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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Grid Resilient, Self-Powered, Fuel Flexible, High Efficiency Heating System (Final Report)

The Grid Independent High Efficiency System (GIHES) delivers a heating system that operates free from the power grid and provides ultra-low emissions and high efficiency heating for residential and commercial buildings. The project demonstrated two weeks of continuous grid independent operation of a storage water heater equipped with a powered damper. The Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) integrated GIHES technology revolutionizes heating systems to provide grid resilient hot water production, while delivering significant value to the end user by eliminating impacts of power interruption and enhancing comfort, convenience and productivity. The system maximizes the thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency by optimizing location and orientation of the TEGs and durability while lowering system costs. The TEGs generate enough power to charge a battery and run the storage water heater unit with a powered damper uninterrupted by providing the required parasitic electrical power for start-up, shutdown and during idling. Several TEGs were analytically and experimentally evaluated based on the size, surface area and the power being generated before designing and fabricating a complete multi-TEG assembly for integration with the water heater. The GIHES technology can be extended to boilers, furnaces and tankless water heaters and integrated with heat pump to further increase the overall equipment efficiency. The technology has the potential to reduce the amount of dispatch power and peak power plant operation. An advanced burner was designed, developed and 3D printed for fuel flexible operation. The burner was designed to enable tighter integration with TEGs for potentially higher TEG output, should this be necessary. A bench-scale test rig to perform testing of a 200,000 Btu/h burner and capable of handling up to 10% H2 (by volume) was setup at GTI’s laboratory with appropriate safety and controls to ensure smooth and safe operation. Testing of the 3D burner showed < 5 ppm NOx emissions can be achieved for the entire firing range and with different levels of hydrogen blends with natural gas. The burner will enable a more integrated TEG-burner module design for improved system performance, should this be required in the future. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the TEG integrated with the water heaters was performed. The testing data and the power output were used to develop the TEA. The analysis for the storage unit with damper showed that the TEG integrated system costs $95. This is much lower than a one-time charge needed to wire and install dedicated power. Discussions with TEG manufacturers and OEM’s will provide more detailed information and methods to further lower these costs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1989

Phase-Change Heat-Storage Module

Heat-storage module accommodates momentary heating or cooling overload in pumped-liquid heat-transfer system. Large heat-storage capacity of module provided by heat of fusion of material that freezes at or near temperature desired to maintain object to be heated or cooled. Module involves relatively small penalties in weight, cost, and size and more than compensates by enabling design of rest of system to handle only average load. Latent heat of fusion of phase-change material provides large heat-storage capacity in small volume.

Mulligan, James C.↗
DOE OSTI2022

An analysis of the hybrid internal mass modeling approach in EnergyPlus

Accurate simulation of building system dynamics is particularly important for understanding building energy flexibility. Among all dynamics in a building, a zone temperature’s variation is especially important, as it significantly affects a building’s electricity load profile when its heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is controlled with on/off cycles or setpoint reset strategies. To accurately simulate a zone temperature’s dynamics, internal mass needs to be modeled carefully. In this paper, we compare the two internal mass modeling approaches provided by EnergyPlus, i.e., internal mass object and zone air capacitance multiplier, to better understand their impacts on zone temperature simulation. Real building zone temperature dynamic data from small- and medium-sized office buildings are analyzed and compared with simulated data. In particular, we illustrate the effectiveness of a hybrid method of the two EnergyPlus modeling approaches, which yields more realistic zone temperature dynamics, especially when the zone is conditioned with heat pump systems with on/off cycling.

Chen, Zhelun↗
DOE OSTI2023

Air Source Heat Pumps in Very Cold Climates

Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) in heating mode use a refrigeration cycle to remove heat from the outside air and transfer it into a building. Therefore, ASHPs have the potential to save energy compared to conventional heat sources that create the heat as opposed to transferring it from outside. Many cold climate ASHPs available on the market today can operate at outside temperatures of -25 degrees C (-13 degrees F) or even lower. As a result of technological advances and other factors, there is growing interest in ASHPs in cold climates, including very cold regions such as Alaska. However, guidance on the selection, installation, and operation of ASHPs in these very cold climates is limited, as significant data gaps exist regarding the performance of ASHPs in very cold environments. To address these data gaps and guide future innovations, our research team has studied the field performance of several ASHP installations in Alaska and done lab evaluations of several ASHP models using a cold chamber. While a cold chamber cannot fully reflect field conditions, it allowed for changing one variable at a time and gaining additional understanding of the behavior of ASHPs that would be difficult to gain from field studies only. This study focused on two main variables: the temperature in the chamber (representing the outdoor temperature) and the level of thermal loading of the ASHP. The results from the field as well as the lab show that ASHPs can operate with relatively high efficiency even in very cold climates if used in appropriate situations and in an appropriate way. It was found that not only the outside temperature, but also the level of thermal loading is a significant factor affecting the ASHP efficiency and needs to be carefully considered when sizing and operating ASHPs in very cold climates.

air source heat pump↗
NASA NTRS1992

Microencapsulated PCM slurries for heat transfer and energy storage in spacecraft systems

The technical feasibility for providing significantly enhanced heat transport and storage as well as improved thermal control has been investigated during several Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs for NASA, the United States Air Force (USAF), and the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) using microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) in both aqueous and nonaqueous two-component slurries. In the program for SDIO, novel two-component coolant fluids were prepared and successfully tested at both low (300 K) and intermediate temperatures (460 to 700 K). The two-component fluid slurries of microencapsulated PCMs included organic particles in aqueous and nonaqueous liquids, as well as microencapsulated metals that potentially could be carried by liquid metals or used as powdered heat sinks. Simulation and experimental studies showed that such active cooling systems could be designed and operated with enhancements of heat capacity that exceeded 10 times or 1000 percent that for the base fluid along with significant enhancement in the fluid's heat capacity. Furthermore, this enhancement provided essentially isothermal conditions throughout the pumped primary coolant fluid loop. The results suggest that together with much higher fluid thermal capacity, greater uniformity of temperature is achievable with such fluids, and that significant reductions in pumping power, system size, and system mass are also possible.

Colvin, David P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Field Study of 120-volt Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Big Easy

To meet long-term goals for reducing carbon emissions and lessen the impacts of climate change, the U.S. plans to decarbonize its building stock, which includes the replacement of fossil fuel-burning end uses with energy efficient electric alternatives. As part of this strategy, the replacement of fossil fuel water heaters with heat pump water heaters (HPWH) has the potential to avoid substantial carbon emissions. An estimated 10-15 million single-family homes with fossil fuel water heaters do not have the electrical panel capacity to install a 240-volt, 30-amp HPWH. For these homes, a technology recently introduced to the market, the 120-volt plug-in HPWH, can provide energy efficient electrification of water heating without an expensive panel and wiring retrofit. This paper presents the results of an ongoing 120-volt HPWH field study conducted in 17 homes in New Orleans, LA. Key installation scenarios are profiled for retrofitting from gas-fired water heaters to 120-volt HPWHs, accounting for space, air volume, air temperature, condensate drainage, and electrical. Each HPWH had its surrounding air temperature, relative humidity, inlet and outlet water temperature, flow, and energy consumption monitored. Using these data, hot water delivery and energy efficiency performance were analyzed based on home characteristics. Hot water run outs were investigated to understand how hot water usage, inlet water temperature, and surrounding air temperature impact the HPWH’s ability to meet load. From these results, best practices for 120-volt HPWH siting, sizing, and installation were developed. In addition, results are explored further to add insight for electrification policies and product development.

heat pump water heater, 120-volt, Residential buil↗
NASA NTRS1980

Vacuum applications of metal foams

Several vacuum applications of copper foams in the density range 2-5% and pore sizes of 0.5-0.7 mm are discussed, such as a foreline hydrocarbon trap in a mechanical vacuum pump, a molecular-flow resistor, a diffuser, and a water injector. Other suggested applications include the use of foam copper in the form of an externally heated plug to remove traces of oxygen from inert gases bled into a vacuum system through a stainless steel line and the use of the porous surface for minimizing release of secondary electrons from electrodes in the path of charged particle beams.

Kendall, B. R. F.↗
NASA NTRS2003

High Power Laser Diode Arrays for 2-Micron Solid State Coherent Lidars Applications

Laser diode arrays are critical components of any diode-pumped solid state laser systems, constraining their performance and reliability. Laser diode arrays (LDAs) are used as the pump source for energizing the solid state lasing media to generate an intense coherent laser beam with a high spatial and spectral quality. The solid state laser design and the characteristics of its lasing materials define the operating wavelength, pulse duration, and power of the laser diodes. The pump requirements for high pulse energy 2-micron solid state lasers are substantially different from those of more widely used 1-micron lasers and in many aspects more challenging [1]. Furthermore, the reliability and lifetime demanded by many coherent lidar applications, such as global wind profiling from space and long-range clear air turbulence detection from aircraft, are beyond the capability of currently available LDAs. In addition to the need for more reliable LDAs with longer lifetime, further improvement in the operational parameters of high power quasi-cw LDAs, such as electrical efficiency, brightness, and duty cycle, are also necessary for developing cost-effective 2-micron coherent lidar systems for applications that impose stringent size, heat dissipation, and power constraints. Global wind sounding from space is one of such applications, which is the main driver for this work as part of NASA s Laser Risk Reduction Program. This paper discusses the current state of the 792 nm LDA technology and the technology areas being pursued toward improving their performance. The design and development of a unique characterization facility for addressing the specific issues associated with the LDAs for pumping 2-micron coherent lidar transmitters and identifying areas of technological improvement will be described. Finally, the results of measurements to date on various standard laser diode packages, as well as custom-designed packages with potentially longer lifetime, will be reported.

Amzajerdian, Farzin↗
NASA NTRS1989

Ceramic heat pipe wick

A wick for use in a capillary loop pump heat pipe is disclosed. The wick material is an essentially uniformly porous, permeable, open-cell, silicon dioxide/aluminum oxide inorganic ceramic foam having a silica fiber ratio, by weight, of about 78 to 22, respectively, a density of 6 lbs/cu ft, and an average pore size of less than 5 microns. A representative material having these characteristics is Lockheed Missile and Space Company, Inc.'s HTP 6-22. This material is fully compatible with the freons and anhydrous ammonia and allows for the use of these very efficient working fluids, and others, in capillary loops.

Seidenberg, Benjamin↗
NASA NTRS1991

Hot Oil Removes Wax

Mineral oil heated to temperature of 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) found effective in removing wax from workpieces after fabrication. Depending upon size and shape of part to be cleaned of wax, part immersed in tank of hot oil, and/or interior of part flushed with hot oil. Pump, fittings, and ancillary tooling built easily for this purpose. After cleaning, innocuous oil residue washed off part by alkaline aqueous degreasing process. Serves as relatively safe alternative to carcinogenic and environmentally hazardous solvent perchloroethylene.

Herzstock, James J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Solar+Storage for Household Back-up Power: Implications of building efficiency, load flexibility, and electrification for backup during long-duration power interruptions [Slides]

The study analyzes the evolving role of solar+storage for home backup power during long-duration power interruptions. In particular, it evaluates how required storage sizing is impacted as homes become more efficient, flexible, and electrified. The study relies on NREL’s ResStock building modeling platform to create statistically representative distributions of the existing building stock in ten locations across the United States. It then shows how the amount battery storage required for backup power rises or falls as a series of building envelope efficiency, load flexibility, and electrification measures are applied across the building stock in each region. The study also includes sensitivities to show how backup power requirements are impacted by the timing and duration of power interruptions, and explores variation in backup power requirements across the building stock within each study location. The results demonstrate the value of pairing solar+storage with efficiency upgrades, smart home controls, and (in mild winter climates) efficient heat pump retrofits. That value comes in the form of reducing the amount of storage required and/or extending the range of interruption conditions over which a given system can provide backup power (i.e., more extreme weather and/or longer interruptions). Heat pumps in cold-weather climates can pose a challenge for solar+storage backup power, given the amount of storage required, though are a vast improvement over electric-resistance heating. Retaining existing fossil-based heating systems for occasional use during power interruptions, as either the primary or supplementary source of heat, can mitigate this challenge. Other forms of building electrification (e.g., cooking and water heating) generally have marginal impacts on backup battery sizing, given their relatively small energy demand.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Falling-film thermosyphons: Application to water harvesting from humid gas streams

Water harvesting from humid gas streams is central to fresh-water production, desalination, and particulate removal from combustion gas streams. Two-phase thermosyphons are well suited for these applications due to their very low thermal resistance, but have several operating limits at the high heat flows required for such applications. This work introduces the falling-film thermosyphon for large-scale condensation applications. Working fluid is pumped to the top of the evaporator to provide the evaporating liquid film on the inner tube wall, rather than by vapor condensation. The flooding, dry-out and pool-boiling limits are eliminated, resulting in significantly higher maximum heat fluxes for the same physical evaporator size. Furthermore, the condenser no longer needs to be located vertically above the evaporator, which allows for a standard steam condenser to be used. A model for the condensation process in humid air was developed that estimates the fluid and heat transfer and is confirmed experimentally. Further benefits include the use of a high-thermal-conductivity polymer material for the evaporator section to minimize corrosion, and the ability to impose a temperature boundary condition on the evaporator, which is made possible due to the elimination of a liquid pool.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Realizing the Residential Electrification Opportunity: One Heat Pump at a Time

Space and water heating in residential buildings is a major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. Advanced electric heat pumps (HP) and heat pump water heaters (HPWH) are poised to provide a low carbon alternative to traditional fossil-based space and water heating. Widespread deployment of heat pumps could help address the significant portion of building emissions and primary energy used in American households, however much work needs to be done to close the knowledge gap between like-for-like fossil equipment replacement and switching to HPs for the average contractor. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been working on closing this knowledge gap through the development of decision tools and resources targeted towards contractors and installers. Developed in coordination with stakeholders and experienced contractors from a variety of geographic regions, these tools help streamline the process of sizing and selecting residential HPs and HPWHs for key use cases. Along with the complementary Retrofit Decision Tool developed by PNNL, the decision tools will help contractors understand the importance of whole building considerations when choosing HPs including envelope upgrades, duct assessments, and electrical assessments to ensure optimal selection and performance of the HP or HPWH. They also provide direct links to resources and best practices developed by PNNL as well as external entities to further help contractor education and training. This paper describes the development of these tools, and their role in moving the existing space and water heating market towards HPs to help realize the country’s decarbonization goals.

heat pump, heat pump water heater, Residential bui↗
NASA NTRS1972

Completely modular thermionic reactor ion propulsion system /trips/.

Description of a nuclear reactor powered ion propulsion system which is an advanced completely modularized system lending itself to development of prototype and/or flight type components without the need for complete system tests until late in the development program. This modularity is achieved in all of the subsystems and components of the electric propulsion system, including the thermionic fuel elements, the heat rejection subsystem (head pipes), the power conditioning modules, and the ion thrusters. The use of heat pipes for cooling the collectors and as a means of heat transport to the radiator allows early prototype or flight configuration testing of a small module of the heat rejection subsystem as opposed to full scale liquid metal pumps and radiators in a large vacuum chamber. The power conditioner (p/c) is arranged in modules with passive cooling which allows complete prototype testing. The ion engines are typically matched with one or more p/c modules and are the same size for any power level propulsion system of interest.

Peelgren, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Economic optimization of the energy transport component of a large distributed solar power plant

A solar thermal power plant with a field of collectors, each locally heating some transport fluid, requires a pipe network system for eventual delivery of energy power generation equipment. For a given collector distribution and pipe network geometry, a technique is herein developed which manipulates basic cost information and physical data in order to design an energy transport system consistent with minimized cost constrained by a calculated technical performance. For a given transport fluid and collector conditions, the method determines the network pipe diameter and pipe thickness distribution and also insulation thickness distribution associated with minimum system cost; these relative distributions are unique. Transport losses, including pump work and heat leak, are calculated operating expenses and impact the total system cost. The minimum cost system is readily selected. The technique is demonstrated on six candidate transport fluids to emphasize which parameters dominate the system cost and to provide basic decision data. Three different power plant output sizes are evaluated in each case to determine severity of diseconomy of scale.

Turner, R. H.↗
DOE OSTI2020

FINAL TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF A HEAT INTEGRATED POST-COMBUSTION CO2 CAPTURE SYSTEM WITH HITACHI ADVANCED SOLVENT INTO EXISTING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT

This report contains the results of a techno-economic assessment (TEA) conducted of a heat integrated post-combustion CO2 capture process with Hitachi advanced solvent for retrofit into an existing coal-fired power plant (but treated as greenfield plant on cost analysis). The process has been developed by the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (UK CAER). EPRI was chiefly responsible for this analysis, with significant input from WorleyParsons, Hitachi Power Systems America (Hitachi) and UK CAER. The project also involves the design, fabrication, installation, testing, and analyses of a slipstream facility located at L&GE-KU’s E.W. Brown Generating Station to demonstrate the UK CAER carbon capture system that could utilize heat integration with the main power plant. The design, start-up, and baseline of the pilot system was performed with a generic 30 wt% MEA solvent to obtain data for direct comparison with the DOE/NETL Reference Case followed by testing Hitachi’s proprietary solvent H3-1. In this techno-economic analysis, two cases utilizing the UK CAER process are compared, using different approach temperatures and solvent, against the DOE/NETL Reference Case (Case 10). The results are shown comparing the energy demand for post-combustion CO2 capture and the net higher heating value (HHV) efficiency of the power plant integrated with the post-combustion capture (PCC) plant. A levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) assessment was performed showing the costs of the options presented in the study. The key factors contributing to the reduction of LCOE were identified as CO2 partial pressure increase at the flue gas inlet, thermal integration of the process, and performance of the Hitachi H3-1 solvent. Recent UK CAER process pilot-scale testing data and process simualtion data showed that the packing heights of absorber and stripper columns were significantly oversized in the prelimanary TEA (Task 2 of this project) and thus updated in this final TEA for the H3-1 case only. In addition, the solvent make-up cost for H3-1 was updated based on lattest test results. Finally, a heat integration with the main power plant was applied in this final TEA to increase overall energy effciency for both the MEA and H3-1 cases. Additonal reductions in capital and operational costs are expected but not taken into account here. Shorter columns result in reduced pressure drops, smaller blower head and pump hydraulic head requirements. An increase in overall energy efficiency resuls in a decreased size of the power plant, the CCS and a reduced parasitic steam requirement to the CCS. The net efficiency of the UK CAER integrated PC power plant with CO2 capture changes from 26.2% for the Reference Case 10 plant in 2010 revised DOE/NETL baseline report to 27.6% for the MEA options considered, and 29.1% for the options utilizing the Hitachi advanced solvent. The UK CAER Process + Hitachi case also produces an extra 30.9 MW of generation compared to the UK CAER Process + MEA case and total 60.9 MW more than DOE Case 10. LCOE ($/MWh) values are $172.08/MWh for the MEA option and $157.65/MWh for the Hitachi H3-1 solvent cases considered in comparison to $189.59/MWh in January 2012 dollar for the Reference Case 10. The UK CAER CCS process with MEA case lowers energy consumption for CO2 capture to 1340 Btu/lb-CO2 captured as compared to 1540 Btu/lb-CO2 in the Reference Case 10. The UK CAER CCS process with H3-1 case further lowers energy consumption for CO2 capture to 973 Btu/lb-CO2 captured, for an advantage of 36.8% less energy consumption than Case 10. The study also shows 38.1% less heat rejection associated with the carbon capture system from 3398 MBtu/hr (Case 10) to 2104 MBtu/hr for the UK CAER + MEA system. Heat rejection is reduced to 2464 MBtu/hr in the UK CAER + H3-1 case, for a 27.5 % decrease compared to Case 10. Modeling outputs show that in the UK CAER process, the cooling water that is 2-5°C cooler than conventional cooling tower water can be achieved for ambient conditions common to the midwest and other regions. The results from the techno-economic assessment show that the proposed technology can be investigated further as a viable alternative to conventional CO2 capture technology. The evaluation also shows the effect of the critical parameters on the LCOE, with the main variables being the approach temperature and CO2 partial pressure increase at the flue gas inlet. A summary of the key advantages of the UK CAER Process + H3-1 case for LCOE and other economic factors compared to the DOE Case 10 is as follows: • A lower variable operating cost by $1.56/MWh ($1.08MWh less than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 11.7% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower COE by $25.32MWh ($13.94/MWh lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 16.9% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower LCOE by $31.94/MWh ($17.51/MWh lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 16.9% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower cost of CO2 captured by $18.65/tonne CO2 ($9.44/tonne CO2 lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 30.4% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10 • A lower cost of CO2 avoided by $34.95/tonne CO2 ($18.53 tonne CO2 lower than the UK CAER Process + MEA Case), a 38.7% reduction compared to the DOE Case 10

Bhown, Abhoyjit S.↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Square Pulse Thermoreflectance Technique for the Measurement of Thermal Properties

We report on a laser-based square pulse thermoreflectance (SPTR) technique for the measurement of thermal properties for a wide range of materials. SPTR adopts the pump-probe thermoreflectance principle to monitor the evolution of local temperature after square pulse excitation. The technique features a compact setup, high spatial resolution, and fast data collection. By comparing the acquired SPTR signals with a continuum heat transfer model, material thermal properties can be obtained. Taking advantage of various spot sizes and modulation frequencies, SPTR can measure both the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of poorly to moderately conductive materials and the thermal conductivity of conductive materials with satisfactory accuracy, with potential to be applied to more conductive materials. The technique was validated on three materials: fused silica, single crystal CaF2 and single crystal nickel (with conductivities ranging from 1 W·m -1 ·K -1 to 100 W·m -1 ·K -1 ) with typical measurement errors of 5 % to 20 %. The leading sources of error have been identified by Monte Carlo simulations, and the primary limitations of SPTR are discussed. The compact, fiberized platform we describe here will allow instruments based on this methodology to be deployed in complex, multi-analytical environments for the type of high-throughput correlative analyses that are key to materials design and discovery.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Influence of Thermal Energy Storage Integration Strategy on System Performance and Refrigerant Charge for Small-Scale R290 Heat Pumps

As small-scale (2.5 – 5 kW) heat pumps across the US increase straining the grid during peak hours, integrated heat pump thermal energy storage (HP-TES) systems can assist by load shifting. However, challenges arise when assembling these systems, as direct refrigerant-phase change material (PCM) heat exchangers (HXs) increase refrigerant charge, and indirect secondary loops degrade HP-TES performance. In this work, direct and indirect HP-TES configurations were sized using commercially available HXs to compare the available load shift time and performance at similar refrigerant charges. For the same indirect 5 kW HP-TES refrigerant charge, directly HP-TES can operate up to 72 and 145 minutes in cooling and heating modes, respectively, using small diameter tubes. Using Modelica, COP increases for direct and indirect HP-TES were 22% and 9%, respectively, given the parasitic losses in the indirect HP-TES. Overall, small-scale direct HP-TES can have comparable refrigerant charges with indirect HP-TES maximizing COP improvements.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗