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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 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Utah FORGE Hydrothermal Friction-Hydraulic Transmissivity Laboratory Experiments

Submission includes data from laboratory slide-hold-slide tests, combined with flow through tests, conducted on Westerly granite with 30 degree sawcut. Tests were conducted with a constant confining pressure of 30 MPa with an average pore pressure of 10 MPa at temperatures of 23 and 200 degC. Three fluid flow conditions were examined (1) no flow, (2) cycled flow, and (3) continuous flow. Data were collected to asses the effect of temperature and pore fluid on frictional healing rates in granite at geothermal conditions. Data is available in XML and JSON data types.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental and Computational Characterization of a Modified Sioutas Cascade Impactor for Respirable Radioactive Aerosols

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is collecting and characterizing aerosols released when spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods are fractured in bending. An aerosol collection system was designed and tested to collect respirable sized (<10 μm aerodynamic diameter [AED]) particulates inside a hot cell facility. The setup is a modified version of the commercially available Sioutas cascade impactor, to which additional stages were added to expand the aerosol collection range from 2.5 to ~15 μm AED. To accommodate the additional stages and specific test conditions, the operating flow rate for aerosol collection was reduced, and testing was conducted by using pressure drop measurements, surrogate dust collection, and particle size characterization. The fluid flow distribution within the cascade and its stages was simulated in STAR-CCM+, and the stage-wise pressure drops obtained using the computational fluid dynamics model were then compared to experimental data. Lagrangian particle simulations were also performed, and stage-wise collection statistics were obtained from the simulation for comparison with the experimental data obtained using SNF-surrogate dust particles. The results provide valuable insights into the stage-wise particle collection characteristics of the modified cascade impactor and can also be used to improve the prediction accuracy of the manufacturer-determined analytical correlations.

aerosol modeling↗
DOE OSTI2021

Geochemical and microbial characteristics of seepage water and mineral precipitates in a radwaste disposal facility impacted by seawater intrusion and high alkalinity

The construction of an underground facility can dramatically change the quality, flow direction, and level of groundwater. It may also impact subsurface microbial composition and activity. Groundwater quality was monitored over eight years in two observational wells near an underground disposal facility on the east coast of South Korea. The results showed dramatic increases in dissolved ions such as O 2 , Na, Ca, Mg, and SO 4 during facility construction. Seepage water samples downgradient from the silos and tunnels, and precipitates deposited along the seepage water flow path were collected to determine the impact inside the disposal facility. X-ray analysis (powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS)) were used to characterize the mineral precipitates. Microbial community composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The seepage water composition was of two types: Ca-Cl and Ca-Na-HCO 3 . The ratio of Cl and δ 18 O showed that the Ca-Cl type seepage water was influenced by groundwater mixed with seawater ranging from 2.7% to 15.1%. Various sulfate-reducing bacteria were identified in the Ca-Cl type seepage water, exhibiting relatively high sulfate content from seawater intrusion. Samples from the Ca-Na-HCO 3 type seepage water had an extremely high pH (>10) and abundance of Hydrogenophaga. The precipitates observed along the flow path of the seepage water included calcite, ferrihydrite, green rust, and siderite, depending on seepage water chemistry and microbial activity. This study suggests that the construction of underground structures creates distinct, localized geochemical conditions (e.g., high alkalinity, high salinity, and oxic conditions), which may impact microbial communities. These biogeochemical changes may have undesirable large-scale impacts such as water pump clogging. Overall, an understanding of the process and long-term monitoring are essential to assess the safety of underground facilities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bioaerosol Emission Characteristics from Laboratory Burns

Combustion processes can aerosolize and transport particles both from nonbiological and biological origin, with the latter termed bioaerosol particle (BAP). Previous work has shown an increase in the level of BAP in smoke plumes. The mechanism of their emission, whether from combustion of biological material or coemission with dust and soil from fire-driven winds, has yet to be examined. Here, we carried out a series of controlled combustion experiments to understand the role of vegetation type and combustion conditions in the direct emission of BAP. The fuels we used included broadleaf, evergreen, and grass. We measured the emitted fluorescent BAP using a wideband integrated bioaerosol system (WIBS), and we measured the viability of filter-collected BAP using flow cytometry. Our measurements showed that the size and absolute concentration of the fluorescent BAP, and the viability of the BAP emitted during combustion, depend on the combustion conditions. In addition, the type of fuel impacted the type of emitted fluorescent BAP fraction relative to the total concentration of the emitted aerosol.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Water‐Induced Diamond Formation at Earth's Core‐Mantle Boundary

Abstract The carbon and water cycles in the Earth's interior are linked to key planetary processes, such as mantle melting, degassing, chemical differentiation, and advection. However, the role of water in the carbon exchange between the mantle and core is not well known. Here, we show experimental results of a reaction between Fe 3 C and H 2 O at pressures and temperatures of the deep mantle and core‐mantle boundary (CMB). The reaction produces diamond, FeO, and FeH x , suggesting that water can liberate carbon from the core in the form of diamond (“core carbon extraction”) while the core gains hydrogen, if subducted water reaches to the CMB. Therefore, Earth's deep water and carbon cycles can be linked. The extracted core carbon can explain a significant amount of the present‐day mantle carbon. Also, if diamond can be collected by mantle flow in the region, it can result in unusually high seismic‐velocity structures.

Ko, Byeongkwan↗
DOE OSTI2024

SPIDARman: System-Level Physics-Informed Detection of Anomalies in Reactor Collected Data Considering Human Errors

In nuclear power plants (NPPs), anomalies arising from sensors or human errors (HEs) can undermine the performance and reliability of plant operations. Anomaly detection models can be employed to detect sensor errors and HEs. Additionally, physics-informed machine learning models can utilize the known physics of the system, as described by mathematical equations, to ensure that sensor values are consistent with physical laws. Hence, we propose SPIDARman: System-level Physics-Informed Detection of Anomalies in Reactor Collected Data Considering Human Errors, a holistic physics-informed anomaly detection approach based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) to detect anomalies in both automatically collected sensor data and manually collected surveillance data. Here we test our approach on data collected from a flow loop testbed, showcasing its potential to detect anomalies. Results demonstrate that the proposed model performs better than the baseline GAN-based models in detecting sensor and surveillance anomalies, suggesting the potential of physics-informed anomaly detection GAN models in NPPs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimizing Direct Air Capture Solvents to Minimize Energy Consumption of CO 2 Release in a Carbonate Electrolyzer

Addressing climate change by carbon management is critical to achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In this work, we examined the electrochemically-driven recovery of CO 2 during alkaline solvent regeneration for solvent-based direct air capture. A mathematical model was developed by incorporating carbonate chemistry with water electrolysis to predict the energy consumption per unit of CO 2 released. The predicted results were consistent with the experimental data, in which the experimental work was achieved by characterizing alkalinity and carbon loading values of solvent collected from a flow carbonate electrolyzer. Through this study, we learned that minimizing the energy expended on CO 2 release can be achieved by using an anolyte with a lower alkalinity, increasing the electric charge input to the electrolyzer, and reducing the ohmic resistance of the electrolyzer. Furthermore, using a supporting electrolyte, e.g., Na 2 SO 4 in the present work, effectively compensates for the higher ohmic resistance from using an anolyte with a lower alkalinity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Influence of Anomalous Biomass Emissions on ENSO in CESM2

Abstract The influence of biomass burning (BB) aerosols arising from wildfires and agricultural fires on the transient coupled evolution of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is explored in Community Earth System Model, version 2 (CESM2). For both El Niño and La Niña, two 20-member ensembles are generated from initial states that are predisposed to evolve into ENSO events. For each ENSO phase, one ensemble is forced with the observed BB emissions during satellite-era ENSO events while the other is forced with a climatological annual cycle, with the responses to anomalous BB emissions estimated from interensemble differences. It is found that the regional responses to anomalous BB emissions occur mainly during boreal fall, which is also the time of the climatological seasonal maximum in emissions. Transient responses are identified in precipitation, clouds, and radiation in both the tropics and extratropics. At the onset of El Niño, these include increased precipitation in the northern branch of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and an enhancement of cloud albedo and amount across the Maritime Continent and eastern subtropical Pacific Ocean. Additional responses are identified through the course of El Niño and successive La Niña events, the net effect of which is to strengthen sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern Pacific Ocean during El Niño and warm the tropical Pacific Ocean during La Niña. These responses improve the simulation of ENSO power, diversity, and asymmetry in CESM2. Significance Statement Biomass burning emissions from both wildfires and agricultural fires during ENSO act as a climate feedback, as they are both driven by fire weather anomalies tied to ENSO and influence clouds, radiation, and precipitation on a global scale. While the largest biomass burning (BB) emissions emanate mainly from Indonesia, other regions also exhibit systematic responses. When simulated in CESM2, the emissions collectively impact the flows of energy across the tropical Pacific Ocean in a spatially and temporally complex fashion, with the net effect of improving CESM2’s simulation of ENSO events.

Fasullo, John T. [National Center for Atmospheric ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Trace Elemental Analysis of Bulk Thorium Using an Automated Separation–Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy Methodology

Presented here is a novel automated method for determining the trace element composition of bulk thorium by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). ICP-OES is a universal approach for measuring the trace elemental impurities present in actinide-rich materials; however, due to the emission rich spectrum of the actinide, a separation from the trace elements is warranted for spectrochemical analysis. Here, AG MP-1 ion exchange resin was utilized for retention of the Th matrix, while allowing the trace element impurities to be separated prior to subsequent analysis using ICP-OES. After demonstrating the separation on traditional gravity-driven columns, the methodology was transitioned to an automated platform for comparison. This automated platform utilizes syringe-driven sample and solvent flow and can collect the trace element and thorium fractions in separate locations. Finally, while reducing the sample size (500 µL, 1.5 mg of Th), maintaining the overall separation efficiency (recoveries >95%), and illustrating the sample throughput ability (n = 10+), this automated methodology could be readily adopted to nuclear facilities in which the determination of trace elemental impurities in Th samples is warranted.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Water Recovery From Cooling Tower Plumes

According to studies by the UN and the US State Department, we are on the path to an extreme freshwater shortage by 2030. The US’s largest water withdrawal source is power plants, which account for 39% of total US freshwater withdrawals, mostly for cooling. Cooling towers are the most common cooling system. To solve these problems and enable efficient water- based cooling – Infinite Cooling’s novel technology uses electric fields to ionize the air, charge the escaping water leaving cooling towers and direct the water toward mesh collectors where it collects and gets recycled for use in the cooling system. This technology was developed at MIT and was reduced to practice on a lab-scale prototype, and a prototype at the MIT Cogeneration Power Plant. This DOE award funded taking this technology from a lab-scale prototype to TRL 5 on an operating cooling tower in the field at the MIT Nuclear Research Laboratory. The funding helped to design and optimize an electrostatic plume collection system and test it in high-fidelity lab setting and in actual field conditions on a cooling tower. Throughout the award, Infinite Cooling investigated the formation of plumes on cooling towers, used that information to optimize the design, material and electrical properties of the collection device and quantified the collection yield via flow rate and water quality.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Frost Table Elevation across a Low-Centered and a High-Centered Polygon, Mapped using Ground Penetrating Radar, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2015

Ground Penetrating Radar, active layer thickness point measurements, and ground elevation surveys were conducted on a low-centered and a high-centered polygon in Utqiagvik (Barrow), AK (on October 2nd, 2015) to map frost table topography and evaluate its influence on hydrological flow. Data were collected to improve our understanding of the topography of the permafrost table across polygons which may have a major influence on hydrology. This dataset includes 2 zip files containing the raw data, 2 csv files of processed data, and a pdf user guide.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

The EGS Collab project: Outcomes and lessons learned from hydraulic fracture stimulations in crystalline rock at 1.25 and 1.5 km depth

With the goal of better understanding stimulation in crystalline rock for improving enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), the EGS Collab Project performed a series of stimulations and flow tests at 1.25 and 1.5 km depths. The tests were performed in two well-instrumented testbeds in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, United States. The testbed for Experiment 1 at 1.5 km depth contained two open wells for injection and production and six instrumented monitoring wells surrounding the targeted stimulation zone. Four multi-step stimulation tests targeting hydraulic fracturing and nearly year-long ambient temperature and chilled water flow tests were performed in Experiment 1. The testbed for Experiments 2 and 3 was at 1.25 km depth and contained five open wells in an outwardly fanning five-spot pattern and two fans of well-instrumented monitoring wells surrounding the targeted stimulation zone. Experiment 2 targeted shear stimulation, and Experiment 3 targeted low-flow, high-flow, and oscillating pressure stimulation strategies. Hydraulic fracturing was successful in Experiments 1 and 3 in generating a connected system wherein injected water could be collected. However, the resulting flow was distributed dynamically, and not entirely collected at the anticipated production well. Thermal breakthrough was not observed in the production well, but that could have been masked by the Joule-Thomson effect. Shear stimulation in Experiment 2 did not occur - despite attempting to pressurize the fractures most likely to shear - because of the inability to inject water into a mostly-healed fracture, and the low shear-to-normal stress ratio. The EGS Collab experiments are described to provide a background for lessons learned on topics including induced seismicity, the correlation between seismicity and permeability, distributed and dynamic flow systems, thermoelastic and pressure effects, shear stimulation, local geology, thermal breakthrough, monitoring stimulation, grouting boreholes, modeling, and system management.

15 - GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Unique Building Identifier (UBID): Public Sector Implementation Guide

Buildings generate data throughout their lifecycle – about ownership & taxation, usage, zoning, code compliance, energy use, and retrofits. State and local governments collect this data after it flows through growing networks of people and systems. But collecting data is only half the battle; what’s really needed is information – the actionable insights that lead to successful policy outcomes.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

The EGS Collab Project – Stimulations at Two Depths

The EGS Collab project, supported by the US Department of Energy, is performing intensively monitored rock stimulation and flow tests at the 10-m scale in an underground research laboratory to address challenges in implementing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Data and observations from the field tests are compared to simulations to understand processes and build confidence in numerical modeling of the processes. We have completed Experiment 1 (of 3), which examined hydraulic fracturing in a well-characterized underground fractured phyllite test bed at a depth of approximately 1.5 km at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota. Testbed characterization included fracture mapping, borehole acoustic and optical televiewers, full waveform sonic, conductivity, resistivity, temperature, campaign p- and s-wave investigations and electrical resistance tomography. Borehole geophysical techniques including passive seismic, continuous active source seismic monitoring, electrical resistance tomography, fiber-based distributed strain, distributed temperature, and distributed acoustic monitoring, were used to carefully monitor stimulation events and flow tests. More than a dozen stimulations and nearly one year of flow tests were performed. Quality data and detailed observations were collected and analyzed during stimulation and water flow tests using ambient temperature and chilled water. We achieved adaptive control of the tests using real-time monitoring and rapid dissemination of data and near-real-time simulation. More detailed numerical simulation was performed to answer key experimental design questions, forecast fracture propagation trajectories and extents, and analyze and evaluate results. Data are freely available from the Geothermal Data Repository. Experiment 2 examines the potential for hydraulic shearing in amphibolite at a depth of about 1.25 km at SURF. This site has a different set of stress and fracture conditions than Experiment 1. The Experiment 2 testbed consists of nine subhorizontal boreholes configured in two fans of two boreholes which surround the testbed and contain grouted-in electrical resistance tomography, seismic sensors, active seismic sources and distributed fiber sensors. A “five-spot” set of test wells that extends from a custom mined alcove includes an injection well and four production/monitoring wells. The testbed was characterized geophysically and hydrologically, and three stimulations have been performed using the Step-Rate Injection Method for Fracture In-Situ Properties (SIMFIP) tool to measure strains, and a new strain quantifying tool (downhole robotic strain analysis tool -DORSA) was deployed in a monitoring hole during stimulation. Real-time data were broadcast during stimulations to allow real-time response to arising issues.

EGS Collab, Enhanced Geothermal Systems, EGS, fiel↗
DOE OSTI2025

Catalytic hydrogenation of HMF to BHMF over copper catalysts

2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) is a bio-derived building block for polyester production, obtained via the hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). First-principles thermodynamic equilibrium calculations indicate that this reaction is not thermodynamically limited under relevant conditions (e.g., 100 °C and high H 2 partial pressure). In this work, crude HMF was employed as the feedstock for BHMF synthesis. Initially, acidic impurities and humins were removed from unrefined HMF through filtration using a packed bed of γ-alumina. A comprehensive study of the filtration process is presented, including filtration kinetics, breakthrough curve analysis, and mathematical modeling. The purified HMF was subsequently hydrogenated over a 10 wt% CuZrO 2 catalyst, using ethanol as the reaction solvent. Batch reactions were first performed for collection of kinetic data to guide the transition to continuous flow operation. Kinetic data was collected in a fixed bed reactor at varying contact time, time on stream, temperature, and HMF concentration. This data was used to develop a kinetic model for HMF hydrogenation. Maximum BHMF production rates were achieved at 130 °C, accompanied by minor formation of byproducts from BHMF ring-opening reactions. The BHMF selectivity was 100 % at 100 °C although with lower reaction rates. Furthermore, catalyst stability tests revealed a loss of up to 50 % in catalytic activity within the first 24 h, likely due to the adsorption of HMF-derived oligomers that are not easily removed by filtration.

Crude HMF filtration↗
DOE OSTI2022

June 2022 Permeability Measurements in P-Tunnel, Nevada National Security Site

This document describes gas permeability measurements made in June 2022 in P-Tunnel at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Four boreholes (AC-1, GI-5, GI-6, and HF-1) were tested with a dual packer system. The pressure versus flow rate data that were collected are analyzed using a numerical simulation method that captures compressible gas flow in partially saturated porous media using a close approximation to the geometry of the test setup. The first part of this document begins with data collection and a description of the packer assembly followed by details on data acquisition, measurement instrumentation, and equipment followed by a description of pre-test system verification. Next, the implementation of testing in the field is described, including how specific locations were chosen for testing. The second part of this document describes the numerical simulations used to back-out permeability from the pressure versus flow rate data. First, the numerical model is described, including assumptions. Next the details of the mesh that represents the experiment are described. A method for generating type curves in pressure versus flow rate space is presented and finally the data are mapped to permeability. We conclude with a discussion of the results.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling and Optimal Design of a Desalination System Integrated Between a Glass-Covered Solar Collection Water Chamber and a Heat Dissipating Chimney

Abstract Solar thermal energy is trapped in a glass-covered water chamber/basin to provide the heat for evaporation of brackish water in a novel desalination system. To harvest clean water, a chimney is integrated with the water basin, which draws air into the chamber to be humidified by the vapor and then being ventilated via buoyance force. Uniquely, thermal conductive metal sheet is recommended to make the chimney, which allows the vapor in the humid air condenses easily when flowing up. The condensate at the inner wall of the chimney flows down to be collected as clean water. Mathematical modeling and numerical computation have been carried out to delineate the coupling of the buoyance-force-driven flow with the heat and mass transfer of air and water in the solar collection chamber and the condensation of vapor in the heat-dissipating chimney. The objective of the simulation and optimization of the system is to find the best match of the dimensions of the water chamber with a chimney to maximize the production of clean water and energy efficiency. The model has been used to simulation several cases (of water from 40 °C to 50 °C) with available experimental data from the authors’ previous work, and the agreement was satisfactory. The optimization studies found that there is a maximum air flowrate corresponding to a critical chimney height due to the requirement that the chimney is designated to dissipate heat as much as possible to condense water vapor. With the chimney height greater than the critical height, the airflow rate will have a slight decrease. Nevertheless, higher than a critical height is still needed for a chimney to condense more moisture. Optimized chamber diameters at different chimney heights are provided for reference of optimal system designs.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2020

The role of collective elasticity on activated structural relaxation, yielding, and steady state flow in hard sphere fluids and colloidal suspensions under strong deformation

In this work, we theoretically study the effect of external deformation on activated structural relaxation and aspects of the nonlinear mechanical response of glassy hard sphere fluids in the context of elastically collective nonlinear Langevin equation theory. This microscopic force-based approach describes activated relaxation as a coupled local–nonlocal event involving caging and longer range collective elasticity, with the latter becoming more important and ultimately dominant with increasing packing fraction under equilibrium conditions. The central new question we address is how this physical picture of activated relaxation, and the relative importance of local caging vs collective elasticity physics, depends on external deformation. Theoretical predictions are presented for deformation-induced enhancement of mobility, the onset of relaxation speed up at remarkably low values of stress, strain, or shear rate, apparent power law thinning of the steady state structural relaxation time and viscosity, a non-vanishing activation barrier in the shear thinning regime, an apparent Herschel–Bulkley form of the rate dependence of the steady state shear stress, exponential growth of different measures of a dynamic yield or flow stress with the packing fraction, and reduced fragility and dynamic heterogeneity under deformation. The results are contrasted with experiments and simulations, and qualitative or better agreement is found. An overarching conclusion is that deformation strongly reduces the importance of longer range collective elastic effects relative to the local caging aspect for most, but not all, physical questions, with deformation-dependent fragility and dynamic heterogeneity phenomena being qualitatively sensitive to collective elasticity. Overall, nonlinear rheology is predicted to be a more local problem than quiescent structural relaxation, albeit with deformation-modified activated processes still important.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗