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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

Toward a Diverse Next-Generation Energy Workforce: Teaching Artificial Photosynthesis and Electrochemistry in Elementary Schools through Active Learning

Artificial photosynthesis is a promising approach to generate commodity chemicals using abundant chemical feedstocks and renewable energy sources. Despite its importance, affordable and effective hands-on classroom activities that demonstrate artificial photosynthesis and teach key concepts, especially for primary school students, are lacking. Educating young students on this topic is a critical step in the development of the next-generation energy workforce, especially one that is diverse in race and gender. Here, we hypothesize that an effective approach to educate a broad range of young students on the topic of artificial photosynthesis is through the use of an active learning-based lesson plan that employs cheap and accessible materials. This hypothesis is confirmed by evaluating the understanding of fifth grade students with a survey before and after a lesson plan on artificial photosynthesis that uses active-learning techniques and uses safe and highly accessible materials (baking soda, tap water, plastic jars, Ni coil, alligator clips, and a solar cell) to perform solar-powered water splitting. The lesson plan and survey questions are designed to align with the educational outcomes for fifth grade classrooms in California and to address four general learning objectives: (1) Motivations of Artificial Photosynthesis, (2) Applications of Artificial Photosynthesis, (3) Inputs and Outputs of Artificial Photosynthesis, and (4) Engineering Design for Artificial Photosynthesis. The survey data demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in overall student understanding from the lesson plan. Importantly, the data show that the lesson plan presented here is effective at narrowing the performance gap between minority students and overly represented groups.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Analysis of Lobe Power Calculator and Indication System with Physics and Cycle Based Models

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at INL measures reactor power through various methods, two of them being thermal and Nitrogen-16 (N-16) activity. Water power calculator (WPC) is a thermal power system that measures flow and temperature to determine thermal quadrant powers. The N-16 system utilizes a beta detector that outputs Nitrogen activation levels to calculate lobe power through an algorithm called Lobe Power Calculation and Indication system (LPCIS). The LPCIS utilizes the N-16 system and the WPC system to determine reactor core power levels. The WPC provides accurate calculations of quadrant and total reactor thermal power. With the use of WPC measurements, thermal-to-N-16 (T2N) power ratios are produced to determine if the two indication systems agree on core power. Relative magnitude equations are used to utilize N-16 coefficients and multipliers to improve the indications of the LPCIS. These correct indications are crucial for maintaining safety limits because operators rely on this information for decision making. Currently, the LPCIS system uses linear equations and matrices to calculate lobe power through multipliers and coefficients. Advancements in technology and system upgrades have increased the accuracy of power readings by making the system more dynamic. The new proposed coefficient and multiplier method implements a cycle specific and physics-based model intended for changing coefficients during operation. This calibration experiment focused on power splitting, outer shim and neck shim, as well as fuel burning into the reactor digital acquisition system (RDAS) weighting factors. Results demonstrated that the physics learning method yields a smaller error margin inside of the desired power range for the data set 166-A. Continuing to improve the physics-based model will help improve the power accuracy of the LPCIS system.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Making a Deal with the Devilfish: Biometric-Informed Screening Technology – Fish Protection Prize (CRADA 514)

In FY20, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Umida AG Fish Protection Prize, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) PNNL CRADA 487 (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Team Bingaman-Fish Friendly Gravitational Vortex Energy System - Fish Protection Prize (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Team Rackovan - Alden - Fish Entrainment Reduction Structure (FERS) - Fish Protection Prize (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Fisheries Technology Associates, Inc. - Sweeping CHIRPs, Looming Darkness: In-Sync Stimuli - Fish Protection Prize (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Neurotrophic Labs - Fish Exclusion Using a Floating Separator - Fish Protection Prize (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Team Hogan - Air Bubble Curtain for Physical Exclusion - Fish Protection Prize (Final Report)

In FY2020, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated a Prize competition with support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (DOE WPTO), to support the development of innovative methods for excluding fish from water diversions and intakes: the Fish Protection Prize. Proposed solutions can include new ideas for addressing fish exclusion or improvements to existing technologies. Solutions can be applied to river and canal diversions, unscreened diversion pipes, or intakes at dams. In FY20 PNNL provided voucher support in the form of technical reviews and support, as well as graphics and presentation support, in helping the 9 finalists prepare for the Pitch Contest at the American Fisheries Society (AFS) virtual meeting. There were no subject inventions, patent applications, copyrights, and trademarks under this CRADA. The report herein provides an abstract of the presentation that the finalist presented at the American Fisheries Society virtual meeting in September 2020.

42 ENGINEERING↗

HERO WEC V1: Design and Experimental Data Collection Efforts

The Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis Wave Energy Converter (HERO WEC) is a research platform aimed at developing a modular, small-scale wave-powered desalination system for remote and disaster-response applications. Funded by the Department of Energy (DOE)'s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), the project aims to advance wave-powered desalination by developing and testing a small-scale, modular wave energy converter (WEC). The insights gained from this project will help guide the design and development of larger-scale wave energy devices as well as the integration of marine energy and reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The HERO WEC was initially developed to derisk the Waves to Water prize, enabling the staff to practice WEC deployment and recovery, while optimizing installation protocols ologies, aiming to advance the broader fields of marine energy and water treatment.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Powering the Blue Economy: Progress Exploring Marine Renewable Energy Integration With Ocean Observations

The blue economy is a dynamic and rapidly growing movement that captures the interplay between economic, social, and ecological sustainability of the ocean and encompasses numerous maritime sectors and activities (e.g., commerce and trade; living resources; renewable energy; minerals, materials, and freshwater; and ocean health and data). The demand for ocean data to inform scientific, risk reduction, and national security needs is leading to a large increase in the number of deployed ocean observation and monitoring systems, most of which require increased power. Because ocean observation systems are often placed in remote locations, they primarily rely on energy storage (or in some cases in situ energy generation) to power instruments and equipment, which imposes limits on sampling rates, deployment times, and spatiotemporal resolution of data. The U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office is exploring the potential for marine renewable energy (MRE) devices (largely wave and tidal energy converters) to provide power to support multiple blue economy opportunities. A portion of these opportunities focus on power at sea markets for providing power in off-grid and offshore locations to support a variety of ocean-based activities, including ocean observation and navigation, underwater vehicle charging, marine aquaculture, marine algae farming, and seawater mining. Initially, research has focused on better understanding how and where MRE can provide a consistent source of reliable power to extend ocean observing missions, including operation of autonomous underwater vehicles. Online surveys as well as phone and inperson interviews were conducted with experts in the field of ocean observing systems and observatories to gather end-user requirements, determine energy needs, identify opportunities for codevelopment, and pinpoint constraints for MRE to meet those needs. The surveys and interviews provided feedback on the potential for powering devices and vehicles using MRE, including identifying common themes and challenges that will inform foundational research and development steps needed to advance the integration of MRE with ocean observing systems. In most cases, additional power generation on the order of watts was identified as significantly beneficial to enhancing ocean observations capabilities.

marine renewable energy, powering the blue economy↗

Membrane Strategies for Water Electrolysis

Hydrogen holds great promise as a clean energy resource to help the global carbon-free energy goal. Here, green hydrogen production from renewable energy-powered water electrolysis can decarbonize hard-to-abate industries and transport applications. Ion-exchange membranes are an essential component of membrane-based water electrolysis, enabling high hydrogen production efficiency through a zero-gap configuration. While perfluorosulfonic acids are the standard polymer electrolyte membrane material, research efforts for membrane alternatives have increased over the years to drive down the cost of electrolyzers and improve devices’ durability without sacrificing performance and efficiency. Here we present our perspectives on acidic, alkaline, and bipolar membranes for water electrolyzers and discuss future research directions to develop advanced membranes for green hydrogen production technology.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Powering the Blue Economy: Exploring Opportunities for Marine Renewable Energy in Maritime Markets

To spur economic growth and revitalize the ocean the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Offce (WPTO) launched the Powering the Blue Economy™ (PBE) initiative, which aims to foster long-term, sustainable growth of the blue economy by: • Protecting the ocean and understanding and leveraging its immense power • Learning the power needs of emerging coastal and maritime markets • Advancing marine renewable energy technologies. Remote and island communities, areas hit hard by natural disasters, and ocean researchers can also beneft from renewable energy found in the ocean.

Powering the blue economy, marine, marine energy↗

Techno-Economic Analysis of a Microgrid System for Rural Communities in the United States

Access to running water has been a pressing issue in many developing countries across the globe, and also continues to be a problem in some rural areas in the United States. Today, more than two million Americans living in rural areas lack access to basic water supply and infrastructure. Rural communities tend to be located in environmentally fragile areas with poor economic conditions, making access to appropriate, low-cost technology for clean water supply and sanitation more challenging. In addition, many of the water resources located in these areas are being jeopardized by climate change in recent years. This research proposes a photovoltaic (PV)-battery microgrid system for powering water pumps in off-grid areas in an effort to identify economically and technologically feasible solution to the problems. Utilizing the HOMER Pro software, developed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the case of the Navajo Nation is examined by analyzing the effects of this region's air temperature on the life and performance of battery storage and the economics of the proposed microgrid system.

battery↗

Enabling Power at Sea: Opportunities for Expanded Ocean Observations through Marine Renewable Energy Integration

The blue economy is a dynamic and rapidly growing movement that captures the interplay between economic, social, and ecological sustainability of the ocean and encompasses numerous maritime sectors and activities (e.g., commerce and trade; living resources; renewable energy; minerals, materials, and freshwater; and ocean health and data). The demand for ocean data to inform scientific, risk reduction, and national security needs is leading to a large increase in the number of deployed ocean observation and monitoring systems, most of which require increased power. Because ocean observation systems are often placed in remote locations, they primarily rely on energy storage (or in some cases in situ energy generation) to power instruments and equipment, which imposes limits on sampling rates, deployment times, and spatiotemporal resolution of data. The U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office is exploring the potential for marine renewable energy (MRE) devices (largely wave and tidal energy converters) to provide power to support multiple blue economy opportunities. A portion of these opportunities focus on power at sea markets for providing power in off-grid and offshore locations to support a variety of ocean-based activities, including ocean observation and navigation, underwater vehicle charging, marine aquaculture, marine algae farming, and seawater mining. Initially, research has focused on better understanding how and where MRE can provide a consistent source of reliable power to extend ocean observing missions, including operation of autonomous underwater vehicles. Online surveys as well as phone and in-person interviews were conducted with experts in the field of ocean observing systems and observatories to gather end-user requirements, determine energy needs, identify opportunities for codevelopment, and pinpoint constraints for MRE to meet those needs. The surveys and interviews provided feedback on the potential for powering devices and vehicles using MRE, including identifying common themes and challenges that will inform foundational research and development steps needed to advance the integration of MRE with ocean observing systems. In most cases, additional power generation on the order of watts was identified as significantly beneficial to enhancing ocean observations capabilities.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

System design and analysis of thermal power dispatch systems for boiling water reactors

Nuclear power plants are crucial to meeting net zero emission goals and achieving energy sustainability. Integrating these plants with clean energy technologies such as high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) may improve the efficiency and economic competitiveness of these plants. Here, the current study investigates the design and operation of a thermal power dispatch (TPD) system for coupling boiling water reactors (BWRs) to HTSE plants. The TPD system extracts a portion of the steam from the reactor’s main steam line and transfers its thermal energy to an HTSE plant through a power transport loop. A TPD system for 5 % steam extraction has been designed and the system performance during steady and transient operations has been analyzed. The TPD system dispatched a total of 197 MW thermal energy to the HTSE plant under nominal design conditions. Saturated steam at 7.17 MPa from the BWR plant was condensed and subcooled to a temperature of 168 °C, while a mass flow rate of 91.1 kg/s of superheated steam was dispatched to the HTSE plant. Furthermore, the system performance during transient operation showed a continuous transition from the initial hot standby mode to the nominal power dispatch level. The transient simulation results emphasized the importance of investigating component level performance for the TPD system design. The current results will guide future works on the development of integrated energy systems for hydrogen production or process heat applications.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Internal Reaction Mass Taxonomy and Narrow-Down Study

Internal reaction mass (IRM) wave energy converters (WEC) capture wave energy by reacting against a moving mass that is suspended within their hulls. Due to their hermetically sealed Power Take Off (PTO), compact form factor and relatively simple mooring requirements, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has identified IRM WECs are good candidates for applications such as ocean observation. A literature review of existing IRM mechanisms lead to the classification of IRM WECs based on their principal method of energy capture and principal axes of operation. The IRM categories include sliding mass, pendular and gyroscopic devices. A narrow down study was conducted to ascertain the most promising mechanisms for further investigation; devices were evaluated based on a decision matrix of weighted criteria that included device power output, prototypability and power to mass ratio. The narrow down study identified the issue of achieving resonance with pendulum-based designs, as well as the poor response produced by reaction to long period waves. Chaotic pendula and methods to multiply agitation were identified as a means to increase power output. Alternative methods of power generation, such as triboelectric nanogenerators, were also identified as a technology that would benefit from multiplied agitation and chaotic motion. This work was funded under the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office's Powering the Blue Economy portfolio.

ENGINEERING,TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Climate-Water-Electricity Interactions in the U.S. Under Alternative Decarbonized Futures

The U.S. electric sector is rapidly evolving, with widespread renewable energy deployment, building and transport electrification, and nuanced decarbonization policies. Climate change influences the supply and demand for electricity by altering water resources for cooling and hydropower, thermal plant efficiencies, and heating and cooling demand. This research combines global climate model data, asset-level water and streamflow modeling, and electric sector capacity expansion modeling to study climate-water-electricity interactions across myriad future climate and electricity scenarios that consider electrification and decarbonization using renewable, hydrogen, carbon capture, and nuclear technologies. Multi-model integration leads to insights into power-water sector interactions and their impacts on grid economics and environmental outcomes.

climate change↗