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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

FEED Study of Carbon Capture Inc. DAC and CarbonCure Utilization Using United States Steel's Gary Works Waste Plant

Direct Air Capture (DAC) has been proposed as a means of reducing atmospheric concentrations of CO2. While DAC has been evaluated through lab-scale, bench-scale, and small-scale pilot units, large-scale deployment has not been achieved. Feasibility studies are one tool to understand the potential design, operation, performance, and impact of commercial-scale DAC. This paper presents the results of a feasibility study for a passive DAC system deployed at >100,000 tpy scale in three different regions across the U.S. and awarded to Carbon Collect by the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE NETL). The MechanicalTree™technology has been designed and engineered by Carbon Collect based on the concept initially developed at Arizona State University Center for Negative Carbon Emissions. It uses a tower of stacked, sorbentcontaining disks supported by a lifting mechanism, exposed to the air to capture CO2 during the adsorption phase. The disks are then lowered into a regeneration chamber for vacuum and steam regeneration to produce CO2 product during the desorption step. The modular tree design allows large installations with repeatable, mass-manufactured units connected to common utilities such as steam supply, vacuum, and CO2 processing for compression and geologic storage. The passive DAC system eliminates the equipment and energy of forced air fans by using natural air circulation to contact the sorbent with the CO2 in the air. Because of this, the performance is dependent on the wind speed in addition to the temperature and relative humidity. Performance and flow rate fluctuations were incorporated into equipment and facility design with considerations for turndown to 10% of maximum rated flow to allow operation in all seasons. The feasibility study was undertaken to evaluate the technology in different regions and climates. Three locations were selected for this study representing different climates: Alabama (hot and humid), California (hot and arid), and Wyoming (continental). For each region, the adsorption/desorption cycle was optimized including tuning the heat integration and cycle timings. The performance of individual trees was then scaled to the full facility with the same design of more than 20,000 trees common between all regions. The installations had expected average CO2 capture rates of between 330,000 and 485,000 tonnes of CO2 per year depending on the climate. The initial engineering design for the facility at each location was performed with cost and performance estimates for the trees, carbon purification and compression, and the balance of plant. To supply thermal and electrical energy for the facility, carbon-free or low-carbon power must be considered. Options for low-carbon, continuous thermal and electrical energy were considered. The best-performing option from those considered was identified to be an electrically-heated molten salt energy storage system, powered by an on-site photovoltaic field. During molten salt thermal discharge, steam is produced from heat exchange with the molten salt and used to generate power in a steam turbine as well as steam for regenerating the DAC carbon trees. The thermal and electrical supply and analysis is presented in the context of low-carbon power for carbon removal. Modelling and economics of transportation and geologic storage of the CO2 is considered and presented for each location. The results of the feasibility study are incorporated into the presented techno-economic and life-cycle assessments. This work is intended to provide an understanding of the performance, cost, and impact of capturing CO2 at the commercial scale and the impact of climate and regional siting on the considered passive DAC system.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Gas-phase stability of large lanthanide:diglycolamide clusters evaluated using collision-induced dissociation

Efficient utilization of long-term deep geologic storage repositories is critical for the large-scale deployment of nuclear energy. As the minor actinides (americium and curium) are the largest contributor to the decay heat of used nuclear fuel after a few hundred years, their removal from used fuel prior to disposal can significantly increase the amount of waste that can be stored in a given volume. The development of ligands that can effectively separate the minor actinides from other components of used nuclear fuel are crucial to efficient utilization of geological storage repositories. N,N,N’,N’-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) is a promising extractant for the separation of lanthanides and the minor actinides from other components of used nuclear fuel. While the use of TODGA in f-element separations has been investigated in process-based formulations, gas-phase metal ion cluster experiments enable the study of covalent interactions in reprocessing systems absent from solvent effects. Exploring fundamental differences in lanthanide-ligand covalent interactions can impact the development and implementation of actinide-lanthanide separation systems in nuclear fuels reprocessing. In this study, lanthanide-TODGA clusters were synthesized in the gas-phase and identified using mass spectrometry fragmentation experiments. Large europium and samarium clusters were identified that contained up to 8 and 10 bound TODGA ligands, respectively; this was surprising due to the size and multidentate binding that is normal for TODGA. In addition, while smaller clusters showed evidence of sequential ligand fragmentation, larger clusters displayed the loss of neutral TODGA with applied collision voltage. Interestingly, the voltage required for this removal decreased as more TODGA ligands were bound to the metal, suggesting that the metal coordination sphere was becoming more saturated and TODGA ligands were more weakly bound as the clusters got larger.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multiscale Assessment of Caprock Integrity for Geologic Carbon Storage in the Pennsylvanian Farnsworth Unit, Texas, USA

Leakage pathways through caprock lithologies for underground storage of CO2 and/or enhanced oil recovery (EOR) include intrusion into nano-pore mudstones, flow within fractures and faults, and larger-scale sedimentary heterogeneity (e.g., stacked channel deposits). To assess multiscale sealing integrity of the caprock system that overlies the Morrow B sandstone reservoir, Farnsworth Unit (FWU), Texas, USA, we combine pore-to-core observations, laboratory testing, well logging results, and noble gas analysis. A cluster analysis combining gamma ray, compressional slowness, and other logs was combined with caliper responses and triaxial rock mechanics testing to define eleven lithologic classes across the upper Morrow shale and Thirteen Finger limestone caprock units, with estimations of dynamic elastic moduli and fracture breakdown pressures (minimum horizontal stress gradients) for each class. Mercury porosimetry determinations of CO2 column heights in sealing formations yield values exceeding reservoir height. Noble gas profiles provide a “geologic time-integrated” assessment of fluid flow across the reservoir-caprock system, with Morrow B reservoir measurements consistent with decades-long EOR water-flooding, and upper Morrow shale and lower Thirteen Finger limestone values being consistent with long-term geohydrologic isolation. Together, these data suggest an excellent sealing capacity for the FWU and provide limits for injection pressure increases accompanying carbon storage activities.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Developing a Prototype Methodology to Rank CO2-EOR Wells and Assess Their Reuse Potential for Geologic Carbon Storage

This paper presents a prototype methodology to assess the possible transition of Class II carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) wells to Class VI wells. The focus is on wellbore construction materials—casing, cement, tubing, and the packer—and includes comprehensive workflows to evaluate these materials, with primary emphasis on compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Class VI well construction and conversion guidelines. These workflows systematically assess material properties and performance criteria to ensure regulatory compliance and optimize long-term wellbore integrity and functionality. Utilizing Python scripts and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) representations, the study automates checks on digitized Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) data to rank wells based on workflow criteria. By emphasizing critical factors such as casing integrity, cementing techniques, tubing compatibility, and packer selection, the methodology helps well owners and operators prioritize wells for potential reuse as CO2 injection wells. Given limitations in digitized data, manual user verification is required in some sections. Future improvements include integrating non-digitized data through web scraping and machine learning techniques. This research serves as a practical guide for stakeholders, supporting environmental compliance and sustainable well operations.

geologic carbon sequestration↗
DOE OSTI2021

A simulation study of carbon storage with active reservoir management

As part of the Integrated Midcontinent Stacked Carbon Storage Hub (IMSCS-Hub) project led by Battelle Memorial Institute, a study was conducted to determine the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the stacked saline rock formations of the Sleepy Hollow Field (SHF), located in Red Willow County, southern Nebraska. A series of CO 2 injection simulation scenarios, with and without active reservoir management (ARM; brine extraction), were evaluated to investigate the feasibility of storing 50+ million tonnes (Mt) of CO 2 . The results indicated CO 2 injection combined with ARM may enable permanent storage of 50+ Mt of CO 2 . The area of review (AOR), the area in which underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) might be endangered during CO 2 injection, was assessed for the simulation scenarios. In comparison to a case without ARM, brine extraction resulted in a much smaller AOR, covering an area of 42 square miles (108.8 km 2 ), roughly one-fourth the size of an AOR resulting from CO 2 injection without ARM. Our findings, presented in this paper, indicate that CO 2 injection with ARM can improve the CO 2 storage capacity of a geologic storage complex up to 100% while also reduce the rate of pressure buildup in the subsurface, resulting in a 75% reduction in AOR. This may help in lowering carbon capture and storage project costs, risks, and effort needed to meet monitoring requirements for a storage project.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Can section 45Q tax credit foster decarbonization? A case study of geologic carbon storage at Acid Gas Injection wells in the Permian Basin

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is an important pathway for meeting climate mitigation goals. While the economic viability of CCUS is well understood, previous studies do not evaluate the economic feasibility of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the Permian Basin specifically regarding the new Section 45Q tax credits. We developed a technoeconomic analysis method, evaluated the economic feasibility of CCS at the acid gas injection (AGI) wells, and assessed the implication of Section 45Q tax credits for CCS at the AGIs. We find that the compressors, well depth, and the permit and monitoring costs drive the facility costs. Compressors are the predominant contributors to capital and operating expenditure driving the levelized cost of CO 2 storage. Strategic cost reduction measures identified include 1) sourcing of low-cost electricity and 2) optimizing operational efficiency in well operations. In evaluating the impact of the tax credits on CCS projects, facility scale proved decisive. We found that facilities with an annual injection rate exceeding 10,000 MT storage capacity demonstrate economic viability contingent upon the procurement of inputs at the least cost. The new construction of AGI wells were found to be economically viable at a storage capacity of 100,000 MT. The basin is heavily focused on CCUS (tax credit – $\$$65/MT CO 2 ), which overshadows CCS ($\$$85/MT CO 2 ) opportunities. Balancing the dual objectives of CCS and CCUS requires planning and coordination for optimal resource and pore space utilization to attain the basin's decarbonization potential. We also found that CCS on AGI is a lower cost CCS option as compared to CCS on other industries.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Identifying Potential Geochemical and Microbial Impacts of Hydrogen Storage in a Deep Saline Aquifer

Hydrogen is valuable commodity and a promising energy carrier for variable energy production. Storage of hydrogen may occur through injection of hydrogen or a hydrogen/methane gas blend in subsurface reservoirs. However, the geochemical and biological reactions that may impact the stored hydrogen are not yet understood. Therefore, we collected samples from a deep storage aquifer located in the St. Peter Formation in southern Illinois. The reservoir material was primarily quartz with sulphur and iron deposits, while the major constituents of the fluid were chloride and sulphate. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed a low biomass microbial community that contained no obvious hydrogen-consuming bacteria. Next, we enriched a field sample to increase the biomass and completed a metagenomic analysis, finding a low number of genes present that are associated with hydrogen consumption. Then, we completed a series of reactor experiments under reservoir conditions with 15% H2/85% CH4 gas simulating a short-term hydrogen storage, high withdrawal scenario. We found minimal changes in the geochemistry or microbiology for the reactor experiments. This work suggests that short-term storage may be highly successful, although significant additional work needs to be completed in order to accurately evaluate the risks associated with long-term hydrogen storage scenarios. It is essential we continue to expand our understanding of the dynamics present in saline aquifers and provide new insights into how hydrogen storage may impact underground geological storage environments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Assessment of Carbonated Brine Injection as Low-risk Strategy for Geologic Carbon Storage

The main objective of this early-phase research was to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility and risk associated with combined brine and CO 2 storage in SWD wells using brine dissolution in the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin. Three simulation studies were conducted to investigate: (1) CO 2 phases at different conditions, (2) wellbore compatibility, and (3) long-term storage fate in reservoir. (1) A simple reservoir model and injection simulations were created using data to represent the BEST (brine extraction and storage test) site, an operational SWD facility located near Watford City, North Dakota. The pressure evolution caused by CO 2 comingled in produced water injectate in a layer cake reservoir was then modeled while tracking aqueous CO 2 throughout the project. The salinity of the injection water, the salinity of the reservoir brine, and the amount of dissolved CO 2 comingled in the injection water were varied. (2) A wellbore corrosion model was performed using the CO 2 concentrations selected based on the reservoir modeling to examine the carbonated produced water impact on wellbore. (3) Reactive transport modeling was conducted with the optimal CO 2 concentration for this injection site to study the rock-fluid interactions and CO 2 fate in the reservoir. Results suggest that CO 2 dissolved in produced water can be injected without appreciably increasing subsurface pressure or leakage risks. Pressure buildup was found to vary with salinity but not with CO 2 mass fraction. Simulation results show that lower CO 2 percent mass fraction leads to a higher amount of CO 2 that can be dissolved at a higher injection salinity. Furthermore, the long-term goal of dissolution trapping in a traditional carbon storage project is accomplished from the start, mitigating risks associated with potential migration of buoyant CO 2 , so long as the reservoir pressure and temperature are used to determine the maximum mass fraction of the dissolved CO 2 .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗