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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 OSTI2013

Microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis of Ag/AgCl/WO{sub 3} photocatalyst and its photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light

Simulated solar light responsive Ag/AgCl/WO{sub 3} composite photocatalyst was synthesized by microwave assisted hydrothermal process. The synthesized powders were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and BET surface area analyzer to investigate the crystal structure, morphology, chemical composition, optical properties and surface area of the composite photocatalyst. This photocatalyst exhibited higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under simulated solar light irradiation. Dye degradation efficiency of composite photocatalyst was found to be increased significantly as compared to that of the commercial WO{sub 3} nanopowder. Increase in photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst was explained on the basis of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect caused by the silver nanoparticles present in the composite photocatalyst. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Successful synthesis of Ag/AgCl/WO{sub 3} nanocomposite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photocatalytic experiment was performed under simulated solar light. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanocomposite photocatalyst was very active as compared to WO{sub 3} commercial powder. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SPR effect due to Ag nanoparticles enhanced the photocatalytic activity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Characterization of a 6 kW high-flux solar simulator with an array of xenon arc lamps capable of concentrations of nearly 5000 suns

A systematic methodology for characterizing a novel and newly fabricated high-flux solar simulator is presented. The high-flux solar simulator consists of seven xenon short-arc lamps mounted in truncated ellipsoidal reflectors. Characterization of spatial radiative heat flux distribution was performed using calorimetric measurements of heat flow coupled with CCD camera imaging of a Lambertian target mounted in the focal plane. The calorimetric measurements and images of the Lambertian target were obtained in two separate runs under identical conditions. Detailed modeling in the high-flux solar simulator was accomplished using Monte Carlo ray tracing to capture radiative heat transport. A least-squares regression model was used on the Monte Carlo radiative heat transfer analysis with the experimental data to account for manufacturing defects. The Monte Carlo ray tracing was calibrated by regressing modeled radiative heat flux as a function of specular error and electric power to radiation conversion onto measured radiative heat flux from experimental results. Specular error and electric power to radiation conversion efficiency were 5.92 ± 0.05 mrad and 0.537 ± 0.004, respectively. An average radiative heat flux with 95% errors bounds of 4880 ± 223 kW ⋅ m{sup −2} was measured over a 40 mm diameter with a cavity-type calorimeter with an apparent absorptivity of 0.994. The Monte Carlo ray-tracing resulted in an average radiative heat flux of 893.3 kW ⋅ m{sup −2} for a single lamp, comparable to the measured radiative heat fluxes with 95% error bounds of 892.5 ± 105.3 kW ⋅ m{sup −2} from calorimetry.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Study of the processes of degradation of the optical properties of mesoporous and macroporous silicon upon exposure to simulated solar radiation

The effect of solar radiation on the surface composition of mesoporous and macroporous silicon is studied by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements in order to analyze the possibility of using these materials as a material for solar-power engineering. The studies are conducted in the laboratory environment, with the use of a solar-radiation simulator operating under conditions close to the working conditions of standard silicon solar cells. The studies show that, in general, the materials meet the requirements of solar-power engineering, if it is possible to preclude harmful effects associated with the presence of heat-sensitive and photosensitive bonds at the nanomaterial surface by standard processing methods.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Performance Analysis of Transposition Models Simulating Solar Radiation on Inclined Surfaces

Transposition models have been widely used in the solar energy industry to simulate solar radiation on inclined photovoltaic panels. Following numerous studies comparing the performance of transposition models, this work aims to understand the quantitative uncertainty in state-of-the-art transposition models and the sources leading to the uncertainty. Our results show significant differences between two highly used isotropic transposition models, with one substantially underestimating the diffuse plane-of-array irradiances when diffuse radiation is perfectly isotropic. In the empirical transposition models, the selection of the empirical coefficients and land surface albedo can both result in uncertainty in the output. This study can be used as a guide for the future development of physics-based transposition models and evaluations of system performance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Performance Analysis of Transposition Models Simulating Solar Radiation on Inclined Surfaces: Preprint

Transposition models are widely used in the solar energy industry to simulate solar radiation on inclined photovoltaic (PV) panels. These transposition models have been developed using various assumptions about the distribution of the diffuse radiation, and most of the parameterizations in these models have been developed using hourly ground data sets. Numerous studies have compared the performance of transposition models, but this paper aims to understand the quantitative uncertainty in the state-of-the-art transposition models and the sources leading to the uncertainty using high-resolution ground measurements in the plane of array. Our results suggest that the amount of aerosol optical depth can affect the accuracy of isotropic models. The choice of empirical coefficients and the use of decomposition models can both result in uncertainty in the output from the transposition models. It is expected that the results of this study will ultimately lead to improvements of the parameterizations as well as the development of improved physical models.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Preparation of morphology-controlled TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals for the excellent photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation

Graphical abstract: Morphology-controlled TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with excellent photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation were successfully synthesized. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals (NCs) with different morphologies were synthesized. • The growth mechanism of morphology-controlled TiO{sub 2} NCs was proposed. • The core-shell structured TiO{sub 2} NCs (co-TiO{sub 2}) had a narrow band gap (2.67 eV). • The co-TiO{sub 2} NCs possessed excellent photocatalytic activity and recyclability. - Abstract: A simple synthetic approach based on solvothermal technique and hydrogenation was developed for preparation of TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with different morphologies such as elongated rhombic, dog-bone, oval and core-shell structured oval. The effect of oleic acid (OA) and oleylamine (OM) as two capping surfactants on the growth of TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the obtained samples were characterized by various techniques including TEM, XRD, UV–vis absorption, Raman, XPS, BET, PL and photocurrent measurement. In photodegradation of RhB under simulated solar irradiation, the oval-shaped TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals with core-shell structure (co-TiO{sub 2}) was superior to other TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals in catalytic activity. Moreover, the co-TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals exhibited well recyclability during multiple photocatalytic tests. These excellent properties of co-TiO{sub 2} were attributed to its special structure, including lattice-disordered surface layer and well-crystallized lattice core, and narrow band gap (2.67 eV).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Photocatalytic activities of ultra-small β-FeOOH and TiO{sub 2} heterojunction structure under simulated solar irradiation

Highlights: • Ultra small β-FeOOH with TiO{sub 2} in heterojunction showed good photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation. • Significant improvement of photocatalytic activity compared to pristine TiO{sub 2}. • The as prepared catalyst decoloured industrial textile effluent within 30 min. - Abstract: Photocatalytic performance of β-FeOOH/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction structure, created from ultra-small β-FeOOH nanorods (2–6 nm diameter) and spherical anatase phase of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (∼100 nm), is reported in this study. Three different β-FeOOH mol% of (2, 5 and 10%) β-FeOOH/TiO{sub 2} composite was prepared. 5% β-FeOOH/TiO{sub 2} composite material showed the highest photocatalytic activity. XRD, high temperature XRD, FTIR, TEM, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) were used to characterise the prepared catalyst. The developed catalyst showed excellent photocatalytic activity in photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) than β-FeOOH and TiO{sub 2} under simulated solar irradiation. Two commercial metal complex dyes and real textile effluent were efficiently photodegraded under identical conditions. The developed catalyst exhibited good recyclability without the need of sintering. No significant loss in efficiency was observed during the recycling cycle. These characteristics highlight the potential application of the developed photocatalyst in textile effluent treatment via photocatalysis. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the relative energy band positions and very good electron, e{sup −} and hole, h{sup +} conduction ability of TiO{sub 2} and β-FeOOH particles respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Future Directions in Simulating Solar Geoengineering

Solar geoengineering is a proposed set of technologies to temporarily alleviate some of the consequences of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) created a framework of geoengineering simulations in climate models that have been performed by modeling centers throughout the world (B. Kravitz et al., The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP), Atmospheric Science Letters, 12(2), 162-167, doi:10.1002/asl.316, 2011). These experiments use state-of-the-art climate models to simulate solar geoengineering via uniform solar reduction, creation of stratospheric sulfate aerosol layers, or injecting sea spray into the marine boundary layer. GeoMIP has been quite successful in its mission of revealing robust features and key uncertainties of the modeled effects of solar geoengineering.

(CMIP6)↗
DOE OSTI2016

Gadolinium oxide decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube/tridoped titania nanocomposites for improved dye degradation under simulated solar light irradiation

Graphical abstract: Illustration of the collaborative effect between MWCNT-Gd and Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2} towards degradation of AB 74. - Highlights: • MWCNT-Gd/tridoped titania was successfully prepared via a sol-gel method. • XPS revealed the presence of Ti, C, O, S, N and Gd in MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2}. • MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2} displayed 100% degradation of acid blue 74 in 150 min. • Over 60% TOC removal by MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Neodymium/gadolinium/europium, nitrogen and sulphur tridoped titania (Nd/Gd/Eu, N,S-TiO{sub 2}) was hybridised with pre-synthesised gadolinium oxide decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-Gd) using a sol–gel method. Subsequent to drying and calcination, composite photocatalysts: MWCNT-Gd/Nd,N,S-TiO{sub 2}, MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2} and MWCNT-Gd/Eu,N,S-TiO{sub 2}, were obtained and characterised using TEM, SEM-EDX, UV–vis, XPS, XRD and FT-IR. Acid blue 74 (AB74) was used as a model dye to investigate the photocatalytic degradation properties of the prepared materials under simulated solar light irradiation. Coupling the different tridoped titania with MWCNT-Gd enhanced their activity compared to MWCNT/TiO{sub 2}, MWCNT-Gd/TiO{sub 2} and MWCNT/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2}. MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2} showed the highest activity towards AB74 degradation reaching 100% decolourisation after 150 min of irradiation. Total organic carbon analysis revealed that over 50% of the AB74 molecules were completely mineralised after 180 min of irradiation in the presence of MWCNT-Gd/Gd,N,S-TiO{sub 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

CORONAL MAGNETOGRAPHY OF A SIMULATED SOLAR ACTIVE REGION FROM MICROWAVE IMAGING SPECTROPOLARIMETRY

We have simulated the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) radio images generated at multiple frequencies from a model solar active region, embedded in a realistic solar disk model, and explored the resulting data cube for different spectral analysis schemes to evaluate the potential for realizing one of EOVSA’s most important scientific goals—coronal magnetography. In this paper, we focus on modeling the gyroresonance and free–free emission from an on-disk solar active region model with realistic complexities in electron density, temperature and magnetic field distribution. We compare the magnetic field parameters extrapolated from the image data cube along each line of sight after folding through the EOVSA instrumental profile with the original (unfolded) parameters used in the model. We find that even the most easily automated, image-based analysis approach (Level-0) provides reasonable quantitative results, although they are affected by systematic effects due to finite sampling in the Fourier (UV) plane. Finally, we note the potential for errors due to misidentified harmonics of the gyrofrequency, and discuss the prospects for applying a more sophisticated spectrally based analysis scheme (Level-1) to resolve the issue in cases where improved UV coverage and spatial resolution are available.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Simulating Solar Power Plant Variability: A Review of Current Methods

It is important to be able to accurately simulate the variability of solar PV power plants for grid integration studies. We aim to inform integration studies of the ease of implementation and application-specific accuracy of current PV power plant output simulation methods. This report reviews methods for producing simulated high-resolution (sub-hour or even sub-minute) PV power plant output profiles for variability studies and describes their implementation. Two steps are involved in the simulations: estimation of average irradiance over the footprint of a PV plant and conversion of average irradiance to plant power output. Six models are described for simulating plant-average irradiance based on inputs of ground-measured irradiance, satellite-derived irradiance, or proxy plant measurements. The steps for converting plant-average irradiance to plant power output are detailed to understand the contributions to plant variability. A forthcoming report will quantify the accuracy of each method using application-specific validation metrics.

Lave, Matthew Samuel↗
DOE OSTI2015

OPTIMIZATION OF A SOLAR SIMULATOR FOR PLANETARY-PHOTOCHEMICAL STUDIES

Low-temperature microwave-powered plasma based on hydrogen and hydrogen with noble gas mixtures are widely used as a continuous vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) source in laboratory experiments carried out to mimic the photochemistry in astrophysical environments. In this work, we present a study dedicated to optimizing such sources in terms of mono-chromaticity at Lyα (H(Lyα) line at 121.6 nm ∼ 10.2 eV) and high spectral irradiance. We report the influence on the emission spectrum of a wide range of experimental conditions including gas composition (pure H{sub 2}, pure He, and H{sub 2}/He mixture), gas pressure, flow rates, and microwave power. The absolute spectral irradiance delivered by this VUV light source has been measured. With a microwave input power of 100 W, the best conditions for producing a quasi-monochromatic source are a 1% H{sub 2}/He gas mixture at a total pressure of 5 mbar and a flow rate of 2 sccm. By changing the microwave input power from 30 to 120 W, H(Lyα) increases by more than one order of magnitude. A comparison between the current measurements and the solar VUV spectral irradiance is reported over 115–170 nm.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

NON-EQUILIBRIUM IONIZATION MODELING OF THE CURRENT SHEET IN A SIMULATED SOLAR ERUPTION

The current sheet that extends from the top of flare loops and connects to an associated flux rope is a common structure in models of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). To understand the observational properties of CME current sheets, we generated predictions from a flare/CME model to be compared with observations. We use a simulation of a large-scale CME current sheet previously reported by Reeves et al. This simulation includes ohmic and coronal heating, thermal conduction, and radiative cooling in the energy equation. Using the results of this simulation, we perform time-dependent ionization calculations of the flow in a CME current sheet and construct two-dimensional spatial distributions of ionic charge states for multiple chemical elements. We use the filter responses from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the predicted intensities of emission lines to compute the count rates for each of the AIA bands. The results show differences in the emission line intensities between equilibrium and non-equilibrium ionization. The current sheet plasma is underionized at low heights and overionized at large heights. At low heights in the current sheet, the intensities of the AIA 94 A and 131 A channels are lower for non-equilibrium ionization than for equilibrium ionization. At large heights, these intensities are higher for non-equilibrium ionization than for equilibrium ionization inside the current sheet. The assumption of ionization equilibrium would lead to a significant underestimate of the temperature low in the current sheet and overestimate at larger heights. We also calculate the intensities of ultraviolet lines and predict emission features to be compared with events from the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, including a low-intensity region around the current sheet corresponding to this model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗