sulfur content makes it a significant pollution producer and particularly undesirable for use near coastlines. Corrosion tests were conducted with the individual components and with various blends of the two liquid fuels. Studies showed a significantly lower corrosivity of the blends than would be projected assuming linear mixing behavior. Adoption of such blends holds the potential to reduce production of sulfur-containing exhaust gases as well as carbon dioxide from non-renewable fuels.

Keiser, Jim↗