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At least 19 records

Utah FORGE 2439: Well 16B(78)-32 Field-Test Data from Mini-Frac Tests

This submittal includes the field-test data collected during stress tests conducted in the Utah FORGE 16B(78)-32 wellbore to measure/characterize the stresses in the geothermal reservoir. The type of stress test performed is referred to as a mini-frac test or a micro-frac test. The test is a hydraulic fracture test that involves injecting a small volume of water into a short interval of the reservoir that is isolated by a straddle packer to create a fracture. The test provides information about the minimum and maximum horizontal stress at the test depths. A total of seven mini-frac tests were performed within the upper (vertical or nearly vertical) section of the 9-5/8-inch diameter uncased wellbore, between depths of 5,202 ft MD [5,202 ft TVD] and 5,980 ft MD [5966.18 ft TVD]. Two types of data were generated as part of the mini-frac tests. The first type of data is time-series data for each mini-frac test (e.g., injection-rate, test-interval pressure), and are contained in the "Mini-Frac Test Data.zip" file below. The second type is geophysical log data, attached below in the "Geophysical Logs.zip" file. Here, two types of image logs and acoustic logs were obtained before and after the mini-frac tests to examine each test depth for visual evidence of induced fracture(s) and to measure the azimuth (orientation) of any observed fractures. The attached Readme file includes the test depth information and contents of each data file included here. Analysis of the field-test data was conducted and is documented in the attached report below.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Field Test Report Neutron Scintillator Array Dry Storage Cask Scanner FY2024

During two weeks of Field Testing at the Idaho National Laboratory INTEC Cask Farm in July and August 2024, the LLNL Dry Storage Cask Scanner Array was lifted on top of an MC-10 dry storage fuel cask and operated to acquire neutron and gamma-ray data from the 24 fuel bundle positions. Neutron and gamma-ray data acquisition scans across the top of the cask of varying dwell times were performed July 15-18, 2024 and August 19-22, 2024 to evaluate the ability of the scanner data to reveal asymmetries in the fuel positions that reflect asymmetries in the MC-10 cask fuel bundle loading. The MC-10 cask 24 position fuel bundle loading at the INTEC Cask Farm is well documented, including the locations of six empty fuel bundle positions. This loading presents an opportunity to test the ability of the scanner system to detect diversion of spent fuel bundles as well as to validate the MC-10 cask MCNP modeling. The cask scanner array consists of six Stilbene crystal scintillator detectors and a linear actuator frame that moves the six detectors across the MC-10 dry storage cask to obtain data above each of the 24 fuel bundle positions. The detectors are connected to a pulse-shape discrimination data acquisition system capable of generating separate neutron and gamma-ray spectra for each detector and for each scan position. From the prior single detector Field Test in 2021 and iteration with MCNP modeling, the neutron and gamma-ray data were analyzed in multiple energy regions to identify an analysis method that would provide the strongest and most consistent signature of the asymmetric MC-10 cask fuel loading1 . From both the 2021 Field Test and the current Field Test results, the neutron capture gamma-ray count rate around 2.2 MeV provides the strongest signature of the asymmetric MC-10 cask fuel loading and has qualitative agreement with MCNP calculations. Counting all gamma-rays produces a similar signature. Neutrons emerging from the cask top are moderated and captured by the hydrogen in the polyethylene moderator and scintillator detector, producing a 2.2 MeV gamma ray which is seen in the scintillator gamma-ray spectrum. The count rate in the 2.2 MeV gamma-ray region is ~50 c/s, which is ~1000x higher than the ~0.05 n/s rate in the > 4MeV neutron region, and ~50x greater than the ~1 n/s rate in the neutrons > 500 keV region. Analysis of the 2.2 MeV neutron-capture Compton-scattered gamma-rays produces a statistically significant signature of the INTEC Cask Farm MC-10 asymmetric fuel loading. MCNP simulations indicate that the average neutron energy spectrum offers the potential to detect a large asymmetry from several missing bundles as well as individual missing fuel bundles. Testing this feature will require measurements on a cask with single missing elements.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Water-cooled Helmholtz coil for Ultra-low Magnetic Field Testing

Ultra-low magnetic field testing requires precise and finely calibrated instrumentation interacting with very marginal magnetic fields in highly controlled environments. We designed a large Helmholtz coil system for implementation around a 17.825-inch outer diameter Helium-3 Cryogenic fridge, to serve as both a field-zeroing device and to enable higher resolution on magnetic field sweeps during experiments. We present finite volume modeling and finite element analysis results which indicate the device could safely run at 20 [A] in perpetuity, producing a magnetic field of 65 [mT], without the surface facing the Cryogenic fridge exceeding 50°C. The overall system parts expense is $\$$4,882.76.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Field Testing of Self-Healing Metallic Coatings for Internal Corrosion Protection of Natural Gas Pipelines

Internal corrosion occurs in natural gas pipelines primarily due to the presence of water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Internal corrosion can eventually result in leakage, cracks, and rupture of the pipeline. The objective of this work is to mitigate internal corrosion in steel pipelines transporting natural gas using cold spray coatings. The corrosion behavior of carbon steel coated with self-healing zinc chromium (ZnCr) and zinc niobium (ZnNb) cold spray coatings was investigated in a natural gas environment. For comparison purposes, hot-dip galvanized steel (HDGS) was tested under the same conditions as cold spray coatings. The field test was performed at the NW Natural gas storage facility in Mist, Oregon. The field test was conducted in a 6-inch diameter pipe transporting wet natural gas out of an underground storage well at 500 psi and 4.4 °C. The coupons were tested for 15 and 32 days under stagnant and flow conditions, respectively. Weight loss method was used to measure the corrosion rate of metallic coatings. Post-corrosion surface characterization was performed on the specimen using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Crystalline phases were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The field-test results confirmed that the metallic coatings provided corrosion protection of carbon steel exposed to wet natural gas under stagnant and flow conditions. The formation of the ZnCO 3 layer on top of ZnNb and ZnCr coatings led to passivation of the coatings which helps to reduce the self-corrosion. These layers form a barrier for diffusion of corrosive species to the surface.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

A Non-Invasive Approach for Elucidating the Spatial Distribution of in-situ Stress in Deep Subsurface Geologic Formations Considered for CO 2 Storage (Task 4 (Field Testing) Report)

"This document presents a summary of TASK 4 (Field Testing) of the project entitled “A Non-Invasive Approach for Elucidating the Spatial Distribution of in-situ Stress in Deep Subsurface Geologic Formations Considered for CO 2 Storage (FE0031686)”. This three-year project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Carbon Storage program to research and address gaps that affect the economics of commercial CCS projects. One of these key gaps is the lack of certainty in predicting the geomechanical impacts of pressure migration due to CO 2 injection into a storage complex. This report documents field testing that was conducted under TASK 4 to obtain input data needed to develop the site-specific geomechanical model in TASK 5 and to verify the model results (i.e. calculated stresses) for this site. The field work entailed collecting geophysical logs and core samples and conducting geomechanical stress tests in the Core Energy LLC State Otsego Lake (SOL 8-15A) well, located in Otsego County, Michigan."

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Field Test of Wake Steering at an Offshore Wind Farm

In this paper, a field test of wake steering control is presented. The field test is the result of a collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Envision Energy, a smart energy management company and turbine manufacturer. In the campaign, an array of turbines within an operating commercial offshore wind farm in China have the normal yaw controller modified to implement wake steering according to a yaw control strategy. The strategy was designed using NREL wind farm models, including a computational fluid dynamics model, SOWFA, for understanding wake dynamics and an engineering model, FLORIS, for yaw control optimization. Results indicate that, within the certainty afforded by the data, the wake-steering controller was successful in increasing power capture, by amounts similar to those predicted from the models.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Field test and simulation evaluation of variable refrigerant flow systems performance

Our study aims to compare the performance of a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system with a Roof Top Unit, (RTU) and a variable-air-volume (VAV) system through field tests and energy simulations. The field test was conducted in as similar conditions as possible between the two systems, such as the installation and operating environments of heating, the ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, including internal heat gain and outdoor conditions, including buildings to compare the performance of the two systems accurately. A VRF system and RTU were installed at the test building located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in the USA. The same internal heat gain was generated at the same operating time of the two systems using lighting, electric heaters, and humidifiers inside the building. The HVAC system was alternately operated between cooling and heating operations to acquire energy performance data and to compare energy usage. Furthermore, an hourly building energy simulation model was developed with regard to the VRF system and RTU, and then the model was calibrated using actual measured data. Then, annual energy consumption of the two systems were compared and analyzed using the calibrated model. Moreover, additional analysis was conducted when the controlled discharge air temperature in the RTU was changed. The field test result showed that when energy consumptions of two systems were compared at the same outdoor conditions, using the weather-normalized model, the VRF system exhibited an energy reduction of approximately 17% during cooling operation and of approximately 74% during heating operations. A comparison on the annual energy consumption using simulations showed that the VRF system reduced energy consumption more than that of the RTU by 60%. Furthermore, when the discharge air temperature in the RTU was controlled according to the outdoor air temperature, energy consumption of the RTU was reduced by 6% in cooling operations and by 18% in heating operation. As a result, energy consumption of the VRF system was reduced by more than that of the RTU by 55% approximately.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Deep Borehole Field Test Research Activities at LBNL

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy Used Fuel Disposition’s (UFD) Deep Borehole Field Test is to drill two 5 km large-diameter boreholes: a characterization borehole with a bottom-hole diameter of 8.5 inches and a field test borehole with a bottom-hole diameter of 17 inches. These boreholes will be used to demonstrate the ability to drill such holes in crystalline rocks, effectively characterize the bedrock repository system using geophysical, geochemical, and hydrological techniques, and emplace and retrieve test waste packages. These studies will be used to test the deep borehole disposal concept, which requires a hydrologically isolated environment characterized by low permeability, stable fluid density, reducing fluid chemistry conditions, and an effective borehole seal. During FY16, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists conducted a number of research studies to support the UFD Deep Borehole Field Test effort. This work included providing supporting data for the Los Alamos National Laboratory geologic framework model for the proposed deep borehole site, conducting an analog study using an extensive suite of geoscience data and samples from a deep (2.5 km) research borehole in Sweden, conducting laboratory experiments and coupled process modeling related to borehole seals, and developing a suite of potential techniques that could be applied to the characterization and monitoring of the deep borehole environment. The results of these studies are presented in this report.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Deep Borehole Field Test Conceptual Design Report

This report documents conceptual design development for the Deep Borehole Field Test (DBFT), including test packages (simulated waste packages, not containing waste) and a system for demonstrating emplacement and retrieval of those packages in the planned Field Test Borehole (FTB). For the DBFT to have demonstration value, it must be based on conceptualization of a deep borehole disposal (DBD) system. This document therefore identifies key options for a DBD system, describes an updated reference DBD concept, and derives a recommended concept for the DBFT demonstration. The objective of the DBFT is to confirm the safety and feasibility of the DBD concept for long-term isolation of radioactive waste. The conceptual design described in this report will demonstrate equipment and operations for safe waste handling and downhole emplacement of test packages, while contributing to an evaluation of the overall safety and practicality of the DBD concept. The DBFT also includes drilling and downhole characterization investigations that are described elsewhere (see Section 1). Importantly, no radioactive waste will be used in the DBFT, nor will the DBFT site be used for disposal of any type of waste. The foremost performance objective for conduct of the DBFT is to demonstrate safe operations in all aspects of the test.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗