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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

PFAS Waste Management for Industrial, Water, and Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are widely used in industrial and consumer products due to their unique water and oil repelling properties. These slow-degrading and bio-accumulating compounds, often called "forever chemicals," are not typically removed by conventional industrial and municipal water/wastewater (W/WW) treatment. This tip of the month provides comprehensive strategies for managing PFAS-contaminated waste streams. Understanding the various types of PFAS waste streams is the first step in managing them. Primary PFAS waste includes contaminated process W/WW and solid materials directly from the production and processing of PFAS-containing materials. These might come from manufacturing facilities, firefighting training areas, or other industrial operations where PFAS compounds are used or were historically present. Secondary PFAS waste results from treatment and disposal mechanisms of primary PFAS waste streams, including spent activated carbon, used ion exchange resins, membrane reject streams, PFAS-laden backwash water, landfill leachate, incineration residuals, etc. TABLE 1 lists examples of the most common PFAS waste streams in different industrial facilities.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2026

All-Polyester Multilayer Plastics (‘All-Polyester MLPs’): A Redesign for Inherently Recyclable Plastics

Multilayer plastics (MLPs) are widely used in modern packaging because they combine multiple functions such as oxygen and moisture barriers, mechanical strength, puncture resistance, and heat sealability into lightweight and cost-effective packaging solutions. These attributes are essential for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods packaging. However, conventional commercial MLPs typically consist of five to twelve layers made from chemically incompatible materials, including polyolefins, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), adhesives, and tie layers. This complexity makes MLPs extremely difficult to recycle. As a result, the vast majority of multilayer plastics (MLPs) are disposed of through landfilling or incineration. This disposal pathway perpetuates demand for virgin material production, thereby driving high industrial energy consumption, increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and contributing to the long-term accumulation of plastic waste. The scope of work included: (1) Design and fabrication of all-polyester multilayer structures using commercially relevant processing methods; (2) Experimental validation of barrier, mechanical, and sealing performance; (3) Demonstration of both mechanical and chemical recycling pathways; and (4) Comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify cost, energy, and environmental impacts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enriched Background Isotope Study (EBIS): Analysis of 14C-Enriched Carbon Cycle in Soils and Litter at Forested Oak Ridge and AmeriFlux Sites, 2001-2011

These data provide a record of the multi-year, multi-institutional Enriched Background Isotope Studies (EBIS) projects that ran from 2000 through 2011. Elevated levels of 14C enriched CO2 in the air and soil atmosphere as well as leaf, stem, and root tissues were observed on the Oak Ridge Reservations (ORR) during the summer of 1999, and were attributed to local incinerator activities on and/or near the ORR (Trumbore et al. 2002). The isolated enrichment of the background levels of 14C in local forest ecosystem represented a unique opportunity to study unresolved carbon cycling processes such as the contribution of leaf versus root litter contributions to soil carbon accumulation, the rate of vertical transport of carbon into deep soil storage pools, and the differential contribution of physicochemical versus faunal driven processes to soil carbon cycling and sequestration. Leaf litter from the local enriched forest was transplanted to selected sites on the ORR and to selected AmeriFlux study sites to study soil C cycling across a range of soils and climates. The EBIS research projects provide data on C flux from litter sources to mineral soil sinks for United States eastern hardwood forests necessary for testing process hypotheses and judging efficacy of soil C cycling models. Experimental results from this study are being used to parameterize and refine existing carbon dynamics models, the quantification of the long-term fate of ecosystem carbon inputs and as a means to judge the potential for ecosystem carbon sequestration via enhance litter inputs to soil. EBIS observations support conclusions that intra- and inter-annual soil carbon cycling in hardwood forest soils should be characterized as a least a two-compartment system where surface leaf-litter and belowground root turnover represent primary carbon sources for organic-layer and mineral-soil carbon cycles, respectively. EBIS experiments were conducted to complete enriched litterfall maniplations in upland forests on Ultisol and Inceptisol soils of the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. We also collected additional14C-enriched materials for new experimental applications, and applied those materials to multiple AmeriFlux sites over a range of climatic, edaphic and biological conditions. The research provided data for addressing DOE's goal of understanding mechanisms controlling C flux, and for the improvement of models to be applied to policy discussions regarding the safe levels of greenhouse gases for the earth's system. There are 5 data files provided in comma separated (*.csv) format for vegetation, field litter, soil and air [C] and C isotope data from the EBIS studies and associated environmental data.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Life Cycle Assessment of Recycling High-Density Polyethylene Plastic Waste

Increasing production and use of various novel plastics products, a low recycling rate, and lack of effective recycling/disposal methods have resulted in an exponential growth in plastic waste accumulation in landfills and in the environment. To better understand the effects of plastic waste, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was done to compare the effects of various production and disposal methods. LCA shows the specific effects of the cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle scenarios for landfill, incineration, and mechanical recycling. The analysis clearly indicates that increasing recycling of plastics can significantly save energy and eliminate harmful emissions of various carcinogens and GHGs into the environment. As recycling increases, the need for virgin-plastic production can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the results of this study may help improve current mechanical recycling processes as well as potential future recycling methods, such as chemical recycling. Concerns about the current recycling/disposal methods for plastics have brought increasing attention to the waste accumulation problem. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, plastic accumulation is expected to increase significantly in the near future. A better understanding of the quantitative effects of the various disposal methods can help guide policies and future research toward effective solutions of the plastic waste problem.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Studies toward the Use of Ionic Liquids and Supercritical CO 2 for the Recovery and Separation of Praseodymium from Waste Streams

Waste streams from the incineration of metal-containing materials like such as computer processor boards and batteries may contain critical rare earth elements like praseodymium. Data on the solubility of Pr compounds and on their distribution coefficients in supercritical CO 2 /ionic liquid two-phase systems are important to determine if an ionic liquid/supercritical CO 2 two-phase approach is feasible toward the recovery of a particular metal. This work provides data on the solubility of various praseodymium compounds in butyl-methyl-pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMPyTf2N) ionic liquid and on the distribution coefficients of these praseodymium compounds in the supercritical CO 2 phase of the two-phase BMPyTf2N ionic liquid/supercritical CO 2 system, with and without a tributyl phosphate additive.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wet Wastes

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) uses heat and pressure to liquefy the organic matter in biomass/waste feedstocks to produce biocrude. When hydrotreated the biocrude is converted into transportation fuels including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Further, by liquifying the organic matter in wet wastes such as sewage sludge, manure, and food waste, HTL can prevent landfilling or other disposal methods such as anerobic digestion, or incineration. A significant roadblock to the development of a new route for SAF is the strict approval process, and the large volumes required (>400 L) for testing. Tier α and β testing can predict some of the properties required for ASTM testing with <400 mL samples. The current study is the first to investigate the potential for utilizing wet-waste HTL biocrude (WWHTLB) as an SAF feedstock. Herein, several WWHTLB samples were produced from food waste, sewage sludge, and fats, oils, and grease, and subsequently hydrotreated and distilled to produce SAF samples. The fuels (both undistilled and distilled samples) were analyzed via elemental and 2D-GC-MS. Herein, we report the Tier α and β analysis of an SAF sample derived originally from a WWHTLB. The results of this work indicate that the upgraded WWHTLB material exhibits key fuel properties, including carbon number distribution, distillation profile, surface tension, density, viscosity, heat of combustion, and flash point, which all fall within the required range for aviation fuel. WWHTLB has therefore been shown to be a promising candidate feedstock for the production of SAF.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Monolithic Polyepoxide Membranes for Nanofiltration Applications and Sustainable Membrane Manufacture

The present work details the development of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy membranes with excellent rejection of small-molecule dyes. It is a proof-of-concept for a more sustainable membrane design incorporating carbon fibers, and their recycling and reuse. 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) (MBCHA) polymerized with either bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether (BADGE) or tetraphenolethane tetraglycidylether (EPON Resin 1031) in polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used to make monolithic membranes reinforced by nonwoven carbon fibers. Membrane pore sizes were tuned by adjusting the molecular weight of the PEG used in the initial polymerization. Membranes made of BADGE-MBCHA showed rejection of Rose Bengal approaching 100%, while tuning the pore sizes substantially increased the rejection of Methylene Blue from ~65% to nearly 100%. The membrane with the best permselectivity was made of EPON-MBCHA polymerized in PEG 300. It has an average DI flux of 4.48 LMH/bar and an average rejection of 99.6% and 99.8% for Rose Bengal and Methylene Blue dyes, respectively. Degradation in 1.1 M sodium hypochlorite enabled the retrieval of the carbon fiber from the epoxy matrix, suggesting that the monolithic membranes could be recycled to retrieve high-value products rather than downcycled for incineration or used as a lower selectivity membrane. The mechanism for epoxy degradation is hypothesized to be part chemical and part physical due to intense swelling stress leading to erosion that leaves behind undamaged carbon fibers. The retrieved fibers were successfully used to make another membrane exhibiting similar performance to those made with pristine fibers.

Polymer Science↗
NASA NTRS1971

New materials for fireplace logs

Fibrous insulation and refractory concrete are used for logs as well as fireproof walls, incinerator bricks, planters, and roof shingles. Insulation is lighter and more shock resistant than fireclay. Lightweight slag bonded with refractory concrete serves as aggregrate.

Kieselback, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Zone radiometer measurements on a model rocket exhaust plume

Radiometer for analytical prediction of rocket plume-to-booster thermal radiation and convective heating is described. Applications for engine combustion analysis, incineration, and pollution control by high temperature processing are discussed. Illustrations of equipment are included.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1972

Domestic applications for aerospace waste and water management technologies

Some of the aerospace developments in solid waste disposal and water purification, which are applicable to specific domestic problems are explored. Also provided is an overview of the management techniques used in defining the need, in utilizing the available tools, and in synthesizing a solution. Specifically, several water recovery processes will be compared for domestic applicability. Examples are filtration, distillation, catalytic oxidation, reverse osmosis, and electrodialysis. Solid disposal methods will be discussed, including chemical treatment, drying, incineration, and wet oxidation. The latest developments in reducing household water requirements and some concepts for reusing water will be outlined.

Disanto, F.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Waste Management System overview for future spacecraft.

Waste Management Systems (WMS) for post Apollo spacecraft will be significantly more sophisticated and earthlike in user procedures. Some of the features of the advanced WMS will be accommodation of both males and females, automatic operation, either tissue wipe or anal wash, measurement and sampling of urine, feces and vomitus for medical analysis, water recovery, and solids disposal. This paper presents an overview of the major problems of and approaches to waste management for future spacecraft. Some of the processes discussed are liquid/gas separation, the Dry-John, the Hydro-John, automated sampling, vapor compression distillation, vacuum distillation-catalytic oxidation, incineration, and the integration of the above into complete systems.

Ingelfinger, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Development of integrated, zero-G pneumatic transporter/rotating paddle incinerator/catalytic afterburner subsystem for processing human wastes on board spacecraft

A four component system was developed which consists of a particle size reduction mechanism, a pneumatic waste transport system, a rotating-paddle incinerator, and a catalytic afterburner to be integrated into a six-man, zero-g subsystem for processing human wastes on board spacecraft. The study included the development of different concepts or functions, the establishment of operational specifications, and a critical evaluation for each of the four components. A series of laboratory tests was run, and a baseline subsystem design was established. An operational specification was also written in preparation for detailed design and testing of this baseline subsystem.

Fields, S. F.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Binary helium dwarf supernovae

The possibility of helium dwarf evolution to sufficiently high densities for violent helium ignition in low-massed binary systems is investigated. During accretional evolution the occurrence of thermonuclear runaway is found to be probable when the dwarf's mass approaches 1 solar mass, and steady-state discontinuous wave propagation considerations indicate that the dwarf is totally incinerated (i.e., its total mass burns to nuclear equilibrium) by a detonation wave. A numerical stellar dynamic investigation, including the full effects of nuclear statistical equilibrium and electron capture indicates total disruption for all reasonable dwarf central densities. For consistency with the cosmic element abundances, the conclusion of total disruption requires a low frequency for helium supernova events, implying that helium ignition in mass-exchanging binaries must occur at the lower densities of the relatively mild helium flash.

Mazurek, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Integrated water and waste management system for future spacecraft

Over 200 days of continuous testing have been completed on an integrated waste management-water recovery system developed by General Electric under a jointly funded AEC/NASA/AF Contract. The 4 man system provides urine, feces, and trash collection; water reclamation; storage, heating and dispensing of the water; storage and disposal of the feces and urine residue and all of other nonmetallic waste material by incineration. The heat required for the 1200 deg F purification processes is provided by a single 420-w radioisotope heater. A second 836-w radioisotope heater supplemented by 720 w of electrical heat provides for distillation and water heating. Significant test results are no pre-or-post treatment, greater than 98 per cent potable water recovery, approximately 95 per cent reduction in solids weight and volume, all outflows are sterile with the water having no bacteria or virus, and the radioisotope capsule radiation level is only 7.9 mrem/hr unshielded at 1 m (neutrons and gamma).

Ingelfinger, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Energy recovery from solid waste

A recent group study on the problem of solid waste disposal provided a decision making model for a community to use in determining the future for its solid waste. The model is a combination of the following factors: technology, legal, social, political, economic and environmental. An assessment of local or community needs determines what form of energy recovery is desirable. A market for low pressure steam or hot water would direct a community to recover energy from solid waste by incineration to generate steam. A fuel gas could be produced by a process known as pyrolysis if there is a local market for a low heating value gaseous fuel. Solid waste can also be used directly as a fuel supplemental to coal in a steam generator. An evaluation of these various processes is made.

Dalton, C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Pyrolysis system evaluation study

An evaluation of two different pyrolysis concepts which recover energy from solid waste was conducted in order to determine the merits of each concept for integration into a Integrated Utility System (IUS). The two concepts evaluated were a Lead Bath Furnace Pyrolysis System and a Slagging Vertical Shaft, Partial Air Oxidation Pyrolysis System. Both concepts will produce a fuel gas from the IUS waste and sewage sludge which can be used to offset primary fuel consumption in addition to the sanitary disposal of the waste. The study evaluated the thermal integration of each concept as well as the economic impact on the IUS resulting from integrating each pyrolysis concepts. For reference, the pyrolysis concepts were also compared to incineration which was considered the baseline IUS solid waste disposal system.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1974

The MIST /MIUS Integration and Subsystems Test/ laboratory - A testbed for the MIUS /Modular Integrated Utility System/ program

The MIUS (Modular Integrated Utility System) concept is to be an energy-conserving, economically feasible, integrated community utility system to provide five necessary services: electricity generation, space heating and air conditioning, solid waste processing, liquid waste processing, and residential water purification. The MIST (MIUS Integration and Subsystem Test) integrated system testbed constructed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston includes subsystems for power generation, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), wastewater management, solid waste management, and control and monitoring. The key design issues under study include thermal integration and distribution techniques, thermal storage, integration of subsystems controls and displays, incinerator performance, effluent characteristics, and odor control.

Beckham, W. S., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Computer simulation of thermal and fluid systems for MIUS integration and subsystems test /MIST/ laboratory

This paper describes the application of the SINDA (systems improved numerical differencing analyzer) computer program to simulate the operation of the NASA/JSC MIUS integration and subsystems test (MIST) laboratory. The MIST laboratory is designed to test the integration capability of the following subsystems of a modular integrated utility system (MIUS): (1) electric power generation, (2) space heating and cooling, (3) solid waste disposal, (4) potable water supply, and (5) waste water treatment. The SINDA/MIST computer model is designed to simulate the response of these subsystems to externally impressed loads. The computer model determines the amount of recovered waste heat from the prime mover exhaust, water jacket and oil/aftercooler and from the incinerator. This recovered waste heat is used in the model to heat potable water, for space heating, absorption air conditioning, waste water sterilization, and to provide for thermal storage. The details of the thermal and fluid simulation of MIST including the system configuration, modes of operation modeled, SINDA model characteristics and the results of several analyses are described.

Rochelle, W. C.↗