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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
NASA NTRS1979

Low NO(x) heavy fuel combustor program

The 'low nitrogen oxides heavy fuel combustor' program is described. Main program objectives are to generate and demonstrate the technology required to develop durable gas turbine combustors for utility and industrial applications, which are capable of sustained, environmentally acceptable operation with minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. The program will focus on 'dry' reductions of oxides of nitrogen, improved combustor durability, and satisfactory combustion of minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. Other technology advancements sought include: fuel flexibility for operation with petroleum distillates, blends of petroleum distillates and residual fuels, and synfuels (fuel oils derived from coal or shale); acceptable exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides and smoke; and retrofit capability to existing engines.

Lister, E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Low NO/x/ heavy fuel combustor program

The paper deals with the 'Low NO/x/ Heavy Fuel Combustor Program'. Main program objectives are to generate and demonstrate the technology required to develop durable gas turbine combustors for utility and industrial applications, which are capable of sustained, environmentally acceptable operation with minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. The program will focus on 'dry' reductions of oxides of nitrogen (NO/x/), improved combustor durability and satisfactory combustion of minimally processed petroleum residual fuels. Other technology advancements sought include: fuel flexibility for operation with petroleum distillates, blends of petroleum distillates and residual fuels, and synfuels (fuel oils derived from coal or shale); acceptable exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides and smoke; and retrofit capability to existing engines.

Lister, E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Catalytic combustion with steam injection

The effects of steam injection on (1) catalytic combustion performance, and (2) the tendency of residual fuel to burn in the premixing duct upstream of the catalytic reactor were determined. A petroleum residual, no. 2 diesel, and a blend of middle and heavy distillate coal derived fuels were tested. Fuel and steam were injected together into the preheated airflow entering a 12 cm diameter catalytic combustion test section. The inlet air velocity and pressure were constant at 10 m/s and 600 kPa, respectively. Steam flow rates were varied from 24 percent to 52 percent of the air flow rate. The resulting steam air mixture temperatures varied from 630 to 740 K. Combustion temperatures were in the range of 1200 to 1400 K. The steam had little effect on combustion efficiency or emissions. It was concluded that the steam acts as a diluent which has no adverse effect on catalytic combustion performance for no. 2 diesel and coal derived liquid fuels. Tests with the residual fuel showed that upstream burning could be eliminated with steam injection rates greater than 30 percent of the air flow rate, but inlet mixture temperatures were too low to permit stable catalytic combustion of this fuel.

Anderson, D. N.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Fluid-Bed Testing of GreatPoint Energy's Direct Oxygen Injection Catalytic Gasification Process for Synthetic Natural Gas and Hydrogen Coproduction: Year 6 - Activity 1.14 - Development of a National Center for Hydrogen Technology

The GreatPoint Energy (GPE) concept for producing synthetic natural gas and hydrogen from coal involves the catalytic gasification of coal and carbon. GPE’s technology “refines” coal by employing a novel catalyst to “crack” the carbon bonds and transform the coal into cleanburning methane (natural gas) and hydrogen. The GPE mild “catalytic” gasifier design and operating conditions result in reactor components that are less expensive and produce pipeline-grade methane and relatively high purity hydrogen. The system operates extremely efficiently on very low cost carbon sources such as lignites, subbituminous coals, tar sands, petcoke, and petroleum residual oil. In addition, GPE’s catalytic coal gasification process eliminates troublesome ash removal and slagging problems, reduces maintenance requirements, and increases thermal efficiency, significantly reducing the size of the air separation plant (a system that alone accounts for 20% of the capital cost of most gasification systems) in the catalytic gasification process.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS1981

Low NO/x/ and fuel flexible gas turbine combustors

The feasibility of various low NO(x) emission gas turbine combustor configurations was evaluated. The configurations selected for fabrication and testing at full pressure and temperature involved rich-lean staged combustion utilizing diffusion flames, rich-lean prevaporized/premix flames, and staged catalytic combustion. The test rig consisted of a rich burner module, a quench module, and a lean combustion module. Test results are obtained for the combustor while burning petroleum distillate fuel, a coal derived liquid, and a petroleum residual fuel. The results indicate that rich-lean diffusion flames with low fuel-bound nitrogen conversion are achievable with very high combustion efficiencies.

Lew, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Low NOx heavy fuel combustor concept program, phase 1

Combustion tests were completed with seven concepts, including three rich/lean concepts, three lean/lean concepts, and one catalytic combustor concept. Testing was conducted with ERBS petroleum distillate, petroleum residual, and SRC-II coal-derived liquid fuels over a range of operating conditions for the 12:1 pressure ratio General Electric MS7001E heavy-duty turbine. Blends of ERBS and SRC-II fuels were used to vary fuel properties over a wide range. In addition, pyridine was added to the ERBS and residual fuels to vary nitrogen level while holding other fuel properties constant. Test results indicate that low levels of NOx and fuel-bound nitrogen conversion can be achieved with the rich/lean combustor concepts for fuels with nitrogen contents up to 1.0% by weight. Multinozzle rich/lean Concept 2 demonstrated dry low Nox emissions within 10-15% of the EPA New Source Performance Standards goals for SRC-II fuel, with yields of approximately 15%, while meeting program goals for combustion efficiency, pressure drop, and exhaust gas temperature profile. Similar, if not superior, potential was demonstrated by Concept 3, which is a promising rich/lean combustor design.

Cutrone, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Multifuel evaluation of rich/quench/lean combustor

Test results on the RQL low NO(x) industrial gas turbine engine are reported. The air-staged combustor comprises an initial rich burning zone, followed by a quench zone, and a lean reaction and dilution zone. The combustor was tested as part of the DoE/NASA program to define the technology for developing a durable, low-emission gas turbine combustor capable of operation with minimally processed petroleum residual, synthetic, or low/mid-heating value gaseous fuels. The properties of three liquid and two gaseous fuels burned in the combustor trials are detailed. The combustor featured air staging, variable geometry, and generative/convective cooling. The lean/rich mixtures could be varied in zones simultaneously or separately while maintaining a specified pressure drop. Low NO(x) and smoke emissions were produced with each fuel burned, while high combustor efficiencies were obtained.

Novick, A. S.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Second stage gasifier in staged gasification and integrated process

A second stage gasification unit in a staged gasification integrated process flow scheme and operating methods are disclosed to gasify a wide range of low reactivity fuels. The inclusion of second stage gasification unit operating at high temperatures closer to ash fusion temperatures in the bed provides sufficient flexibility in unit configurations, operating conditions and methods to achieve an overall carbon conversion of over 95% for low reactivity materials such as bituminous and anthracite coals, petroleum residues and coke. The second stage gasification unit includes a stationary fluidized bed gasifier operating with a sufficiently turbulent bed of predefined inert bed material with lean char carbon content. The second stage gasifier fluidized bed is operated at relatively high temperatures up to 1400.degree. C. Steam and oxidant mixture can be injected to further increase the freeboard region operating temperature in the range of approximately from 50 to 100.degree. C. above the bed temperature.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Carbon Anode Material from Biomass Pyrolysis Oil

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are an important component of electric vehicles and sodium-ion batteries (SIB) are an attractive alternative for grid electric storage. We are investigating a novel approach to synthesizing the carbon anode materials for these batteries from biomass pyrolysis oil as part of conversion processes to produce biofuels. Graphite is used as anode material in LIB and is exclusively produced from petroleum residue or mined mineral carbon. We have synthesized drop-in graphite by coking the heavy residual oil from the distillation of catalytic fast pyrolysis oil and by catalytic graphitizing raw pyrolysis oil. XRD and Raman spectroscopies were used to verify the production of high purity crystalline graphite. Figure 1 shows typical XRD spectra of the bio-graphite compared to commercial material as well as the charge/discharge cycle. Graphite particle sizes and morphologies were adjusted to improve performance using jet milling and carbon coating. The bio-graphite delivered a high capacity (335 mAh/g) when tested in a graphite half-cell. Full cell coin cell experiments were also conducted to verify the observations from half-cell testing. The high value of graphite (>$9/kg) can positively impact the economics of biofuels production and can be an important part of a future circular carbon economy. We have also investigated synthesizing hard carbon from pyrolysis oil for use as anode material in SIB. These batteries are not commercially mature but have great promise in grid storage and use earth abundant elements. We have demonstrated that pyrolysis oil can be used to synthesize hard carbon, which was subsequently be used in SIB experiments. This material achieved a sodium-ion capacity of 250 mAh/g and a first cycle efficiency of 78%, with opportunities to further optimize this performance from optimizing the composition of the pyrolysis oil to shaping the hard carbon particles. As with graphite, hard carbon is a high value (> $10/kg) material that could facilitate biofuels production.

BIOMASS FUELS,INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND AN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Transfer hydrogenation of heavy hydrocarbons with hydrogen-donor solvents

Processes for treating highly viscous hydrocarbons, such as bitumen from oil sands or petroleum residues, with hydrogen-donor solvents are described. The hydrogen-donor solvent is prepared. A mixture of the hydrocarbon and the hydrogen-donor solvent is heated, and the product is cooled to produce a low viscosity and mildly upgraded hydrocarbon. The hydrogen-donor solvent can be modified to improve its solvent usefulness.

Chauhan, Satya P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Catalytic combustion of residual fuels

A noble metal catalytic reactor was tested using two grades of petroleum derived residual fuels at specified inlet air temperatures, pressures, and reference velocities. Combustion efficiencies greater than 99.5 percent were obtained. Steady state operation of the catalytic reactor required inlet air temperatures of at least 800 K. At lower inlet air temperatures, upstream burning in the premixing zone occurred which was probably caused by fuel deposition and accumulation on the premixing zone walls. Increasing the inlet air temperature prevented this occurrence. Both residual fuels contained about 0.5 percent nitrogen by weight. NO sub x emissions ranged from 50 to 110 ppm by volume at 15 percent excess O2. Conversion of fuel-bound nitrogen to NO sub x ranged from 25 to 50 percent.

Bulzan, D. L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wabash Hydrogen Negative Emissions Technology Demonstration

The objectives of the Wabash Hydrogen Negative Emissions Technology Demonstration Project (Wabash Project) are to develop and design all aspects of the scope, cost, characteristics and investment case of a world class flexible gasification, net negative carbon, hydrogen co-products power plant. The outcome of this undertaking is a complete set of deliverables that has been produced by a preeminent team of engineers, constructors, operators, and developers, building upon previous technology, utilizing cutting edge technology, and thoroughly defining all aspects of this fully integrated 21st Century Powerplant. The Wabash Project encapsulates several cross-cutting initiatives within the US Department of Energy, such as 100% hydrogen powered combustion turbine, geological carbon sequestration, coal with biomass gasification and hydrogen energy storage. The flexible gasifier at the Wabash Valley Resources plant is a slurry-fed, entrained flow, high-temperature, oxygen-blown gasifier that has been proven commercially to operate successfully on various coals and petroleum coke (petcoke). The ability to be fuel flexible and feed various biomass (woody biomass and agriculture residue) and petroleum waste (plastics) was evaluated during BP 1 (BP1). This involved the preparation and testing of feedstocks into slurries to determine what fuels can be fed to the gasifier. By utilizing a flexible oxygen-blown gasifier, the ability to address operational issues common to lower temperature biomass gasification, such as the handling of tars, can be mitigated. The overall goal is to achieve a design capable of carbon-negative emissions while leveraging the substantial investments made and operating experience already gained at the Wabash site.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2022

Bioremediation of heavy oily sludge: a microcosms study

Oily sludge is a residue from the petroleum industry composed of a mixture of sand, water, metals, and high content of hydrocarbons (HCs). The heavy oily sludge used in this study originated from Colombian crude oil with high density and low American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity. The residual waste from heavy oil processing was subject to thermal and centrifugal extraction, resulting in heavy oily sludge with very high density and viscosity. Biodegradation of the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) was tested in microcosms using several bioremediation approaches, including: biostimulation with bulking agents and nutrients, the surfactant Tween 80, and bioaugmentation. Select HC degrading bacteria were isolated based on their ability to grow and produce clear zones on different HCs. Degradation of TPH in the microcosms was monitored gravimetrically and with gas chromatography (GC). The TPH removal in all treatments ranged between 2 and 67%, regardless of the addition of microbial consortiums, amendments, or surfactants within the tested parameters. The results of this study demonstrated that bioremediation of heavy oily sludge presents greater challenges to achieve regulatory requirements. Additional physicochemical treatments analysis to remediate this recalcitrant material may be required to achieve a desirable degradation rate.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2010

A Study of the Use of Jatropha Oil Blends in Boilers

Executive Summary: This project investigated the combustion performance of blends of unrefined Jatropha oil and its blends in laboratory boilers. Although a very limited amount of testing blends in distillate oil, ASTM No. 2 oil or heating oil was conducted, the primary interest was in testing the performance of blends with residual ASTM No. 6 oil. The basic idea is to provide a renewable fuel option to residual oil used in space heating and in industrial applications. The intent also was to explore the use of non-edible plant oil and one that might be potentially cheaper than biodiesel. The characteristics of No. 6 oil, such as high viscosity at ambient temperature, which requires it to be kept heated, make the blending with such oils feasible. Jatropha oil is one such oil and there is currently considerable interest building up in its use as a source for making biodiesel and jet fuel. A 10% blend of Jatropha oil with heating oil was burned using a standard burner in a residential boiler. Combustion performance was shown to be comparable with that of burning heating oil by itself with some noticeable differences. Typical heating oil has about 2000 ppm of sulfur, while the Jatropha oil has about 50 ppm leading to lower levels of sulphur dioxide emissions. Stack measurements also showed that the NOx emission was lower with the blend. We have previously reported similar reductions in NOx with blends of biodiesel in heating oil as well as slight reductions in PM2.5, particulates below 2.5 microns in size. Long term tests were not part of this project and hence deleterious effects on pumps, seals etc., if any, were not measured. The majority of the work involved testing blends of Jatropha oil with residual oil in a 1.5 million Btu/hr boiler with a burner modified to burn residual oil. Blends of 20 and 60% Jatropha oil and 100% Jatropha oil were burned in the combustion performance tests. The residual oil used had a sulfur content of over 2000 ppm and hence dramatic reductions in sulfur dioxide emissions are measured with the blends. Again, consistent with our past experience with biodiesel blends, significant reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions nearing 50% with 100% Jatropha oil, were also measured. This is in contrast with the use of biodiesel in diesel engines, where the NOx has a tendency to increase. In addition to the gaseous emission measurements, particulate emissions were measured using an EPA CTM-39 system to obtain both particulates, of sizes below 2.5 microns, so-called PM2.5, and of sizes larger than 2.5 microns. The results show that the particulate emissions are lower with the blending of Jatropha oil. Overall, one can conclude that the blending of Jatropha oil with residual oil is a feasible approach to using non-edible plant oil to provide a renewable content to residual oil, with significant benefits in the reduction of pollutant emissions such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulates.

02 PETROLEUM↗
NASA NTRS1980

Cogeneration Technology Alternatives Study (CTAS). Volume 6: Computer data. Part 2: Residual-fired nocogeneration process boiler

About fifty industrial processes from the largest energy consuming sectors were used as a basis for matching a similar number of energy conversion systems that are considered as candidate which can be made available by the 1985 to 2000 time period. The sectors considered included food, textiles, lumber, paper, chemicals, petroleum, glass, and primary metals. The energy conversion systems included steam and gas turbines, diesels, thermionics, stirling, closed cycle and steam injected gas turbines, and fuel cells. Fuels considered were coal, both coal and petroleum based residual and distillate liquid fuels, and low Btu gas obtained through the on site gasification of coal. Computer generated reports of the fuel consumption and savings, capital costs, economics and emissions of the cogeneration energy conversion systems (ECS's) heat and power matched to the individual industrial processes are presented. National fuel and emissions savings are also reported for each ECS assuming it alone is implemented. Two nocogeneration base cases are included: coal fired and residual fired process boilers.

Knightly, W. F.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Bimetallic iron and cobalt incorporated MFI/MCM-41 composite and its catalytic properties

Graphical abstract: The formation of FeCo-MFI/MCM-41 composite is based on two steps, the first step of synthesizing the MFI-type proto-zeolite unites under hydrothermal conditions. The second step of assembling these zeolite fragment together new silica and heteroatom source on the CTAB surfactant micelle to synthesize the mesoporous product with hexagonal structure. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bimetallic iron and cobalt incorporated MFI/MCM-41 composite was prepared using templating method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer FeCo-MFI/MCM-41 composite simultaneously possessed two kinds of meso- and micro-porous structures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Iron and cobalt ions incorporated into the silica framework with tetrahedral coordination. -- Abstract: The MFI/MCM-41 composite material with bimetallic Fe and Co incorporation was prepared using templating method via a two-step hydrothermal crystallization procedure. The obtained products were characterized by a series of techniques including powder X-ray diffraction, N{sub 2} sorption, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope, H{sub 2} temperature programmed reduction, thermal analyses, and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy of the Fe and Co K-edge. The catalytic properties of the products were investigated by residual oil hydrocracking reactions. Characterization results showed that the FeCo-MFI/MCM-41 composite simultaneously possessed two kinds of stable meso- and micro-porous structures. Iron and cobalt ions were incorporated into the silicon framework, which was confirmed by H{sub 2} temperature programmed reduction and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. This composite presented excellent activities in hydrocracking of residual oil, which was superior to the pure materials of silicate-1/MCM-41.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Simplified Pore Network Model for Analysis of Flow Capacity and Residual Oil Saturation Distribution Based on Computerized Tomography

The pore network (connected tunnels) can be used not only to describe pore geometry inside a rock but also to calculate various fluid flow properties on a micro scale. Based on a “digital core” extracted from micro computerized tomography (μ-CT), we have developed a simplified pore network model. This study simplifies the pore structure as a lattice of cubes. Pore size, pore distribution, tunnel connectivity, fluid viscosity, interfacial tension, and the external driving pressure gradient are considered for each adjacent cube to evaluate the flow capacity of the pore network. We calculated the permeability, effective permeability, and effective sweep efficiency. The results show that fluid flow initially starts in the largest tunnel, which corresponds to the threshold pressure of the rock sample (fluid flow onset pressure). Permeability changes nonlinearly before all the tunnels are involved in the flow. Changes in the microscopic residual oil saturation and the sweep efficiency were visualized based on the three-dimensional pore distribution. Visualization shows that more oil remains in the formation, the heterogeneity is greater, and the oil viscosity is higher.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery in Fractional-Wet Systems: A Pore-Scale Investigation

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is a technology that could potentially increase the tertiary recovery of oil from mature oil formations. However, the efficacy of this technology in fractional-wet systems is unknown, and the mechanisms involved in oil mobilization therefore need further investigation. Our MEOR strategy consists of the injection of ex situ produced metabolic byproducts produced by Bacillus mojavensis JF-2 (which lower interfacial tension (IFT) via biosurfactant production) into fractional-wet cores containing residual oil. Two different MEOR flooding solutions were tested; one solution contained both microbes and metabolic byproducts while the other contained only the metabolic byproducts. The columns were imaged with X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) after water flooding, and after MEOR, which allowed for the evaluation of the pore-scale processes taking place during MEOR. Results indicate that the larger residual oil blobs and residual oil held under relatively low capillary pressures were the main fractions recovered during MEOR. Residual oil saturation, interfacial curvatures, and oil blob sizes were measured from the CMT images and used to develop a conceptual model for MEOR in fractional-wet systems. Overall, results indicate that MEOR was effective at recovering oil from fractional-wet systems with reported additional oil recovered (AOR) values between 44 and 80%; the highest AOR values were observed in the most oil-wet system.

02 PETROLEUM↗