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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Intrinsic self-stressing and low carbon Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) for improved sustainability

Highlights: • A self-stressing criterion for ECC was established and experimentally verified. • An intrinsic self-stressing ECC was developed by utilizing LC3 and CSA cement. • Initial maximum expansion and later expansion loss were successfully tailored. • Expansion mechanism was identified by XRD patterns. • Self-stressing ECC has 64% of the carbon footprint of conventional concrete. Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) is an emerging cementitious composite material with ultra-high ductility. However, its higher cement dosage limits its material greenness and leads to concerns with drying shrinkage. In this research, an ECC utilizing limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) and calcium sulphoaluminate cement (CSA) is investigated, focusing on minimizing the material's embodied carbon while enhancing its durability with intrinsic self-stressing functionality. A self-stressing criterion is theoretically established and experimentally verified. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal an ettringite quantity that modulates the initial expansion and later expansion-reversal of LC3-CSA-ECC to support a persistent self-stressing mechanism. LC3-CSA-ECC has a lower (64%) carbon footprint and similar embodied energy compared to conventional concrete. When combined with the durability advantage (tiny crack, high ductility of 5.5%, and self-stressing function), this low carbon self-stressing ECC holds promise as a sustainable repair material that lowers the embodied and operational carbon in civil infrastructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Heavy Flavor Physics at the EIC with the ECCE detector

The proposed Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) will operate high-energy high-luminosity electron+proton and electron+nucleus collisions to solve several unresolved fundamental questions. Due to their large masses (mc,b > ΛQCD), heavy quarks and their hadron products are ideal probes to study the nucleon/nuclear parton distribution functions in the high Bjorken-x (xBJ > 0.1) region and explore the hadronization process within the unconstrained kinematic region. Recently, the Electron-Ion Collider Comprehensive Chromodynamics Experiment (ECCE) consortium detector conceptual design has been selected as the reference design for the EIC project detector. The precise momentum and spatial resolutions provided by the ECCE tracking detector enable a series of open heavy flavor and quarkonia measurements. The physics projections of these proposed heavy flavor measurements in simulation studies using the ECCE detector design will be presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

ECC Refrigerator: Investigate Potential Energy Savings and Likelihood of Success if an ECC is Used Instead of a Typical Vapor Compressor

This report estimates energy saving potential of a refrigerator using an electrochemical compressor (ECC) and metal hydride heat exchangers, versus a baseline refrigerator using a single-speed reciprocating compressor. The ECC technology has is more efficient at high pressure ratio and has better part-load performance. In addition, metal hydrides are solid refrigerants suitable for extensive applications, having larger formation heat. It has the potential to achieve energy saving over 20% than the baseline refrigerator, after we break the technical barriers on the path. Based on evaluation of the project against the must meet criteria, it meets the requirements for a “go” decision.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2018

ECC Refrigerator: Develop a system model using electrochemical (ECC) compressor and metal hydride (MH) heat exchangers- FY18 2nd Quarter Milestone Report

This report describes equations for modeling electrochemical compressors and metal hydride heat exchangers. We developed two new component models into the HPDM model library. Two system simulations were conducted, one was a water heating system using LaNi5, and the other was a refrigeration system using V0.85Ti0.1Fe0.05. The simulations demonstrated that COPs of the electrochemical compression systems decreased drastically with increasing the electric current and capacity, due to reduced electrochemical compression efficiency at larger ohm resistance loss. Cyclic loss caused by the metal hydride and heat exchanger mass had a secondary effect on the system efficiency. Elimination of the heat exchanger cyclic loss could enhance the water heating COP of the LaNi5 system by 12% and increase the refrigeration COP of the V0.85Ti0.1Fe0.05 system by 7%.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2022

Homogenization of the Observatoire de Haute Provence electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesonde data record: comparison with lidar and satellite observations

The Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP) weekly Electrochemical Concentration Cell (ECC) ozonesonde data have been homogenized for the period 1991-2021 according to the recommendations of the Ozonesonde Data Quality Assessment (O3S-DQA) panel. The assessment of the ECC homogenization benefit has been carried out using comparisons with other ozone measuring ground based instruments at the same station (lidar, surface measurements) and with collocated satellite observations of the O3vertical profile by Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). The major differences between uncorrected and5homogenized ECC data are related to a change of ozonesonde type in 1997, removal of the pressure dependency of the ECC background current and correction of internal pump temperature. The original 3-4 ppbv positive bias between ECC and Lidar in the troposphere is corrected with the homogenization. The ECC 30-years trends of the seasonally adjusted ozone concentrations are also significantly improved in both the troposphere and the stratosphere after the ECC homogenization, as shown by the ECC/lidar or ECC/surface ozone trend comparisons. A -0.19% per year negative trend of the normalization factor (NT)10calculated using independent measurements of the total ozone column (TOC) at OHP disappears after homogenization of the ECC data. There is however a remaining -3.7% negative bias in the TOC which is likely related to an underestimate of the ECC concentrations in the stratosphere above 50 hPa. Differences between TOC measured by homogenized ECC and satellite observations show a smaller bias of -1%. Comparisons between homogenized ECC and OHP stratospheric lidar and MLS observations below 26 km are slightly negative (-2%) or positive (+2%), respectively. Both the comparisons with lidar and15satellite observations suggest that homogenization increases the negative bias of the ECC to values lower than -6% above 28km. The reason for this bias is still unclear, but a possible explanation might be related to freezing or evaporation of the sonde solution in the stratosphere.

Ozonesondes↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Impact of Carbonation Curing on the Fatigue Behavior of Polyvinyl Alcohol Engineered Cementitious Composites (PVA-ECC)

Use of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) has been proven to enhance structural fatigue resistance and reduce the use-phase emissions for transportation infrastructure. Carbonation curing offers an opportunity to reduce the embodied carbon of ECC via direct CO 2 sequestration. In this study, the impact of carbonation curing on ECC’s fatigue resistance was examined. ECC’s CO 2 uptake, static flexural behavior, flexural fatigue performance, and single fiber pull-out behavior were studied experimentally. Midspan deflection up to 3 million cycles under fatigue load, fatigue stress-life relationship, and failure mechanism for carbonation-cured and air-cured ECC were investigated. Carbonation curing was found to significantly improved the fatigue life of ECC and lowered the midspan deflection under the same stress. Further, CO 2 -cured ECC can achieve >20% CO 2 uptake per cement mass after 24-hour carbonation curing. Carbonation curing increased ECC’s flexural strength by 32% and promoted crack width control capability, with maximum post-fatigue crack width reduced from 148 μm to 76 μm. As a result, the positive impact of carbonation curing on the fatigue behavior of ECC simultaneously lowers the embodied and operational carbon of ECC structural members subjected to fatigue loading during service.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

ECC Ozonesonde Reliability, Observations, and Comparisons with Satellite Ozone Instruments

Electrochemical Concentration Cell (ECC) ozone instruments depend on the quality of care exercised in their pre-flight preparation. The ozone-measuring project conducted at Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility uses a number of mechanisms designed to inspect the ECC for anomalies that may interfere with the reception of valid ozone profiles. Complete electronic testing of the instrument, individually and when coupled to its radiosonde has led to exceptional monitoring of ozone for detecting long-term atmospheric changes. A number of factors are considered when preparing an ECC instrument for flight. These basically are specific calibrations of pump efficiency, volumetric flow rate, temperature of the air entering the pump, and background current. The concentration of the potassium iodide solution is also important. Wallops is the only site using a UV photometer (Dasibi) to compare ECC ozone output at various concentrations of ozone that allows adjustment to be made to offsets that may appear in the balloon-borne instrument prior to release. All of the above procedures allow identification of potential problems before release of the ECC instrument. Procedures followed at Wallops also are employed in Brazil, and Ascension Island where NASA has cooperative agreements in place to obtain ozonesondes data. All ECC instruments are prepared 3-4 weeks prior to the day of observation. We will briefly describe the instrumental tests employed. These tests have included simultaneous dual observations to compare the effect of different solution concentrations, comparison of sensors of different manufacturers, and comparisons with surface- and space-based instrumentation such as the Dobson Spectrophotometer and satellites. Vertical profiles of ozone from Arctic, mid-latitudes, and Antarctica will be discussed. Although not unusual, the data reveals ozone structure that correlate well with typical atmospheric temperatures and possibly relative humidity. Finally, vertical ozone distribution, compared with remotely measured ozone from lidar and satellite, will be discussed. Specific comparisons between ECC and HALOE measurements, integrated ECC total ozone overburden with the EP-TOMS and the Dobson, as well as comparisons with lidar are discussed. Results show agreement and some disagreement between the in situ measurements of the ECC and the remote instruments. We postulate reasons for the differences, or biases, which in spite of the excellent ECC quality control during pre-flight preparation and data analysis processes, may be due to uncertainties in both measuring systems.

Schmidlin, F. J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

eCC++ : A Compiler Construction Framework for Embedded Domain-Specific Languages

eCC++ is a new compiler construction framework for embedding domain-specific programming languages within C++. That is, the host language is C++, the guest language is the DSL to be embedded in C++, and eCC++ is the tool that enables the embedding. The eCC++ framework is composed of three main components: a front-end, an API for program verification based on a functional and declarative intermediate representation (IR), and a Multi-Level Intermediate Representation (MLIR) code generator. The eCC++ front-end consists of a library of C++ classes and operators that can be used to define the guest language. Guest sources are compiled with any standard C++ compiler, and when run, the resulting executable generates an eCC++ IR representation of the program, which can be verified within the eCC++ framework. Finally, eCC++ allows for high-level and domain-specific optimizations before generating MLIR. In summary, eCC++ aims to act as a generic front-end that enables embedding guest languages into C++, and provides necessary compiler technology for program verification, targeting the existing capabilities in the MLIR infrastructure. The paper evaluates the eCC++ expressiveness and usability describing the process of embedding GraphIt, a high-performance graph language in C++.

Gonzalez Tallada, Marc↗
NASA NTRS1982

Optimal preparation of the ECC ozonesonde

The ECC background current was identified as the removal of residual tri-iodide (iodine) as the cell approaches equilibrium. The altitude dependence of this source of the background current is expected to be only slowly changed in the troposphere with a more rapid decrease in the stratosphere. Oxygen does not play a role in the background current except in the unlikely situation where the electrodes have had all forms of iodine removed from them and the electrodes have not re-equilibrated with the sonde solutions before use. A solution mass transport parameter in the ECC was identified and its altitude dependence determined. The mass transport of tri-iodide dominates in the chemical transduction of ozone to electrical signal. The effect of the mass transport on the ECC background current is predicted. An electrochemical model of the ECC has been developed to predict the response of the ECC to various ozone vertical profiles. The model corresponds very closely to the performance of the ECC in the laboratory. Based on this model, an ECC with no background current is predicted to give total ozone values within 1% of the correct value, although the vertical profile may be in error by as much as + or - 15%.

Thornton, D. C.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) with limestone calcined clay cement (LC 3 )

Recent research have recognized that coupled use of calcined clay, limestone and cement clinker in concrete is viable to reduce environmental footprints at manufacture and to enhance material durability. In this study, a novel application of the limestone calcined clay cement (LC 3 ) is demonstrated by substituting the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC). The composite mechanical properties including σ-δ and σ-ε relationships and residual crack widths were evaluated to 28 days under uniaxial tension. Matrix chemistry was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction, while the pore structure of matrices and composites was analyzed using mercury intrusion porosimetry. The LC 3 -based ECC showed more rapid early strength development but lower 28-day strength (~32 MPa) due to a 20% higher water-to-solid ratio for attaining adequate workability and fiber dispersion. Nevertheless, the tensile strain capacity of LC 3 -based ECC achieved over 6% with an average residual crack width less than 50 μm. Additionally, the composite pore structure exhibited a decreasing volume fraction of large pores and voids (>100 nm) after substituting LC 3 for OPC. Here, the use of LC 3 marginally decreased the embodied material energy and cost, but led to about 32% and 28% reductions in CO 2 emissions compared to traditional OPC-based ECC and concrete, respectively. As a preliminary study, LC 3 -based ECC shows promise as a greener ductile concrete compared with OPC-based ECC.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Crack width control and mechanical properties of low carbon engineered cementitious composites (ECC)

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) have superior properties with high tensile ductility and tight crack width compared to conventional concrete. The properties of ECC are significantly influenced by the material composition which can be tailored to enhance the sustainability of ECC. Towards this goal, recycled crumb rubber (CR) and silica fume (SF) were used to tailor the properties of a polypropylene-fiber reinforced ECC with a low carbon binder based on limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) in this study. Crumb rubber was found to be effective in enhancing strain-hardening performance and reducing the width of the multiple microcracks. However, a loss of compressive strength was accompanied by an increasing amount of CR. While silica fume or lower w/b ratio enhanced the compressive strength, the crack width of ECC increased at higher SF content or lower w/b. The underlying mechanisms of these trends were traced to the alteration of the matrix fracture toughness and fiber/matrix interfacial bond. Rubber particle bridging was found to contribute to crack width control. Finally, the combined use of the LC3 green binder and CR led to a lowering of the embodied and operational carbon footprint of ECC.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

3D-printable engineered cementitious composites (3DP-ECC): Fresh and hardened properties

3D printing (3DP) is an emerging digital construction method for concrete materials. A major impediment to efficient 3D concrete printing (3DCP) is the need for steel reinforcement, the placement of which is incompatible with the 3DP process. Unlike plain concrete, ductile self-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (ECC) holds promise to remove the dependence on steel reinforcement. The objective of this research is to develop a 3D-printable ECC (3DP-ECC). The fresh rheological and hardened mechanical properties of 3DP-ECC are investigated. The robotically printed tensile specimens demonstrated the familiar multiple microcracking and strain-hardening behavior of conventionally cast ECC. Significant orthotropy is revealed in the compressive properties. The interface between printed layers is found to be toughened by a printed groove-tongue joint. The developed 3DP-ECC was used to print a twisted column with 150 layers, reaching a height of 1.5 m. This research lays the groundwork for efficient robotically 3D-printed structures of complex shapes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Low-overhead mechanism to detect address faults in ECC-protected memories

Embodiments are generally directed to a low-overhead mechanism to detect address faults in ECC-protected memories. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a memory array; an error correction code (ECC) encoder for the memory array to encode ECC values based on a data value and a respective address value for the data value; and an ECC decoder for the memory array to decode ECC values that are based on data values and respective addresses for the data values; wherein the apparatus is to detect and correct an error in an address value based on an ECC value, address value, and data value stored in the memory.

Kwon, Kon-Woo↗
DOE OSTI2022

Material processing, microstructure, and composite properties of low carbon Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)

Traditional PVA fiber-reinforced Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) show high tensile ductility and superior durability with tight crack width, but the high cost and embodied carbon can hinder its wider application in infrastructures. The objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the fresh and hardened properties of an ECC that employs a lower embodied-carbon binder, Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3), and lower-cost PP fiber that is widely available. Specifically, the interrelations between material processing, microstructure, and composite properties were studied experimentally. The results showed that ECC with high tensile ductility up to 9% tensile strain and tight crack width with 50 μm at 2% tensile strain can be achieved. It was found that a matrix paste with higher viscosity generally enhanced fiber dispersion uniformity and robustness in tensile strain-hardening. The paste viscosity is increased when OPC is replaced by LC3 and can be tuned with superplasticizer content. Larger maximum flaw size leads to lower first crack strength, beneficial for microcrack initiation and multiple cracking. This study generates fundamental knowledge linking processing-microstructure-performance of PP-LC3-ECC. This class of low embodied carbon ECC with tight crack width is expected to contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2020

A New Method to Correct the Electrochemical Concentration Cell (ECC) Ozonesonde Time Response and its Implications for "Background Current" and Pump Efficiency

The electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesonde has been the main instrument for in situ profiling of ozone worldwide; yet, some details of its operation, which contribute to the ozone uncertainty budget, are not well understood. Here, we investigate the time response of the chemical reactions inside the ECC and how corrections can be used to remove some systematic biases. The analysis is based on the understanding that two reaction pathways involving ozone occur inside the ECC that generate electrical currents on two very different timescales. The main fast-reaction pathway with a time constant of about 20 s is due the conversion of iodide to molecular iodine and the generation of two free electrons per ozone molecule. A secondary slow-reaction pathway involving the buffer generates an excess current of about 2 %–10 % with a time constant of about 25 min. This excess current can be interpreted as what has conventionally been considered the “background current”. This contribution can be calculated and removed from the measured current instead of the background current. Here we provide an algorithm to calculate and remove the contribution of the slow-reaction pathway and to correct for the time lag of the fast-reaction pathway. This processing algorithm has been applied to ozonesonde profiles at Costa Rica and during the Central Equatorial Pacific Experiment (CEPEX) as well as to laboratory experiments evaluating the performance of ECC ozonesondes. At Costa Rica, where a 1 % KI, 1/10th buffer solution is used, there is no change in the derived total ozone column; however, in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, average reported ozone concentrations increase by up to 7 % and above 30 km decrease by up to 7 %. During CEPEX, where a 1 % KI, full-buffer solution was used, ozone concentrations are increased mostly in the upper troposphere, with no change near the top of the profile. In the laboratory measurements, the processing algorithms have been applied to measurements using the majority of current sensing solutions and using only the stronger pump efficiency correction reported by Johnson et al. (2002). This improves the accuracy of the ECC sonde ozone profiles, especially for low ozone concentrations or large ozone gradients and removes systematic biases relative to the reference instruments. In the surface layer, operational procedures prior to launch, in particular the use of filters, influence how typical gradients above the surface are detected. The correction algorithm may report gradients that are steeper than originally reported, but their uncertainty is strongly influenced by the prelaunch procedures.

electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesond↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mechanical behavior of carbonated MgO-based Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) after high temperatures exposure

Carbonated MgO-based Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) has ultrahigh tensile ductility and tight crack width control behavior. However, the expectation of improved fire-resistant has not been confirmed. This study explored the alterations to mechanical and microstructure characteristics of this material after exposure to temperatures up to 500 °C. Material mass loss, compressive strength, tensile strength, strain capacity, and matrix fracture toughness were measured. Scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction were used to probe the degradation of the cement matrix and fibers. The effect of elevated temperature on carbonated MgO-based ECC was further assessed via examination of the micromechanical behavior of the fiber-matrix. The objective of this research was to assess the performance of carbonated MgO-based ECC exposed to fire hazards. The tensile ductility of carbonated MgO-based ECC was found to be enhanced when exposed to ~100 °C as compared with those at room temperature ~20 °C. Further increase in exposure temperature, however, posed a negative impact on the composite compressive strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ability to control crack width. Here the results provide a useful database for further investigations into carbonated MgO-based ECC for fire safety enhancement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗