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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 OSTI2024

Ductless Heat Pump Energy Monitoring in a Cold Climate

In 2018, the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, set the goal of reaching 80% renewable energy for heating and transportation by 2045. An important factor to help reach this goal is energy-efficient home heating technologies such as ductless air- source heat pumps (DHPs), which rely on the local hydropower electric grid to provide space heating for an entire home or a main living area. To help residents reduce energy costs and move toward the community renewable energy goal, a team of local, state, and national partners joined together to run Thermalize Juneau 2021, an energy campaign that provided education, a simplified installation process, and a bulk purchase discount. Overall, the campaign enrolled 165 participants, resulting in 75 DHP installations and over 30 other energy efficiency improvements. To evaluate the reliability and energy use of the DHPs installed during the Thermalize Juneau campaign, researchers installed energy monitors on heat pumps of 14 participants and conducted interviews with homeowners. Data from two heating seasons (2021-2022 and 2022-2023) allowed researchers to examine the accuracy of pre-campaign energy savings predictions, establish energy savings for a small group of households, and provide insights on the energy use and occupant satisfaction of DHPs, which will help inform future heat pump deployment efforts in the area.

air source heat pump↗
NASA NTRS1995

Plasma Enhanced Microwave Joining

A new method for plasma enhanced microwave joining of high purity (99.8%) alumina has been developed. The controlled application of a plasma between the adjoining surfaces of two rods initially heats the microwave-low-absorbing alumina rods to temperatures high enough for them to absorb microwave energy efficiently. With this technology, the adjacent surfaces of alumina rods can be melted and welded together in less than three minutes using approximately 400 watts of microwave energy. Four point bending tests measured fracture strengths of up to 130 MPa at the joined interface. Optical and SEM micrographs indicated that exaggerated grain growth prevailed for all joints studied.

Yiin, T.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Energy-Efficient Systems Eliminate Icing Danger for UAVs

Ames Research Center engineer Leonard Haslim invented an anti-icing t echnology called an electroexpulsive separation system, which uses m echanical force to shatter potentially dangerous ice buildup on an ai rcraft surface. Temecula, California-based Ice Management Systems (no w known as IMS-ESS) licensed the technology from Ames and has discov ered a niche market for the lightweight, energy-efficient technology: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). IMS-ESS systems now prevent damagi ng ice accumulation on military UAVs, allowing the vehicles to carry out crucial missions year round.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1981

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Wing planform study and final configuration selection

The Wing Planform Study and Final Configuration Selection Task of the Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) Technology Project within the Energy Efficient Transport Program is documented. Application of Active Controls Technology (ACT) in combination with increased wing span resulted in significant improvements over the Conventional Baseline Configuration (Baseline) and the Initial ACT Configuration previously established. The configurations use the same levels of technology, takeoff gross weight, and payload as the Baseline. The Final ACT Configuration (Model 768-107) incorporates pitch-augmented stability (which enabled an approximately 10% aft shift in cruise center of gravity and a 44% reduction in horizontal tail size), lateral/directional-augmented stability, an angle-of-attack limiter, and wing-load alleviation. Flutter-mode control was not beneficial for this configuration. This resulted in an 890 kg (1960 lb) reduction in airplane takeoff gross weight and a 9.8% improvement in cruise lift/drag. At the Baseline mission range (3589 km 1938 nmi), this amounts to 10% block-fuel reduction. Results of this task strongly indicate that the IAAC Project should proceed with the Final ACT evaluation, and begin the required control system development and test.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

Breaking the passivation barrier via d-p orbital optimization for stable hydrogen production and sulfion upgrading

The development of energy-efficient hydrogen production technologies represents a critical pathway toward achieving global carbon neutrality objectives. This work provides fundamental insights into overcoming catalyst passivation challenges in sulfide oxidation reaction (SOR)-coupled hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) systems through precise orbital hybridization engineering. Our theoretical simulations reveal that sulfur-passivated ruthenium surfaces can effectively modulate d-p orbital hybridization, significantly reduce d-electron activity while stabilizing long-chain S 8 species and decreasing intermediate adsorption energies. Furthermore, metal carbides/ruthenium heterostructure (MC/Ru, M = V, Mo, W) was designed to achieve simultaneous optimization of both HER (∆G H* = −0.11 eV) and SOR (∆G RDS = 1.51 eV) via work-function-mediated interfacial electron transfer, which effectively tailors surface electronic states. Guided by theoretical predictions, we successfully synthesized a series of metal carbides/ruthenium/nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts based on a solid-phase reaction and designated as MC/Ru@NC (M = V, Mo, W). The optimized VC/Ru@NC catalyst exhibits exceptional performance in a membrane-free two-electrode system, achieving an ultralow cell voltage of 0.76 V at 200 mA cm −2 with outstanding stability over 1600 h, while maintaining 97.5 % Faradaic efficiency for hydrogen production and 73.8 % sulfur recovery efficiency.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1981

Energy efficient engine high-pressure turbine supersonic cascade technology report

The performance of two vane endwall geometries and three blade sections for the high-pressure turbine was evaluated in terms of the efficiency requirements of the Energy Efficient Engine high-pressure turbine component. The van endwall designs featured a straight wall and S-wall configuration. The blade designs included a base blade, straightback blade, and overcambered blade. Test results indicated that the S-wall vane configuration and the base blade configuration offered the most promising performance characteristics for the Energy Efficient Engine high-pressure turbine component.

Kopper, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Assessment of Technologies for Noncryogenic Hybrid Electric Propulsion

The Subsonic Fixed Wing Project of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program is researching aircraft propulsion technologies that will lower noise, emissions, and fuel burn. One promising technology is noncryogenic electric propulsion, which could be either hybrid electric propulsion or turboelectric propulsion. Reducing dependence on the turbine engine would certainly reduce emissions. However, the weight of the electricmotor- related components that would have to be added would adversely impact the benefits of the smaller turbine engine. Therefore, research needs to be done to improve component efficiencies and reduce component weights. This study projects technology improvements expected in the next 15 and 30 years, including motor-related technologies, power electronics, and energy-storage-related technologies. Motor efficiency and power density could be increased through the use of better conductors, insulators, magnets, bearings, structural materials, and thermal management. Energy storage could be accomplished through batteries, flywheels, or supercapacitors, all of which expect significant energy density growth over the next few decades. A first-order approximation of the cumulative effect of each technology improvement shows that motor power density could be improved from 3 hp/lb, the state of the art, to 8 hp/lb in 15 years and 16 hp/lb in 30 years.

Electric Propulsion↗
DOE OSTI2025

Improving durability and performance of solid oxide electrolyzers by controlling surface composition on oxygen electrodes

Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is a promising technology for high-efficiency energy conversion, enabling the production of hydrogen, syngas, synthetic fuels, and various commodity chemicals. Unlike traditional thermochemical processes, SOECs operate at elevated temperatures (600-850°C), benefiting from favorable thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. This makes them highly energy efficient compared to alkaline or polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis technologies. However, despite these advantages, SOECs face significant challenges related to performance degradation over time. A primary issue is the degradation of the oxygen electrode due to strontium (Sr) segregation and impurity poisoning from chromium (Cr) and sulfur (S). This is because the pathway to deposition of Cr and S include the reaction of Cr and S with the segregated SrO at the surface. Sr segregation leads to the formation of insulating compounds such as SrCrO4 and SrSO4, which block active sites, reduce oxygen exchange rates, and compromise the electrode's electrochemical stability. The degradation mechanisms involve complex interactions between the electrode material's surface chemistry, microstructure, and the operating environment. Sr segregation is particularly problematic because it facilitates the deposition of Cr and S impurities, exacerbating performance losses. Addressing these issues is critical to enhancing the durability and economic viability of SOEC technology. The primary goal of this project is to improve the durability and performance of SOECs by controlling the surface composition of the oxygen electrode. This is achieved by suppressing Sr segregation, thereby mitigating impurity poisoning pathways. The project aims to enhance the oxygen exchange rate, improve cell stability, and extend the operational lifespan of SOECs without necessitating major changes to electrode chemistry or stack components.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
NASA NTRS1989

The ACEE Program And Basic Research On Composites

NASA reference publication describes research in composites conducted at Langley Research Center between 1975 and 1986. Includes Langley basic technology and composite-primary-structures element of NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program. Basic technology documents cited in bibliography grouped according to research activity; for example, design and analysis, fatigue and fracture, and tolerance to damage. ACEE documents cover development of composite structures for transport aircraft. Report deals only with resin/matrix composite materials.

Dow, Marvin B.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electrocoagulation in Water Treatment: Targeted Contaminant Removal and Laboratory Best Practices

Electrocoagulation for water treatment offers many advantages over traditional treatment technologies, including improved energy efficiency and modularity. One challenge with electrocoagulation is the lack of standardization in the methodology and reporting. This review provides a novel contribution by examining the past literature using a uniform metric (charge loading) as a basis for comparison, highlighting the importance of uniform reporting practices in this field. Furthermore, this review provides practical guidance for experimentalists in standardizing the electrocoagulation design and operating procedures. First, we present a comprehensive overview of contaminant-specific electrocoagulation as an electrochemical treatment technology for processing industrial, municipal, and agricultural water, with a focus on aluminum and iron electrocoagulation. We detail the fundamental mechanisms that allow for constituent removal during pretreatment. Specifically, we highlight electrocoagulation’s potential for organics, metalloids, microbes, and hardness remediation, examining the optimal removal conditions in terms of charge loading and current density. We conclude this work with some experimental best practices for lab-scale electrocoagulation experiments.

aluminum↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling and Analysis of a Heat Pump Clothes Dryer with Thermal Energy Storage

Clothes drying is an energy-intensive process that causes significant electricity consumption and carbon emissions in the US. Approximately 83% of Households in the US own a tumble clothes dryer at home and 80% of dryers are electrical resistance dryers with low energy efficiency. Heat pump technology makes it possible for highly efficient and clean drying. Additionally, the ventless design of heat pump clothes dryers (HPCD) provides more installation flexibility. HPCD involves three primary mediums: wet clothes, a closed air loop, and a refrigerant circuit. The evaporator is used to dehumidify the wet air and the condenser is used to re-heat the dry air. One of the critical technological barriers to HPCD market penetration is its long drying time, primarily due to the relatively low discharging temperature and the slow response during the warm-up period. In this study, the thermal energy storage (TES) technology is adopted to address this challenge by providing pre-heating of air prior to the condenser to increase the operating temperature of the process air. The heat pump will charge the phase change material (PCM) in the TES device with heating energy during clothes washing and the PCM will discharge the stored heat to facilitate air heating during clothes drying. To analyze the optimal design and potential for energy saving and drying time reduction, a mathematical model of the HPCD system was developed. The HPCD is a highly dynamic system with a coupled heat and mass transfer and heat pumping cycle. This paper provides solutions to simulate the transient behavior of the system while maintaining low computational cost. The modeling result indicates reduced energy consumption and drying time by integrating TES with HPCD, as compared to electrical resistance dryers. The study can provide significant insights into improving building flexibility with TES and smart appliances.

Liu, Xiaoli↗
NASA NTRS1980

Integrated application of active controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project. Initial ACT configuration design study

The initial ACT configuration design task of the integrated application of active controls (IAAC) technology project within the Energy Efficient Transport Program is summarized. A constrained application of active controls technology (ACT) resulted in significant improvements over a conventional baseline configuration previously established. The configuration uses the same levels of technology, takeoff gross weight, payload, and design requirements/objectives as the baseline, except for flying qualities, flutter, and ACT. The baseline wing is moved forward 1.68 m. The configuration incorporates pitch-augmented stability (which enabled an approximately 10% aft shift in cruise center of gravity and a 45% reduction in horizontal tail size), lateral/directional-augmented stability, an angle of attack limiter, wing load alleviation, and flutter mode control. This resulted in a 930 kg reduction in airplane operating empty weight and a 3.6% improvement in cruise efficiency, yielding a 13% range increase. Adjusted to the 3590 km baseline mission range, this amounts to 6% block fuel reduction and a 15.7% higher incremental return on investment, using 1978 dollars and fuel cost.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2012

Energy Efficient Cryogenics on Earth and in Space

The Cryogenics Test Laboratory, NASA Kennedy Space Center, works to provide practical solutions to low-temperature problems while focusing on long-term technology targets for energy-efficient cryogenics on Earth and in space.

Fesmire, James E.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Manufacturing of Al-Ce/Metal-Matrix-Composites (MMC) for Harsh Environments

An integrated modeling/simulation and experimental approach will be used to design and synthesize Al-Ce/MMC for use in key technologies where improved energy efficiency and performance is harsh environments is required. Modeling and simulation work including thermodynamic modeling, DFT calculations, and continuum modeling of casting processes and mechanical behavior, will be combined with lab-scale synthesis to identify potential matrix and reinforcing phase compositions for large-scale synthesis. The experimental synthesis work will rely on lab-scale casting and gas atomization to identify the optimal matrix compositions for pilot/commercial-scale synthesis is Al-Ce/MMC. Selected Al-Ce/MMC will be synthesized by commercial scale melt processing, powder metallurgy and thermomechanical processing. The corrosion resistance, mechanical properties as a function of temperature, and thermal conductivity of the composites will be characterized to validate target properties are met or exceeded. This work will focus on two selected applications; however, the design framework will have broad applicability for composites for numerous harsh service condition applications. We will have synthesized Al-Ce/MMC that exhibit better performance in harsh environments than currently used materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

High‐throughput combinatorial approach expedites the synthesis of a lead‐free relaxor ferroelectric system

Abstract Developing novel lead‐free ferroelectric materials is crucial for next‐generation microelectronic technologies that are energy efficient and environment friendly. However, materials discovery and property optimization are typically time‐consuming due to the limited throughput of traditional synthesis methods. In this work, we use a high‐throughput combinatorial synthesis approach to fabricate lead‐free ferroelectric superlattices and solid solutions of (Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3 )TiO 3 (BCT) and Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 (BZT) phases with continuous variation of composition and layer thickness. High‐resolution x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) demonstrate high film quality and well‐controlled compositional gradients. Ferroelectric and dielectric property measurements identify the “optimal property point” achieved at the composition of 48BZT–52BCT. Displacement vector maps reveal that ferroelectric domain sizes are tunable by varying {BCT–BZT} N superlattice geometry. This high‐throughput synthesis approach can be applied to many other material systems to expedite new materials discovery and properties optimization, allowing for the exploration of a large area of phase space within a single growth. image

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Thermoelectric heating and cooling–integrated dishwasher with thermal energy storage

Household dishwashers must address several performance goals: maximize washing and drying performance, while minimizing cycle duration, energy consumption, and water consumption. This study develops and examines a novel thermoelectric heating and cooling (TEHC) system with thermal energy storage applied to a household dishwasher (DW), aiming to improve the energy and drying performance of a commercially-available dishwasher while maintaining its washing performance, water consumption, and cycle duration. Experimental testing conducted on the novel TEHC-DW system demonstrates an 8.7% reduction in total energy consumption, lowering the per-cycle usage to 0.952 kWh, and a 40% reduction in energy consumption for internal water heating. The novel TEHC-DW system also demonstrates better drying performance, shortening the drying time by 42% to reach the same remaining moisture content as a commercially-available system. In addition, a resistance-capacitance network model is developed that predicts total drying time, total energy consumption, and the highest temperature reached in the tub (53.4 °C). The model accuracy is validated with experimental data (within ±1 K), and the model functions as a design tool via a parametric study to evaluate the next-generation design and the effect of the number of thermoelectric modules and thermoelectric driving force (i.e., current). Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for TEHC technology to improve energy efficiency and drying performance in household dishwashers.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Understanding and design of interstitial oxygen conductors

Highly efficient oxygen-active materials that react with, absorb, and transport oxygen is essential for fuel cells, electrolyzers and related applications. While vacancy-mediated oxygen-ion conductors have long been the focus of research, they are limited by high migration barriers at intermediate temperatures (400–600 °C), which hinder their practical applications. In contrast, interstitial oxygen conductors exhibit significantly lower migration barriers enabling higher ionic conductivity at lower temperatures. This review systematically examines both well-established and recently identified families of interstitial oxygen-ion conductors, focusing on how their unique structural motifs such as corner-sharing polyhedral frameworks, isolated polyhedral, and cage-like architectures, facilitate low migration barriers through interstitial and/or interstitialcy diffusion mechanisms. A central discussion of this review focuses on the evolution of design strategies, from targeted donor doping, element screening, to physical-intuition descriptor material screening and machine learning approach, which leverage computational tools to explore vast chemical spaces in search for new interstitial conductors. The success of these strategies demonstrates that a significant, largely unexplored space remains for discovering high-performing interstitial oxygen conductors. Crucial features enabling high-performance interstitial oxygen diffusion include the availability of electrons for oxygen reduction and sufficient structural flexibility with accessible volume for interstitial accommodation and migration. This review concludes with a forward-looking perspective, proposing a knowledge-driven methodology that integrates current understanding with data-centric approaches to identify promising interstitial oxygen conductors outside traditional search paradigms. These approaches are expected to significantly accelerate the development of high-performance interstitial oxygen conductors for a variety of oxygen-active applications, ultimately paving the way for more efficient and sustainable energy technologies.

Interstitial oxygen conductors↗
DOE OSTI2025

Entropy is an important design principle in the photosystem II supercomplex

Photosystem II (PSII) can achieve near-unity quantum efficiency of light harvesting in ideal conditions and can dissipate excess light energy as heat to prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light stress. Understanding how this pigment–protein complex accomplishes these opposing goals is a topic of great interest that has so far been explored primarily through the lens of the system energetics. Despite PSII’s known flat energy landscape, a thorough consideration of the entropic effects on energy transfer in PSII is lacking. In this work, we aim to discern the free energetic design principles underlying the PSII energy transfer network. To accomplish this goal, we employ a structure-based rate matrix and compute the free energy terms in time following a specific initial excitation to discern how entropy and enthalpy drive ensemble system dynamics. We find that the interplay between the entropy and enthalpy components differ among each protein subunit, which allows each subunit to fulfill a unique role in the energy transfer network. This individuality ensures that PSII can accomplish efficient energy trapping in the reaction center (RC), effective nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) in the periphery, and robust energy trapping in the other-monomer RC if the same-monomer RC is closed. We also show that entropy, in particular, is a dynamically tunable feature of the PSII free energy landscape accomplished through regulation of LHCII binding. These findings help rationalize natural photosynthesis and provide design principles for more efficient solar energy harvesting technologies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗