Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “PVC”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Separation and processing of plastic films

A successful flexible plastic packaging (FPP) recycling process will require the best of technological development, conscientious industry strategy, an environmentally aware community and likely, governmental support and legislation. FPP is used in almost every industry and can have a wide range of physical and chemical characteristics that lead to the series of challenges encountered at current recycling facilities. FPP is typically a one-time use product, and makes up about 30% of municipal waste plastics (Davis, 2016). Due to its versatility and light weight nature, plastics are the second most commonly used packaging material next to corrugated board (WPO, 2008). Furthermore, FPP and glass are the most detrimental of recyclables to the success of recycling processes. While glass is known to jam conveyors and melt in some separations at recovery facilities, FPP is far more burdensome and challenges the separation processes at recycling facilities. In the U.S. over 250 M tons of solid trash is generated each year, about 32 M tons consisting of plastic (Sandford, 2016; EPA, 2015b). 8.7 M tons of FPP was produced in 2013 in the U.S. (Sandford, 2016) with only 7.5% of FPP being recycled currently (EPA, 2015a). Of the material that is being recycled, 83% originated from commercial sources with 51% of it being clear polyethylene (PE) stretch wrap and poly bags, 20% consisting of mixed color PE stretch wrap films and 12% PE agricultural films (Moore Recycling Associates, 2017). Of the remaining recycled films, 16% originated from consumer sources as PE retail bags, sacks and wraps collected at store and consumer drop off centers. Only 1% of recycled PE films were obtained from curbside recycling programs and processed through material recovery facilities (MRFs). Other types of films such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) are essentially not recycled. Only 43% of the recycled FPP is truly recycled back into films/sheets, 44% is down-gauged into plastic composite lumber and the remaining material goes to uses such as marine and agricultural products, crates, buckets and pallets (Moore Recycling associations, 2017).

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Neutrino Tridents in the NOvA Near Detector

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment based at Fermilab that uses theNuMI beam line and two detectors to measure neutrino rates at a near location, and 810 km away at a far location.The detectors are made from PVC extrusions which segment the volume in to 4x6 cm cells which alternate orientations to provide 3D tracking of particles in the detector.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

8 Ft Vessel Refinishing Contract Introduction [Slides]

LANL utilizes spherical vessels for numerous basic science, materials, and system performance experiments. The 8 ft vessel was fabricated in the early 2000s to ASME B&PVC Section VIII Division 1 using HSLA-100 material. This vessel was not used operationally due to programmatic change in direction. Years of improper maintenance and storage has resulted in deterioration of sealing surfaces and bolt hole threads. New mission needs call for expanded capabilities in terms of vessel sizes, therefore refinishing the 8ft vessel is crucial.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Submersible Multistage Centrifugal Pump for Versatile Test Reactor Cartridge Test Loop

Submersible multistage centrifugal pumps are ideal for pumping in narrow confined spaces and achieving necessary head pressures and flow rates. Once a diameter is determined then manipulation of the number of stages and motor speed are all that are required to meet desired flow conditions. The Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) closed loop cartridge systems will need forced convection cooling independent of the main reactor. A multistage centrifugal pump can meet the necessary flow rates and pumping pressures while minimizing space taken. The pump considered for this work was based off a deep well submersible pump, a variation of a multistage centrifugal pump. We experimented with two pump sizes, 5 cm (2 inch) and 7.5 cm (3 inch) diameters. These diameters were chosen to fit into the inner diameter of standard 5 and 7.5 (2 and 3 inch) Schedule 40 pipe, respectively. This made the design for the test loop both simpler and less expensive as the need for an engineered pump housing was eliminated. Initial test cartridge planning indicated space for only a 5 cm (2 inch) diameter pump, though early testing of this size showed the need for an abnormally high-speed and high-power motor. Fine tuning of the cartridge design allowed a pump size increase to 7.5 cm (3 inches), which was the pump size most extensively tested in this work. The test loop is composed of various sizes of PVC and aluminum piping components in a loop configuration. The pump is driven by a Pittman 250 W (1/3 horsepower) electric motor with maximum speed of 3,450 RPM. Testing consisted of running the pump at a constant motor speed while varying a control valve to restrict flow through the loop, with differential pressure and flow rate recorded. This was done for one and two stage configurations for the 5 cm (2 inch) diameter impeller design and one, two, and three stage configurations for the 7.5 cm (3 inch diameter) impeller design, respectively. Due to pumping power requirements, two and three stage 7.5 cm (3 inch) diameter impeller testing at higher flowrates lowered the motor speed substantially. In regions where motor speed could not be maintained constant, the data were discarded. The test loop was also reconfigured to allow for the pump to be tested for pressure drop in a stalled or inoperable (0 RPM) flow condition. Demonstration of adequate natural convection cooling of the test cartridge fuel type is necessary under accident conditions, and this will depend upon the flow resistance through the impeller assembly when the pump is not operating. Thus, accurate knowledge of the effective impeller assembly loss coefficient is important for safety evaluations. The test loop was modified to provide water inlet and outlets on either side of the pump impeller stack, and a metered flow of lab water was provided in order to measure the pressure drop across the cartridges as a function of flowrate. Data from the pump head curve testing developed as part of this work and supported by analysis using pump head affinity laws indicates that a three stage 7.5 cm (3 inch) pump impeller design will meet target requirements for coolant flow within the VTR cartridge sodium cartridge at full power conditions [1] with margin; this corresponds to a flowrate of 45 l/min (12 gpm) at a pressure drop of 6.1 m (20 feet) of water head. The results of the pressure loss measurements across the impeller assembly when the pump is stationary (i.e., at 0 RPM) indicate that the pressure loss coefficient is 0.921 for a two impeller stack configuration; this value is calculated based on the flow velocity through the minimum available flow area within a single stage of the impeller which corresponds to 1.4 cm2.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Life-Cycle Analysis Datasets for Regionalized Plastic Pathways

The carbon intensity (CI) of producing five different resins – polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – in four different international regions – United States of America (USA), Western Europe, Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA), and China – is calculated on a cradle-to-gate basis using the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The list of factors that can potentially vary the CI of the five resins in different international regions include the CI of electricity and natural gas (NG) production, steam cracking feedstock mix, propylene sourcing technology mix, terephthalic monomer (TM) mix, use of hydrogen co-product from steam cracking process, and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production technology mix.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Climate Impact of Primary Plastic Production

Plastics show the strongest production growth of all bulk materials over the last decade. The industry’s current growth trajectory is exponential and plastic production is expected to double or triple by 2050. The rapidly increasing production of plastics and the continued reliance on fossil fuels for production, have contributed to numerous environmental problems and health harms. As a result, plastic pollution has become an increasing threat to natural ecosystems, human health and climate. However, there is a lack of granularity on the contribution of the primary plastics specifically to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their impact on the remaining global carbon budget needed to stay below a 1.5°C or 2°C global average temperature rise. In this report, we explore the contribution of primary plastic production to climate change disaggregated by polymer and technology. To this end, we have developed comprehensive bottom-up modeling of GHG emissions from global primary plastic production, with a special focus on polymer value chains. We have analyzed the results under various growth scenarios in the context of carbon budgets compatible with a 1.5°C global trajectory. Modeling includes the material flows of all production stages, processes and technologies used in primary plastic production value chains, including from the extraction of fossil fuels required for production to shaping the final product. We specifically focus on nine major types of fossil fuelbased plastic polymers that are produced and consumed in large quantities: three types of polyethylene (PE) – low-density (LDPE), linear low-density (LLDPE), and high-density (HDPE) – as well as polypropylene (PP); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polystyrene (PS) and other key styrene-based plastics such as styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyurethane (PU). Together these account for about 80% of plastics production.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Climate Impact of Primary Plastic Production

Plastics show the strongest production growth of all bulk materials over the last decade. The industry’s current growth trajectory is exponential and plastic production is expected to double or triple by 2050. The rapidly increasing production of plastics and the continued reliance on fossil fuels for production, have contributed to numerous environmental problems and health harms. As a result, plastic pollution has become an increasing threat to natural ecosystems, human health and climate. However, there is a lack of granularity on the contribution of the primary plastics specifically to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their impact on the remaining global carbon budget needed to stay below a 1.5°C or 2°C global average temperature rise. In this report, we explore the contribution of primary plastic production to climate change disaggregated by polymer and technology. To this end, we have developed comprehensive bottom-up modeling of GHG emissions from global primary plastic production, with a special focus on polymer value chains. We have analyzed the results under various growth scenarios in the context of carbon budgets compatible with a 1.5°C global trajectory. Modeling includes the material flows of all production stages, processes and technologies used in primary plastic production value chains, including from the extraction of fossil fuels required for production to shaping the final product. We specifically focus on nine major types of fossil fuel-based plastic polymers that are produced and consumed in large quantities: three types of polyethylene (PE) – low-density (LDPE), linear low-density (LLDPE), and high-density (HDPE) – as well as polypropylene (PP); polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polystyrene (PS) and other key styrene-based plastics such as styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyurethane (PU). Together these account for about 80% of plastics production.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lifetime extension drop-test of real-world corroded 5 Quart Hagan nuclear material storage container

A 5Qt Hagan container with a 20-year history of nuclear material storage was challenged with three successive drop tests at a height of 3.7 meters. The total mass of the test package was 12.1 kg. The 1st and 2nd drop tests (center of gravity over the container bottom corner but 180 degrees apart on the container bottom face) passed the pre- and post- impact helium leak criterion at less than 1.00E-6 atm-cc/sec (ambient cubic centimeters per second). The 3rd and final test (center of gravity over top corner) failed with a post-impact gross leak of 1.1E-1 atmcc/sec. The RRFMC (Respirable Release Fraction Measurement Chamber) is a drop tower test system that is critical for the sustainability of the SAVY-4000™ series and Hagan-type (NFT Inc. Golden CO) nuclear material storage containers. These are the primary in-use nuclear material storage container types at the Los Alamos National Laboratory TA-55 facility. Results are presented to expand the technical knowledge basis for container lifetime, regarding actual exposure to corrosive gas species on the container inner surfaces. The primary source of general corrosion throughout the container is gaseous hydrogen chloride (HCl). This gas is generated by the degradation of the polyvinylchloride (PVC) bag-out bag. Additionally, in most cases, the nuclear material itself also releases HCl gas (due to residual chemical components associated with the material formation). The RRFMC drop tower gives the end-user the ability record and analyze high-speed video and photography and if needed aerosol mass release measurements. In this report the principal issue is the physical deformation of the 5Qt Hagan container. There were no mass release experiments of test aerosol mass in the present study.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

NOvA in 10 Minutes

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment based at Fermilab, IL, USA, that observes $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu) \to \nu_\mu\ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu) \to \nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance oscillations from a beam of muon neutrinos (anti-neutrinos) provided by the Fermilab's NuMI beamline. The experiment consists of two functionally identical active liquid scintillattor tracking calorimeters, both situated 14.6 mrad off-axis to the beam direction. The detectors are made out of extruded PVC cells arranged in alternating horizontal and vertical planes for 3-dimensional reconstruction of neutrino events. The NOvA experiment has a wide-ranging scientific program that includes studying standard 3-flavor neutrino oscillations, resolution of neutrino mass orderings, measuring the CP-violating phase, $\delta_{CP}$, beyond standard model (BSM) phenomenon such as non-standard interactions (NSI) and sterile neutrino searches, neutrino-nucleus cross-section measurements, exotics, astrophysics and more. The NOvA experiment leverages its identical detector technology to mitigate systematic uncertainties for its neutrino oscillation analysis. This talk will provide an overview of the experiment's detector design and the data-driven techniques used by the experiment in its neutrino oscillation analysis.

Choudhary, Brajesh [Delhi U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

SPRUCE Surface N2O fluxes measured with LI-7820, 2024

This dataset contains N2O (nitrous oxide) efflux rates measurements from the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experimental site within the Marcell Experimental Forest in northern Minnesota, USA. Measurements were made manually with a LiCor N2O/H2O analyzer (LI-7820) and paired SmartChamber (LI-8200-01S) in June, August, and October (2024-06-24 to 2024-10-22). During each measurement, the SmartChamber was placed on 8” PVC collars that were installed in May 2024. N2O flux was derived from 10-minute flux measurements processed using SoilFluxPro software (v5.3.1) and fit to a linear model. Model slope and R2 are reported along with soil water, soil temperature, and air temperature observations made with SmartChamber sensors. N2O is a gaseous N species formed during the microbial processes of denitrification and ammonia oxidation, and is a powerful greenhouse gas. This dataset contains one data file in comma-separate values (*.csv) format. Additional metadata are provided: one data dictionary and a file-level metadata file in comma-separate values (.csv) format and a user guide in PDF (*.pdf) format.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Compatibility Assessment of Fuel System Thermoplastics with Bio-Blendstock Fuel Candidates Using Hansen Solubility Analysis

The compatibility of key fuel system infrastructure plastics with 39 bio-blendstock fuel candidates was examined using Hansen solubility analysis. Fuel types included multiple alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones, alkenes and one alkane. These compounds were evaluated as neat molecules and as blends with the gasoline surrogate, dodecane, and a mix of dodecane and 10% ethanol (E10D). The plastics included polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyoxymethylene (POM), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), along with several nylon grades. These materials have been rigorously studied with other fuel types, and their volume change results were found to correspond well with their predicted solubility levels.The compatibility was assessed using Hansen solubility parameters and in many instances peak solubility occurred for blends rather than the neat fuel components. The results showed that good compatibilities can be expected for PPS, PVDF, PET, nylons, acetal, PEI, PVC, HDPE and PBT. PTFE showed potential incompatibilities at low blend concentrations, especially when E10D was used as the base fuel blend. Although, the nylons show good overall compatibility, the results do indicate that mid-range and high alcohol contents may not be suitable for Nylon 6 and Nylon 11 in applications requiring low volume swell. Poor potential compatibility was limited to two plastic types; PETG exposed to mid and high blend levels of the ethers and PP exposed to sabinene and the aromatics. In general, the data showed good compatibility for the majority of the candidate fuels and plastics.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Compatibility of Elastomers with Polyoxymethylene Dimethyl Ethers and Blends with Diesel

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEs) have shown promise as candidates for diesel fuel blendstocks due to their low sooting tendency, high cetane number, and diesel-comparable boiling point range. However, there is a lack of literature regarding compatibility of PODEs with common automotive elastomers, which would be a prerequisite to their adoption into the marketplace. To address this need, an exposure study and complementary solubility analysis were undertaken. A commercially available blend of PODEs with polymerization degree ranging from 3 to 6 was blended with diesel certification fuel at 0, 33, 50, 67, at 100% by mass. Elastomer coupons were exposed to the various blends for a period of 4 weeks and evaluated for volume swell. The elastomer materials included multiple fluoroelastomers (Viton and fluorosilicone) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubbers (NBR), as well as neoprene, polyurethane, epichlorohydrin (ECO), PVC-nitrile blend (OZO), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and silicone. The exposure results indicated overall poor compatibility for PODE, with every elastomer except for fluorosilicone exhibiting greater than 30% volume swell at the 33% blend level. The general trend across the elastomers was either a consistent increase in volume swell with PODE concentration, or maximum in volume swell at an intermediate blend fraction. One notable exception is EPDM, which is not generally compatible with diesel fuel and which exhibited a reduction in volume swell with increasing PODE concentration. The same elastomers and PODE/diesel blends were evaluated using Hansen solubility parameter analysis, which predicted similar trends to the exposure study with the exception of ECO. From these results, we conclude that adoption of PODEs as a diesel fuel blendstock will require either the development of specialized elastomers, or that the blend fraction be kept to a low level to maintain compatibility with existing elastomers.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Soil Nutrient Availability, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, beginning 2016

Soil nutrient availability at all vegetation plots was measured using anion and cation binding resins deployed to vegetation plots at Kougarok, Teller and Council sites on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. PVC resin-access tubes were installed with the first round of sampling and GPS coordinates were recorded. Access tubes place resin capsules in contact with soil and allow for repeated, undisturbed access to the same location through time. Concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate in resin extract solutions were determined in the lab on an autoanalyzer. Data collection started in July 2016 and is ongoing.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 OSTI2026

Do Flashing and Sealant Materials Need to be Exposed to Extreme Cycling?

In the U.S., over 50% of homes were built before 1980, when minimal building codes existed. The aging of building envelopes can significantly contribute to the air leakage, moisture intrusion, and durability of buildings leading to higher energy demands. Although the durability of building materials and envelope systems has been studied extensively, the durability of specific components like window-wall flashing and sealants remains underexplored. Current standards such as ASTM, NIST, and AAMA primarily focus on durability testing considering the high temperatures only and require sealant testing on anodized aluminum panels, leaving questions about performance in cold or fluctuating temperatures unanswered. Current ASTM and AAMA standards provide guidelines for durability testing but predominantly focus on exposure to higher temperature conditions. It remains unclear how exposure to cold temperatures, or cycles of both hot and cold conditions, affect the durability of these materials. Furthermore, AAMA standards mandate that flashing materials be tested on anodized aluminum panels, which may not reflect real-world applications. Therefore, this initial study aims to explore this concern through testing by constructing two window-wall interface prototypes and applying five different flashing and sealant materials to their joints. These samples were subjected to extreme temperatures, ranging from −34 ℃ (−30 °F) to 50 ℃ (122 °F), over a 28-day period (fourteen cycles of 24 hours), with daily visual inspections to document any signs of deterioration such as wrinkling, distortion, or warping. The study has two main objectives: (1) to determine whether flashing and sealant materials lose their durability and strength when exposed to varying climate conditions, specifically cold climates, and (2) to assess whether the interaction of these materials with different substrates (e.g., lumber, PVC, insulation) affects their durability and strength under varying climate conditions. The findings demonstrate how aging impacts the durability of window-wall systems interfaces, justifying future research that potentially could lead to the development of new testing protocols if significant defects are identified.

Palani, Hevar [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000220211994)↗
NASA NTRS1974

Efficient systems of sound insulating floors

Experiments are summerized on dwelling houses with a view to the creation of efficient warm floors. The experiments concern the types of floors built in Rumania with currently produced materials. At the present time experiments are continuing with solutions based on concrete slabs equipped with a PVC carpet and placed on an elastic layer.

Giurgiu, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Development of an improved membrane for a vapor diffusion water recovery process

Recovery of potable water from urine on manned space missions of extended duration was the objective of work aimed at the improvement of membrane performance for the vapor diffusion process (VDR). Kynar, Teflon, PVC, and polysulfone candidate membranes were evaluated from chemical, thermal, mechanical, and fabricating standpoints to determine their suitability for operation in the VDR pervaporation module. Pervaporation rates and other performance characteristics were determined in a breadboard pervaporator test rig. Kynar and Teflon membranes were demonstrated to be chemically stable at pervaporation temperatures in urine pretreated with chromic acid bactericide. The separation of the pervaporator and condenser modules, the use of a recirculating sweep gas to conduct pervaporate to the condenser, and the selection of a hollow fiber membrane configuration for pervaporator module design is recommended as a result of the investigation.

Rich, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Auger analysis of films formed on metals in sliding contact with halogenated polymers

The use of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to search for transferred polymer must contend with the fact that there has been no published work on Auger analysis of polymers. Since this is a new area for AES, the Auger spectra of polymers and of halogenated polymers in particular is discussed. It is shown that the Auger spectra of halogenated polymers have certain characteristics that permit an assessment of whether a polymeric transfer film has been established by sliding contact. The discussion is general and the concepts should be useful in considering the Auger analysis of any polymer. The polymers chosen for this study are the halogenated polymers polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polychlorotrifluorethylene (PCTFE).

Pepper, S. V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Anion selective membrane

Experimental anion permselective membranes were prepared and tested for their suitability as cell separators in a chemical redox power storage system being developed at NASA-Lewis Research Center. The goals of long-term (1000 hr) oxidative and thermal stability at 80 C in FeCl3 and CrCl3 electrolytes were met by most of the weak base and strong base amino exchange groups considered in the program. Good stability is exhibited by several of the membrane substrate resins. These are 'styrene' divinylbenzene copolymer and PVC film. At least four membrane systems produce strong flexible films with electrochemical properties (resistivity, cation transfer) superior to those of the 103QZL, the most promising commercial membrane. The physical and chemical properties of the resins are listed.

Alexander, S. S.↗