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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

Upcycling Polyethylene Waste to Advanced Carbon Materials for Energy Storage Applications

Polyethylene is notoriously difficult to upcycle because it decomposes into light gases at approximately 350-400 °C which prevents processing it at higher temperatures to convert it into high-value carbon materials, such as graphene or graphite. We address this challenge by using an air-based, thermo-oxidation process, which heats polyethylene (PE) just below the decomposition point to initiate oxidation and cross-linking of PE alkyl chains. These molecular transformations allow PE to be further graphenized or graphitized at higher temperatures without decomposing. The PE-derived graphene has a specific surface area up to 1,800 m 2/g and Raman ID/IG ratio of 0.85, which enables it to be used as an electrode material for a symmetric supercapacitor with the 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. The PE-derived graphene material has a comparable electrochemical capacitive performance, such as power density, specific capacitance, and long cycle stability, to the commercial state of art porous carbon electrode. The stabilized PE could also be converted into highly crystalline flake graphite via low-temperature catalytic graphitization. The PE-derived graphite is used for the lithium-ion battery anode, which showed comparable electrochemical battery performance, such as reversible rate performance and long-term cyclic stability, to the current use battery-grade graphite, thus providing a scalable method to upcycle PE plastic waste into high-value carbon material.

Gao, Yuan↗

Realistic operation of two residential cordwood-fired outdoor hydronic heater appliances—Part 1: Particulate and gaseous emissions

This study investigated how heat demand and fuel loading affect the emissions from outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters by testing two such appliances using an integrated-duty cycle test method. This test included transient operating conditions, such as cold and hot-starts and modulation between 15 and 100% of maximum rated output. Emission values indicate transient operating conditions produce higher emissions than steady state operation. Cold starts resulted in elevated particulate matter emission factors for both appliances; in one case the particulate matter emission factor for this period was >3500 mg/MJ, which represented emissions 20 times the average value. Additionally, when heat demand was cycled—elevated CO emission factors were measured, with values >5000 mg/MJ for both appliances and more than 3 times the appliance averages, respectively. It follows that the appliance average particulate matter emission factors and CO emission factors were not representative of the actual EF values during these transient periods. In contrast, methane emission factors were relatively stable throughout all tested combustion conditions; however, they were much higher than oil-fired appliances are therefore should not be ignored. These findings demonstrate that wood-fired hydronic heater emissions during transient operating conditions can be significantly greater than emissions during steady-state test conditions, such as those used in typical certification tests. Consequently, certification test values for particulate matter and CO emission factors may significantly underestimate the actual emissions of these appliances when operated in a home. Use of integrated duty-cycle test protocols that capture cold-starts and reloading are better for representing in-use operations of wood-fired hydronic heaters and provide more realistic emissions and delivered efficiency measurements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Gasification and Techno-Economic Analysis of High-Impact Biomass Feedstocks for the Synthesis of High-Octane Gasoline

Five economically advantaged biomass feedstocks identified in the US Department of Energy's 2016 Billion Ton Study were gasified and the syngas reformed at the bench scale to study the feedstock price-performance relationship. The distribution of reformed syngas compositions, heating values, and yields were similar across the different feedstocks and blends thereof, which ranged from inexpensive residual wastes to more expensive and higher quality biomass, revealing that feedstock performance was mostly insensitive to its price. Custom blended feedstocks produced syngas with characteristics resembling linear combinations of syngas from single-component feedstocks, supporting the ability to customize and predict blended properties based on single-feedstock data. A techno-economic analysis of specific feedstock costs for producing high-octane gasoline showed that miscanthus and forest residues were the most cost-effective with gas yields consistent with experimental gasification data. A field-to-wheels life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions showed that forest residues was the most environmentally benign feedstock of those studied.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Kinetic simulation of a 50 mTorr capacitively coupled argon discharge over a range of frequencies and comparison to experiments

The effect of driving frequency in the range of 13.56–73 MHz on electron energy distribution and electron heating modes in a 50 mTorr capacitively coupled argon plasma discharge is studied using 1D-3V particle-in-cell simulations. Calculated electron energy probability functions exhibit three distinct “temperatures” for low-, mid-, and high-energy electrons at all the studied driving frequencies. When compared to published experimental data, the calculated probability functions show a reasonable agreement for the energy range resolved in the measurements (about 2–10 eV). Discrepancies due to limitations in experimental energy resolution outside this range lead to differences between computational and experimental values of the electron number density determined from the distribution functions, and the predicted effective electron temperature is within 25% of experimental values. The impedance of the discharge is interpreted in terms of a homogeneous equivalent circuit model, and the driving frequency dependence of the inferred combined sheath thickness is found to obey a known, theoretically derived, power law. The average power transferred from the field to the electrons (electron heating) is computed, and a region of negative heating near the sheath edge, particularly at higher driving frequencies, is identified. Analysis of the electron momentum equation shows that electron inertia, which on temporal averaging would be zero in a linear regime, is responsible for negative values of power deposition near the sheath edge at high driving frequencies due to the highly nonlinear behavior of the discharge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Triple oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition of hydroxyl water in Orgueil (CI-type) and Tagish Lake (C2-type) carbonaceous chondrites

The primitive carbonaceous chondrites are of interest to cosmochemical science because they contain relatively large amounts of ‘water’ (H 2 O and/or OH – ) within phyllosilicate minerals. This water is evidence for the accretion of ices by their parent planetesimals, and thus represents an archive of the isotopic compositions of H 2 O in the protoplanetary environments. Here, in this study, we used thermogravimetry-enabled laser spectroscopy (TGA-IRIS) analyses of the Orgueil and Tagish Lake meteorites to make δ 2 H, δ 18 O, and Δ′ 17 O measurements of the H 2 O and OH – contained in the different hydrous minerals that comprise each meteorite. In Orgueil, we measured mass-weighted averages of OH – in the saponite and serpentine phyllosilicate matrix to be δ 2 H = 192 ‰, δ 18 O = 1.5 ‰, which are unquestionably of extraterrestrial origin with Δ′ 17 O = 1.0 ‰. For Tagish Lake, analogous values of OH– in the saponite and serpentine phyllosilicate matrix are δ 2 H = 704 ‰, δ 18 O = 11.3 ‰, and are similarly unambiguously extraterrestrial with Δ′ 17 O = 0.82 ‰. We estimate that the parent H 2 O involved in aqueous alteration of Orgueil had δ 18 O value ≥ +23 ‰. In Orgueil, we interpret the phyllosilicate petrographic relationships, and the δ 18 O values of OH – in saponite and serpentine to indicate that saponite formed first, at a lower temperature by 35 to 53 °C than serpentine. This suggests that the Orgueil parent body experienced increasing temperature during the phase of active aqueous alteration (prograde) which set the δ 18 O OH values of the serpentine and saponite. In the case of Tagish Lake, serpentine formed at a lower temperature by 32 to 60 °C than saponite, for the simplest case with constant δ 18 O H2O values. If serpentine formed first, followed by saponite formation at 32 to 60 °C °C higher temperature, this suggests that Tagish Lake sample TL1 underwent prograde aqueous alteration as the parent body heated up. We find evidence that the parent H 2 O for Orgueil, Tagish Lake sample TL1, and Murchison (based on data from a previous study) may have had Δ′ 17 O values of >0.64 ‰.

Aqueous alteration↗

Postweld Heat Treatment on Toughness of Electric- Resistance Welded X70 Steel

In this report the effect of postweld heat treatment (PWHT) on Charpy V-notch impact toughness of a highfrequency electric-resistance welded (HF-ERW) grade X70 pipeline steel is investigated. PWHT thermal cycles are simulated using the Gleeble on the as-welded specimens. Microstructure, along with crystallographic texture and microhardness, is characterized in specimens that are impact tested at –5°C (23°F), –30°C (–22°F), and –45°C (–49°F). The impact toughness values show a wide scatter band and decrease with the increasing peak temperature of the PWHT. For higher peak temperatures, the microstructure of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) gradually changed from equiaxed ferrite to bainitic ferrite. Furthermore, the prior austenite grain size (PAGS) increases with the increasing peak temperature. The density of high-angle grain boundaries decreases, and the fraction of cleavage planes {100} parallel to the impact fracture plane increases for higher peak temperatures of the PWHT

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Numerical investigation of mixing and heat transfer in a 7.9 m JP-8 pool fire

The response of objects engulfed in, and adjacent to, large-scale pool fires is of interest in accident and safety assessments. In this study, Fuego, a low-Mach turbulent reacting flow code was used to study conjugate heat transfer in a 7.9 m diameter JP-8 pool fire. Simulations were designed to replicate past experimental measurements (Blanchat et al., 2006) of incident heat flux to three cylindrical calorimeters in and around the pool fire. Two turbulent combustion models were compared directly - the eddy dissipation concept and a more recently developed unsteady flamelet model. First and second order spatial and temporal discretization schemes were also compared to assess the performance of low-dissipation numerical operators. Heat flux predictions to the transportation size calorimeter outside the fire were within experimental uncertainties. Inside the fire, experimental measurements were higher than predicted values and may have been a consequence of soot deposition and augmented participating media radiation from soot and fuel vapor. Simulation predictions improved in cases where turbulent kinetic energy and mixing were more resolved. This work, and others referenced herein, suggest that spatial resolution on the order of 0.5–1.0 cm may be required to fully resolve fluid instabilities, vortex production between fire plumes and crosswind, soot production, and fuel-air mixing. This presents a substantial computational challenge for safety assessments of engulfed objects in fully turbulent pool fires.

Conjugate heat transfer↗

Analysis of Waste Material Feedstocks Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Machine Learning

Predicting properties such as heating value, ash fusion temperature, and mineral ash composition from Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) data can make gasifiers more flexible to different feedstocks. Understanding these feedstock properties in-situ improves feedstock conversion modelling methods that allow for consistent operation, higher carbon conversion, and reduced fouling and erosion rates. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate methods for model creation that take LIBS data as predictor features and estimate higher order material properties as a function of feedstock material properties. Six samples were chosen to represent a mixture of abundant and carbon rich waste materials. LIBS measurements were performed on these samples for elemental wavelengths and intensity values. Laboratory analytical results were obtained for each sample’s heating value, proximate and ultimate analysis, mineral ash composition, ash fusion temperatures, and viscosity temperatures. Thermal conductivity was measured using a HotDisk TPS 2500S. LIBS measurements were processed and used as predictor features for machine learning (ML) models to predict the sample’s material properties. Predictor feature selection algorithms, particularly minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR), reduced the dimensionality of ML models. Many modelling methods such as Gaussian process regression (GPR), regression tree, neural networks (NN), and support vector machines (SVM) were demonstrated to be effective at predicting higher order properties; however, mRMR with GPR stood out as a clear winning combination.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Three-dimensional modelling of a self-sustained atmospheric pressure glow discharge

The atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) is a relatively simple and versatile plasma source used in diverse applications. Stable APGD operation at high currents, generally a challenge due to instabilities leading to glow-to-arc transition, has been demonstrated using actively-controlled cathodic cooling. This article presents the computational modelling and simulation of a self-sustained direct-current APGD in helium within a 10 mm pin-to-plate inter-electrode gap for currents ranging from 4 to 40 mA. The APGD model is comprised of the conservation equations for total mass, chemical species, momentum, thermal energy of heavy-species and of free electrons, and electric charge. The model equations are discretized using a nonlinear variational multi-scale finite element method that has demonstrated superior accuracy in other plasma flow problems, on a temporal and three-dimensional computational domain suitable to unveil the potential occurrence of instabilities. Modelling results show good agreement with experimental measurements of voltage drop and the same trend but higher values of temperature. The higher temperatures obtained by the simulations appear to be due to the absence of a near-cathode heat dissipation model. Here, the results also reveal that the distribution of electron density and of the ratio of atomic helium ions to total ions transitions from monotonically increasing away from the cathode to presenting a minimum near the centre of the gap with increasing current.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Comparative Study for Pressure Gain Combustion-Gas Turbine System Performance in NGCC Configurations

The Department of Energy (DOE) has a goal to increase natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plant efficiency to greater than 70 percent on a lower heating value (LHV) basis. Improvement in gas turbine (GT) efficiency is key achieving this goal. While many of the traditional improvement methods (higher firing temperature, advanced materials, improved cooling methods, etc.) may increase current GT and NGCC efficiencies incrementally, combining these traditional advancements with breakthrough technologies such as pressure gain combustion (PGC) may provide significant system efficiency gains. PGC is a combustion process that results in a net pressure increase across the combustor (up to pressure ratio of 2.2) rather than the traditional (<5%) pressure drop. There are multiple PGC technologies being developed that create the pressure rise phenomena, including resonant pulse combustors (RPCs), pulse detonation engines (PDEs), wave rotor combustor (WRC) engines and rotating detonation engines (RDEs). In this study, scoping analyses of PGC concepts applied to NGCC power plants were performed by combining simplified analytical models for the RPC, PDE, WRC, and RDE types of pressure gain processes with a GT model to evaluate impacts of using each of the PGC technologies on key GT performance parameters. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. Ultimately, the PGC technologies were found to have the potential to increase simple cycle efficiency by 4–6 percent (absolute) and NGCC efficiency by 2–3 percent (absolute) based on the results of the current study.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

End-Use Savings Shapes Measure Documentation: Thermostat Control for Load Shedding in Large Offices

This documentation focuses on a single End-Use Savings Shape measure - thermostat control for load shedding. The thermostat control for load shedding measure applies heating and cooling temperature setpoint offsets for reducing the heating and cooling load during peak window. The measure takes daily peak load schedule inputs generated by the method "Dispatch Schedule Generation" described in the "Supplemental Documentation: Dispatch Schedule Generation for Demand Flexibility Measures" to determine the start and end times of the peak window, and then adjusts the thermostat cooling and/or heating setpoints by an offset value from original schedules during the peak window to reduce the HVAC or whole building daily peak load. The measure is flexible and allows users to adjust the heating and cooling offset values respectively, but for this study, the adjustment for heating and cooling setpoints are set to -2 degrees Celsius and +2 degrees Celsius by default. The measure provides options of adding rebound control period (default 2 hours) after peak windows for the setpoints to be ramped back to default values, to prevent the system from generating higher peak demand with step changes of setpoints in post-peak periods . This measure is applicable t o large offices equipped with electric HVAC system (either electric cooling only or both electric heating and cooling), which account for approximately 8.72% of the ComStock floor area. The thermostat control for load shedding measure demonstrates 2-5% daily peak demand reduction and 0.068% total site energy savings (3 trillion British thermal units [TBtu]) for the U.S. commercial building stock modeled in ComStock.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Selective laser melting of 304L stainless steel: Role of volumetric energy density on the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties

The role of volumetric energy density on the microstructural evolution, texture and mechanical properties of 304L stainless steel parts additively manufactured via selective laser melting process is investigated. 304L is chosen because it is a potential candidate to be used as a matrix in a metal matrix composite with nanoparticles dispersion for energy and high temperature applications. The highest relative density of 99 %±0.5 was achieved using a volumetric energy density of 1400 J/mm 3 . Both XRD analysis and Scheil simulation revealed the presence of a small trace of the delta ferrite phase, due to rapid solidification within the austenitic matrix of 304L. Here, a fine cellular substructure ranged between 0.4–1.8 μm, was detected across different energy density values. At the highest energy density value, a strong texture in the direction of [100] was identified. At lower energy density values, multicomponent texture was found due to high nucleation rate and the existing defects. Yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and microhardness of samples with a relative density of 99 % were measured to be 540 ± 15 MPa, 660 ± 20 MPa and 254 ± 7 HV, respectively and higher than mechanical properties of conventionally manufactured 304L stainless steel. Heat treatment of the laser melted 304L at 1200 °C for 2 h, resulted in the nucleation of recrystallized equiaxed grains followed by a decrease in microhardness value from 233 ± 3 HV to 208 ± 8 HV due to disappearance of cellular substructure.

304L stainless steel↗

Rapid characterization of MSW and RDF feedstocks for waste-to-energy process using LIBS and ML techniques

The heterogeneity in the composition of municipal solid wastes (MSW) poses significant challenges in the production of biofuel and bioproducts. This research aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of waste analysis and characterization by introducing a fast characterization approach for MSW-derived refuse-derived fuels (RDF) by combining Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) with advanced machine learning (ML) techniques. The approach combines data pre-processing of LIBS spectra of RDF, and the development of ML models trained on domain and theory-based spectral features for predicting process parameters. These models are adept at predicting key process parameters like High Heating Value (HHV), carbon content, and volatile matter. This approach can achieve an average RRMSE of 2.13% and R 2 of 0.98 or higher for all considered parameters on testing data. This work demonstrates significant potential for improving waste sorting, processing efficiency, and environmental compliance over traditional labor- and time-intensive laboratory waste analysis and characterization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Experimental, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of Feedstock Gasification for High-Octane Fuel Production

Five economically advantaged biomass feedstocks identified in the US Department of Energy's 2016 Billion Ton Study were gasified and the syngas reformed at the bench scale to study the feedstock price-performance relationship. The distribution of reformed syngas compositions, heating values, and yields were similar across the different feedstocks and blends thereof, which ranged from inexpensive residual wastes to more expensive and higher quality biomass, revealing that feedstock performance was mostly insensitive to its price. Custom blended feedstocks produced syngas with characteristics resembling linear combinations of syngas from single-component feedstocks, supporting the ability to customize and predict blended properties based on single-feedstock data. A techno-economic analysis of specific feedstock costs for producing high-octane gasoline showed that miscanthus and forest residues were the most cost-effective. A field-to-wheels life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions showed that forest residues was the most environmentally benign feedstock of those studied.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Kinetic Modeling and Experimental Studies of Capacitively Coupled Macro- and Microplasmas at Microwave Frequencies

The effect of driving frequency in the range of 13.56 MHz to 73 MHz on electron energy distribution and electron heating modes in a 50 mTorr capacitively coupled argon plasma discharge is studied using 1D-3V particle-in-cell simulations. Calculated electron energy probability functions exhibit three distinct temperatures for low-, mid-, and high-energy electrons at all the studied driving frequencies. When compared to published experimental data, the calculated probability functions show a reasonable agreement for the energy range resolved in the measurements (about 2 eV to 10 eV). Discrepancies due to limitations in experimental energy resolution outside this range lead to differences between computational and experimental values of the electron number density determined from the distribution functions, and the predicted effective electron temperature is within 25 % of experimental values. The impedance of the discharge is interpreted in terms of a homogeneous equivalent circuit model and the driving frequency dependence of the inferred combined sheath thickness is found to obey a known, theoretically-derived, power law. The average power transferred from the field to the electrons (electron heating) is computed, and a region of negative heating near the sheath edge, particularly at higher driving frequencies, is identified. Analysis of the electron momentum equation shows that electron inertia, which on temporal averaging would be zero in a linear regime, is responsible for negative values of power deposition near the sheath edge at high driving frequencies due to the highly nonlinear behavior of the discharge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Utilisation of flavonoids from Lycium barbarum L. leaves cross‐linked with whey protein for the stabilisation and delivery of β ‐carotene emulsions

Summary Although β ‐carotene is an essential nutrient for the maintenance of human health, it is insoluble in water and extremely unstable, which limits its application. Here, we prepared a stable emulsification system of whey protein (WP)‐ Lycium barbarum L. leaves flavonoids (LBLF) complex as a carrier to load β ‐carotene. The rheological properties, antioxidant properties and stability of emulsion were studied, and the effects of emulsion on the biological retention of β ‐carotene and stability were investigated. The results indicate that, compared with WP, the WP‐LBLF emulsion has smaller particles, a smaller creaming index, and significantly enhanced chemical stability under light and heat treatment conditions. The thiobarbituric acid value of the WP‐LBLF emulsion (0.031 ± 0.016 mg/kg) was dramatically lower than that of the WP emulsion (0.045 ± 0.012 mg/kg) ( P < 0.05). In the simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiment, the retention rate of β ‐carotene was higher in WP‐LBLF emulsion. Additionally, the WP‐LBLF emulsion loaded with β ‐carotene has good salt tolerance and heat stability. In our study, WP‐LBLF was used as an emulsifier to load β ‐carotene emulsion to improve its bioavailability and stability, which provides a new preparation and application method for a complex functional emulsifier.

Fan, Yanli↗

Enhanced Néel Temperature and Unusual Thermal Expansion in Flux-Grown FeCrAs Crystals

Here, we report results from our experimental investigation of the distorted kagome compound FeCrAs. We used tin metal as a flux to produce needlelike crystals, which we characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as measurements of magnetization, electrical transport, and heat capacity. The physical behaviors differ in two notable ways from those of previously studied crystals grown from a stoichiometric melt. First, the Néel temperature is found to be 150 K, about 25 K higher than in previous reports. Second, the Sommerfeld coefficient, a measure of the electronic heat capacity, is found to be significantly smaller than the previously reported value. These differences indicate stronger magnetic interactions and fewer charge carriers in the flux-grown crystals, which may be related to differences in stoichiometry or disorder. In addition, we find unusual thermal expansion behavior, with an anomaly at the Néel temperature and nearly temperature-independent thermal expansion along the hexagonal c-axis above this transition. This suggests significant spin–lattice coupling, which may provide insight into nonmetallic transport properties that have been associated with anomalous charge carrier scattering. The flux growth presented here may provide a useful approach for tuning crystal chemistry to explore magnetism, transport, and spin–lattice coupling in this interesting material.

McGuire, Michael A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory↗

Post-build stress-relief optimization for laser powder bed fusion 316H stainless steel

Nuclear energy remains a critical component of a diversified and efficient energy portfolio, offering reliable, high-capacity, and low-carbon power. However, in the U.S., aging infrastructure and the slow qualification and deployment of advanced materials and manufacturing techniques hinder progress in next-generation reactor technologies. This study explores the application of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing for stainless steel 316H, with a focus on optimizing post-build heat treatments to enhance material properties for high-temperature nuclear applications. The research targets the optimization of stress-relief temperatures to alleviate postbuild residual stresses, ensuring improvements in the microstructural corelated properties. A series of microstructural and mechanical evaluations were performed on LPBF-printed SS-316H samples which were subjected to annealing at temperatures varying between 650 °C and 850 °C. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that increasing the heattreatment temperature accelerated dislocation recovery. Vickers microhardness measurements showed an initial reduction in values, followed by stabilization over extended durations at all the temperatures. While higher temperatures facilitated faster recovery, they also promoted carbide precipitation along grain and solidification cell boundaries, narrowing the safe processing window. In contrast, heat treatment at 650°C preserved the cellular substructure and enabled controlled carbide precipitation over time. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance of time–temperature optimization and suggest that 650°C for up to 2 h provides the most favorable balance between recovery and carbide control for a stress-relief treatment.

316 stainless steel↗