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At least 181 records · Page 10

NPD Hydro

This tool, the Non-Powered Dam Hydropower Development and Ranking Opportunity Tool (NPD HYDRO), allows users to prioritize or rank NPD sites for future development based on user-defined priorities. Benefits can be evaluated in several categories: the grid, community, industry, and environment (represented by the GCIE impact scores in the tool. In addition, the tool provides the user with a qualitative measure for the feasibility of adding energy storage during NPD conversion, specifically battery, hydrogen electrolysis, and pumped-storage hydropower (PSH). By taking a holistic approach to the potential range of benefits provided by NPD conversions with results tailored to the user’s priorities, NPD HYDRO provides the opportunity for national-level screening and enables users to focus on the sites that are most closely aligned with their interests.

Woodruff, Nathan↗

Non-Powered Dam Hydropower Development and Ranking Opportunity Tool

In pursuit of a net-zero-carbon emissions economy in the United States, non-powered dams (NPDs) represent a large opportunity to develop hydropower while leveraging existing infrastructure. With almost 600 NPD sites in the United States identified as having over 1 megawatt (MW) of potential capacity, only a small portion of the total potential capacity at these sites has been developed in recent years. , Conventional NPD retrofit feasibility analysis primarily focuses on the developer’s perspective but fails to consider the broader impacts of developing a dam, including on the neighboring communities. This tool, the Non-Powered Dam Hydropower Development and Ranking Opportunity Tool (NPD HYDRO), allows users to prioritize or rank NPD sites for future development based on user-defined priorities. Benefits can be evaluated in several categories: the grid, community, industry, and environment (referred to as the four impact scores in the tool as discussed in Section 2.2). In addition, the tool provides the user with a qualitative measure for the feasibility of adding energy storage during NPD conversion, specifically battery, hydrogen electrolysis, and pumped-storage hydropower (PSH). By taking a holistic approach to the potential range of benefits provided by NPD conversions with results tailored to the user’s priorities, NPD HYDRO provides the opportunity for national-level screening and enables users to focus on the sites that are most closely aligned with their interests.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Analytical investigation of two hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine systems for low-thrust application

Two hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine system concepts were analyzed parametrically over a thrust range from 100 to 1000 pounds and a chamber pressure range from 175 to 1000 psia. Both concepts were regeneratively cooled with hydrogen and were pump-fed by electric motor driven positive displacement pumps. Electric power was provided by either a turboalternator (turboalternator concept) or some means external to the engine system (auxiliary power concept). The computer program used to conduct the analyses along with the design characteristics of the major engine system components are briefly described. The feasible design range of the systems over the parametric range of thrust is discussed in terms of allowable chamber pressure considering the constraints of thrust chamber cooling and cycle power. Engine system estimated performance, mass, and dimensional envelope parametric data within the feasible design range are presented.

Scheer, D. D.↗

Characteristics and Applications of Metal Hydrides

Report discusses engineering principles of uses of metal hydrides in spacecraft. Metal hydrides absorb, store, pump, compress, and expand hydrogen gas. Additionally, they release or absorb sizeable amounts of heat as they form and decompose - property adapted for thermal-energy management or for propulsion. Describes efforts to: Identify heat sources and sinks suitable for driving metal hydride thermal cycles in spacecraft; develop concepts for hydride subsystems employing available heating and cooling methods; and produce data base on estimated sizes, masses, and performances of hydride devices for spacecraft.

Egan, G. J.↗

CFD Modelling of Bore Erosion in Two-Stage Light Gas Guns

A well-validated quasi-one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code for the analysis of the internal ballistics of two-stage light gas guns is modified to explicitly calculate the ablation of steel from the gun bore and the incorporation of the ablated wall material into the hydrogen working cas. The modified code is used to model 45 shots made with the NASA Ames 0.5 inch light gas gun over an extremely wide variety of gun operating conditions. Good agreement is found between the experimental and theoretical piston velocities (maximum errors of +/-2% to +/-6%) and maximum powder pressures (maximum errors of +/-10% with good igniters). Overall, the agreement between the experimental and numerically calculated gun erosion values (within a factor of 2) was judged to be reasonably good, considering the complexity of the processes modelled. Experimental muzzle velocities agree very well (maximum errors of 0.5-0.7 km/sec) with theoretical muzzle velocities calculated with loading of the hydrogen gas with the ablated barrel wall material. Comparison of results for pump tube volumes of 100%, 60% and 40% of an initial benchmark value show that, at the higher muzzle velocities, operation at 40% pump tube volume produces much lower hydrogen loading and gun erosion and substantially lower maximum pressures in the gun. Large muzzle velocity gains (2.4-5.4 km/sec) are predicted upon driving the gun harder (that is, upon using, higher powder loads and/or lower hydrogen fill pressures) when hydrogen loading is neglected; much smaller muzzle velocity gains (1.1-2.2 km/sec) are predicted when hydrogen loading is taken into account. These smaller predicted velocity gains agree well with those achieved in practice. CFD snapshots of the hydrogen mass fraction, density and pressure of the in-bore medium are presented for a very erosive shot.

Bogdanoff, D. W.↗

Brush Seal Arrangement for the RS-68 Turbopump Set

The nature of the RS-68 turbopumps requires that the hydrogen seals separating the pump from the turbine must have extremely low levels of leakage and be contained in small packages. Conventional seal technologies are not able to reasonably satisfy such design requirements. A review of experimental measurements and analysis publications suggests that brush seals are well suited for the design requirements. Brush seals are shown to have less leakage than conventional labyrinth and damper seals and have no adverse effects on the rotordynamics of the machine. The bulk-flow analysis presented by Hendricks et al. is used as a guideline to create a spreadsheet that provides mass flow through the seal and heat generated by the rubbing contact of the bristles on the shaft. The analysis is anchored to published data for LN2 and LH2 leakage tests. Finally, the analysis is used to design seals for both applications. It is observed that the most important analysis parameter is the thickness of the bristle pack and its relationship to seal clearance, lay angle and pressure drop.

Nunez, D.↗

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Turbomachinery Modeling

The Nuclear Space Systems Analysis and Modeling (NSSAM) software which was previously developed by Analytical Mechanical Associates had the turbomachinery components upgraded. Instead of using a performance curve based on historical data, the turbomachinery parameters, including the shaft speed and component diameters, are calculated based on the required performance specifications. Performance maps are also shown to inform the user on various operating regimes of which the components are capable. Furthermore, these components could also operate at various conditions within their operating limits to allow for various thrust classes and transient analysis should these become options in NSSAM in the future.

Turbomachinery↗

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Turbomachinery Modeling

The Nuclear Space Systems Analysis and Modeling (NSSAM) software which was previously developed by Analytical Mechanical Associates had the turbomachinery components upgraded. Instead of using a performance curve based on historical data, the turbomachinery parameters, including the shaft speed and component diameters, are calculated based on the required performance specifications. Performance maps are also shown to inform the user on various operating regimes of which the components are capable. Furthermore, these components could also operate at various conditions within their operating limits to allow for various thrust classes and transient analysis should these become options in NSSAM in the future.

Turbomachinery↗

Space shuttle auxiliary propulsion system design study. Phase D report: Oxygen-hydrogen special RCS studies

Two alternate oxygen-hydrogen auxiliary propulsion system concepts for use with the space shuttle vehicle were evaluated. The two concepts considered were: (1) gaseous oxygen-hydrogen systems with electric or hydraulic motor driven pumps to provide system pressure and (2) liquid oxygen-hydrogen systems which delivered propellants to the engines in a liquid state without the need for pumps. The various means of implementing each of the concepts are compared on the basis of weight, technology requirements, and operational considerations. It was determined that the liquid oxygen-hydrogen system concepts have the potential to produce substantial weight reductions in the space shuttle orbiter total impulse range.

Baumann, T. L.↗

Advancements in Dual-Pump Broadband CARS for Supersonic Combustion Measurements

Space- and time-resolved measurements of temperature and species mole fractions of nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen were obtained with a dual-pump coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) system in hydrogen-fueled supersonic combustion free jet flows. These measurements were taken to provide time-resolved fluid properties of turbulent supersonic combustion for use in the creation and verification of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models. CFD models of turbulent supersonic combustion flow currently facilitate the design of air-breathing supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) engines. Measurements were made in supersonic axi-symmetric free jets of two scales. First, the measurement system was tested in a laboratory environment using a laboratory-scale burner (approx.10 mm at nozzle exit). The flow structures of the laboratory-burner were too small to be resolved with the CARS measurements volume, but the composition and temperature of the jet allowed the performance of the system to be evaluated. Subsequently, the system was tested in a burner that was approximately 6 times larger, whose length scales are better resolved by the CARS measurement volume. During both these measurements, weaknesses of the CARS system, such as sensitivity to vibrations and beam steering and inability to measure temperature or species concentrations in hydrogen fuel injection regions were indentified. Solutions were then implemented in improved CARS systems. One of these improved systems is a dual-pump broadband CARS technique called, Width Increased Dual-pump Enhanced CARS (WIDECARS). The two lowest rotational energy levels of hydrogen detectable by WIDECARS are H2 S(3) and H2 S(4). The detection of these lines gives the system the capability to measure temperature and species concentrations in regions of the flow containing pure hydrogen fuel at room temperature. WIDECARS is also designed for measurements of all the major species (except water) in supersonic combustion flows fueled with hydrogen and hydrogen/ethylene mixtures (N2, O2, H2, C2H4, CO, and CO2). This instrument can characterize supersonic combustion fueled with surrogate fuel mixtures of hydrogen and ethylene. This information can lead to a better understanding of the chemistry and performance of supersonic combustion fueled with cracked jet propulsion (JP)-type fuel.

Tedder, Sarah Augusta Umberger↗

Impacts of Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen Policies on Uttar Pradesh's Power Sector Future

This report is part of a broader program focused on supporting Indian states with long-term power system planning. More information about this program can be found at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's "Supporting India's States With Renewable Energy Integration" web page at https://www.nrel.gov/international/india-renewable-energy-integration.html. The power sector in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, is poised to transform over the next few decades due to a combination of national and state-level policies impacting both the supply and demand of electricity. The Government of Uttar Pradesh has policies and plans to develop in-state solar PV, pumped storage hydropower, and green hydrogen. Power system policymakers and utilities in Uttar Pradesh are faced with the challenges of planning a system that incorporates increasing amounts of renewable energy and storage resources, meets rising electricity demand due to economic development and green hydrogen production, and satisfies operational and reliability requirements. To support these various objectives, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), RMI, and the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) evaluated the least-cost pathways for the state's power sector through 2050. NREL developed a capacity expansion model that identifies investment and operational decisions for every year (2024-2050) for all of India, with detailed representation for the state of Uttar Pradesh, which can provide a framework for recurring planning studies. The main insights from this study can also help inform policy development and investment decisions.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Impacts of Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen Policies on Uttar Pradesh's Power Sector Future: Additional Modeling Scenarios to Explore Hydrogen Flexibility [Slides]

This slide deck is part of a broader program focused on supporting Indian states with long-term power system planning. More information about this program can be found at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's "Supporting India's States With Renewable Energy Integration" web page at https://www.nrel.gov/international/india-renewable-energy-integration.html. The power sector in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, is poised to transform over the next few decades due to a combination of national and state-level policies impacting both the supply and demand of electricity. The Government of Uttar Pradesh has policies and plans to develop in-state solar PV, pumped storage hydropower, and green hydrogen. Power system policymakers and utilities in Uttar Pradesh are faced with the challenges of planning a system that incorporates increasing amounts of renewable energy and storage resources, meets rising electricity demand due to economic development and green hydrogen production, and satisfies operational and reliability requirements. To support these various objectives, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), RMI, and the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) evaluated the least-cost pathways for the state's power sector through 2050. NREL developed a capacity expansion model that identifies investment and operational decisions for every year (2024-2050) for all of India, with detailed representation for the state of Uttar Pradesh, which can provide a framework for recurring planning studies. The purpose of this slide deck is to supplement the main study (published in May 2024) with additional modeling scenarios to explore hydrogen flexibility.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Investigation of the Centaur boost pump overspeed condition at main engine shutdown on the Titan Centaur TC-2 flight

An investigation was conducted to evaluate a potential boost pump overspeed condition which could exist on the Titan/Centaur launch vehicle after main engine shut-off. Preliminary analyses indicated that the acceleration imparted to the unloaded boost pump-turbine assembly, caused by purging residual hydrogen peroxide from the turbine supply lines, could result in a pump-turbine overspeed. Previous test experience indicated that turbine damage occurs at speeds in excess of 75,000 rpm. Detailed theoretical analyses, in conjunction with pump tests, were conducted to establish the maximum pump-turbine speed at main engine shut-off. The analyses predicted a maximum speed of 68,000 rpm. Testing showed the pump-turbine speed to be 66,700 rpm in the overspeed condition. Inasmuch as both the analysis and tests showed the overspeed to be sufficiently less than the speed at which damage could occur, it was concluded that no corrective action would be required for the launch vehicle.

Baud, K. W.↗

Pressure pulsations above turbomolecular pumps

Lange and Singleton (1978) have observed pressure pulses above a turbomolecular pump. They reported that the mean pulse frequency increased with the temperature of the pump cooling water and that the evolved gas was mainly hydrogen. The present investigation takes into account tests conducted with a similar pumping system. The pumping system was equipped with additional pressure-monitoring equipment in order to study these pulsations in more detail. It was found that at least two distinct types of pressure pulsations may be present in a turbomolecular-pumped ultrahigh vacuum system. The random hydrogen pulses are easily eliminated for period of days by changing the cooling water temperature. The cyclic pulses consisting mainly of water vapor are not likely to be a problem in normal experiments.

Danziger, S.↗

Advanced launch system Component Test Facility

Upgrading of existing test facilities required for development of liquid fuel rocket engines for advanced launch systems is discussed. The Component Test Facility (CTF) for testing generators and turbopumps assemblies of the future engine is presented with emphasis on design criteria, design, test frequency, test duration, safety, and operational issues of the cryogenic propellant and high-pressure gas systems. Attention is also given to methods of controlling propellant temperatures and flows to the test components; pressurization of propellants accomplished with high-pressure hydrogen and nitrogen gases; and use of high-pressure pumps and vaporizers, which convert liquid nitrogen and hydrogen to gases at pressures up to 15,000 psig.

Pitalo, Gerald A.↗

Avoided Level Crossing and Entangled States of Interacting Hydrogen Molecules Detected by the Quantum Superposition Microscope

Pump–probe measurements by ultrashort THz pulses can be used to excite and follow the coherence dynamics in the time domain of single hydrogen molecules (H 2 ) in the junction of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). By tailoring the resonance frequency through the sample bias, we identified two spectral signatures of the interactions among multiple H 2 molecules. First, the avoided level crossing featured by energy gaps ranging from 20 to 80 GHz was observed because of the level repulsion between two H 2 molecules. Second, the tip can sense the signal of H 2 outside the junction through the projective measurement on the H 2 inside the junction, owing to the entangled states created through the interactions. A dipolar-type interaction was integrated into the tunneling two-level system model of H 2 , enabling accurate reproduction of the observed behaviors. Furthermore, our results obtained by the quantum superposition microscope reveal the intricate quantum mechanical interplay among H 2 molecules and additionally provide a 2D platform to investigate unresolved questions of amorphous materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗