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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 OSTI2025

Probing the Kitaev honeycomb model on a neutral-atom quantum computer

Quantum simulations of many-body systems are among the most promising applications of quantum computers. In particular, models based on strongly correlated fermions are central to our understanding of quantum chemistry and materials problems, and can lead to exotic, topological phases of matter. However, owing to the non-local nature of fermions, such models are challenging to simulate with qubit devices. Here we realize a digital quantum simulation architecture for two-dimensional fermionic systems based on reconfigurable atom arrays. We utilize a fermion-to-qubit mapping based on Kitaev’s model on a honeycomb lattice, in which fermionic statistics are encoded using long-range entangled states. We prepare these states efficiently using measurement and feedforward, realize subsequent fermionic evolution through Floquet engineering with tunable entangling gates interspersed with atom rearrangement, and improve results with built-in error detection. Leveraging this fermion description of the Kitaev spin model, we efficiently prepare topological states across its complex phase diagram and verify the non-Abelian spin-liquid phase by evaluating an odd Chern number. We further explore this two-dimensional fermion system by realizing tunable dynamics and directly probing fermion exchange statistics. Finally, we simulate strong interactions and study the dynamics of the Fermi–Hubbard model on a square lattice. These results pave the way for digital quantum simulations of complex fermionic systems for materials science, chemistry and high-energy physics.

atomic and molecular physics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Control System Upgrade for Battery State-of-Charge Indications

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) relies on Battery Backed Power (BBP) systems and Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) to ensure continuous power supply to critical components. This project aims to enhance the reliability and functionality of the battery monitoring and control systems by updating the State-of-Charge (SOC) system, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for the nuclear safety-related battery banks. The current system, while functional, has areas for improvement, particularly in recharging calculations and alarm functions. The project objectives include developing flow charts, programming the new PLC and HMI, conducting bench tests, and updating design documentation. Additionally, the project ensures compliance with safety standards, develops training materials, creates comprehensive documentation, and integrates seamlessly with existing ATR infrastructure. The new SOC system is designed to be scalable for future upgrades, improve efficiency, enhance data accuracy, implement redundancy features, and achieve project goals within budget constraints while considering environmental impact. The methodology involved familiarizing with BBP and UPS systems, collecting current readings, rescaling signals, learning ladder logic, and updating the HMI. The transition from SLC 5/03 PLC using RS Logix 500 to CompactLogix 5380 using Studio 5000 was a key step. Despite challenges in transferring outdated PLC ladder logic and HMI code, starting from scratch led to a more accurate and efficient monitoring system, contributing to improved safety and operational efficiency. The project is currently awaiting approval of the Engineering Calculation and Analysis Report (ECAR) before implementation.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Improved multiline HVDC circuit breakers with asymmetric conducting branches

Here, this paper proposes two improved multiline HVDC circuit breakers (DCBs) for HVDC grid applications, including type-1 improved multiline DCB and type-2 improved multiline DCB. The two improved DCBs draw on the core idea of extended H-bridge. m adjacent DC transmission lines share a single main breaker (MB) and surge arrester. Due to the extended H-bridge design, bidirectional current flow can be achieved by a unidirectional MB. An upper conducting branch and a lower conducting branch are connected to a DC line. The upper and lower conducting branches in the two improved multiline DCBs are asymmetric. The upper conducting branch of both two improved DCBs is formed by a load commutation switch (LCS) and an ultra-fast disconnector (UFD). The lower conducting branch of the type-1 improved scheme is composed of a diode and a UFD; and of the type-2 improved scheme is made up of diode stack. Compared with other DCBs, the proposed type-1 DCB and type-2 DCB are more cost effective. Among the five DCBs, the type-2 improved scheme requires the least number of individual switching actions. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed schemes are verified through simulation of a bipolar three-terminal HVDC grid in PSCAD/EMTDC.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multiple injection for improving knock, gaseous and particulate matter emissions in direct injection SI engines

Advances in fuel injector technology have enabled research and development on a large variety of direct injection spark ignition (DISI) engine fueling strategies targeted to improve engine performance and reduce engine-out emissions. This study explores the effect of multiple injections on knock, engine efficiency and stability, and particulate number and gaseous emissions on a single-cylinder DISI research engine. Work to date on multiple injections in the literature is reviewed, and then two aspects of multiple injection strategies are experimentally investigated: the number of injections (up to five times in a cycle); and the timing of the injections (classified relative to the timing of intake valve opening and closing). A boosted, single-cylinder research engine equipped with a state-of-the-art piezoelectric hollow cone spray direct injector and research-grade E10 gasoline was used for the study. The results show multiple injections maintain torque and combustion stability compared with single injection and slightly increase the knock limits and indicated thermal efficiencies (maximum 0.7% absolute, 2.8% relative compared with single-injection baseline) due to improved heat release phasing, especially with an additional late injection during the intake valve closed (compression stroke) period. The gaseous pollutant emissions including nitrogen oxides and unburned hydrocarbons were reduced by 25% with multiple injections, particularly with injection during the compression stroke. In contrast, carbon monoxide emissions increased with multiple injections for all conditions. Increasing the number of injection events significantly reduced particulate number emissions (half with each additional injection), and the decrease in particulate number was not sensitive to the injection timing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lowering the reactor breakeven requirements for proton–boron 11 fusion

Recently, it has been shown that altering the natural collisional power flow of the proton–boron 11 (pB11) fusion reaction can significantly reduce the Lawson product of ion density and confinement time required to achieve ignition. However, these products are still onerous—on the order of 7×1015 cm−3 s under the most optimistic scenarios. Fortunately, a breakeven fusion power plant does not require an igniting plasma, but rather a reactor that produces more electrical power than it consumes. Here, we extend the existing 0D power balance analysis to check the conditions on power plant breakeven. We find that even for the base thermonuclear reaction, modern high-efficiency thermal engines should reduce the Lawson product to 1.2×1015 cm−3 s. We then explore the impact of several potential improvements, including fast proton heating, alpha power capture, direct conversion, and efficient heating. We find that such improvements could reduce the required Lawson product by a further order of magnitude, bringing aneutronic fusion to target ITER ion densities and confinement times.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pseudo-halide anion engineering for efficient quasi-2D Ruddlesden-Popper tin perovskite solar cells

Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) organic-inorganic hybrid tin perovskites have emerged as promising alternatives to lead-based perovskites in thin-film photovoltaics because of their reduced toxicity and improved stability. However, the undesired small n-value 2D phases and disordered crystal orientation enormously restrict the efficiency of quasi-2D tin perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to uncontrollable nucleation and crystal growth processes. Here, we propose a mixed pseudo-halide anion engineering approach by using acetate (Ac - ) and tetrafluoroborate (BF 4 - ) anions to make quasi-2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites with a target formula of PEA 2 FA 4 Sn 5 I 16 . We find that the mixed Ac - and BF 4 - anions can not only promote homogeneously distributed PEA + cations in the precursor by effectively breaking the PEA + ···PEA + stacking but also retard the crystallization process by coordinating with unbonded SnI 2 , thereby, significantly reducing small n-value 2D phases, improving the crystal orientation, and suppressing the Sn 2+ oxidation. The resulting PSC exhibits up to 9% power conversion efficiency and 400 h stability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Computational Design to Advance AM Fabrication of High Gamma Prime Alloys for Hot Gas Path Components in Gas Turbine Engines: A Pathway to Enhanced Gas Turbine Efficiency and Energy Saving (Final CRADA Report)

Raising turbine inlet temperature is a key lever for improving industrial gas-turbine efficiency and power output, but it increases thermo-mechanical demands on hot-gas-path components. Additive manufacturing (AM), particularly laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), enables complex internal cooling features in critical components such as turbine tip shoes that are difficult to produce by conventional casting. However, qualification of new high-temperature AM alloys and aggressive geometries is often limited by trial-and-error iteration of build parameters and post-build heat treatments, with cracking during stress relieving or hot isostatic pressing (HIP) being a recurring failure mode.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Degradable Biocomposite Thermoplastic Polyurethanes

In this project, the team developed tough and degradable biocomposite thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) by incorporating bacterial spores into TPUs as a biofunctional living filler. The team screened various bacteria and selected the Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 strain as the final candidate, primarily due to its genomic availability, sporulation ability and TPU assimilation activity. The heat-shock tolerance of ATCC 6633 spores was further improved through evolutionary engineering via Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE), demonstrating a 17.7-fold enhanced germination efficiency post heat-shock treatment compared to the wild-type strain (WT). The team fabricated biocomposite TPUs by incorporating lyophilized powder of heat-shock tolerized (HST) spores during the hot melt extrusion (HME) of TPU at 135 °C. The baseline TPU used in this project is a commercially available soft-grade TPU (BCF45) manufactured by BASF. Colony forming unit (CFU) assays quantified that WT and HST spores in the TPU matrix retained approximately 20% and 100% survivability, respectively, after HME. Tensile testing demonstrated that the spores behaved as a polymer-reinforcing filler, positively affecting the overall tensile properties of the biocomposite TPU. For example, biocomposite TPU with WT and HST spores (BC TPU WT and BC TPU HST , respectively) exhibited up to 25% and 37% improved toughness, respectively, compared to TPU without spores. BC TPU HST showed remarkably improved disintegration in autoclaved compost (92% mass loss in 5 months), which simulated a microbially poor environment for TPU degradation. When compared to TPU without spores (44% mass loss in 5 months) the acceleration of degradation is marked. Respirometry confirmed that 72% of BC TPU HST was biomineralized into CO2 within 6 months, indicating that spores in the biocomposite TPU were germinated by utilizing nutrients in the autoclaved compost, facilitating TPU degradation at the end of the material's life. The team demonstrated the scale-up of biocomposite TPU fabrication using continuous extrusion and injection molding techniques. Processing conditions optimized in a lab-scale microcompounder were successfully transferred to a continuous extruder with a 30-fold increased throughput. Biocomposite TPUs prepared using these industry-relevant processes showed comparable toughness improvements to samples prepared in the lab-scale extruder. Excitingly, following compounding in the pilot-extruder the composite material could be injection molded, while retaining high spore viability and similar toughness improvements. The team also found that spores in biocomposite TPU served as antioxidants, preventing toughness decay during the recycled extrusion of BC TPU HST . Long-term storage tests over one year showed that the addition of spores had no negative effect on the longevity of the TPU. Furthermore, the team demonstrated the fabrication of spore-bearing biocomposite polymers with other polyesters such as PBAT, PLA, and PCL. We obtained promising preliminary data that showed overall toughness improvements for all polymers with spore addition. Finally, life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) were carried out, which indicated minimal additional cost of fabrication. Overall, a tough and degradable biocomposite thermoplastic was successfully developed through this project, with all tasks completed successfully, achieving >100% of the objectives.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Thermal Management by Engineering the Alignment of Nanocellulose

One of the grand current research challenges is to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings, which cumulatively consume more than 40% of the energy generated globally. In addition to improving the comfort of the inhabitants and mitigating the growing energy consumption problem, new building materials and technologies could provide a safe strategy for geoengineering to mitigate global climate change. Herein, recent progress in developing such advanced materials from nanocellulose, which is often derived from wood or even dirty feedstocks like waste, is reviewed. By using chemical and bacteria-enabled processing, nanocellulose can be used to fabricate broadband photonic reflectors, thermally super-insulating aerogels, solar gain regulators, and low-emissivity coatings, with potential applications in windows, roofs, walls, and other components of buildings envelopes. These material developments draw inspiration from advanced energy management found in nature, such as the nanoporous photonic structures that evolved in cuticles of beetles. Fabrication of such materials takes advantage of mesoscale liquid crystalline self-assembly, which allows for pre-designed control of cellulose nanoparticle orientations at the mesoscale. Finally, with the potential fully realized, such materials could one day transform the current energy-lossy buildings into energy plants on Earth and possibly even enable extraterrestrial habitats.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Improving Low-Bandgap Tin–Lead Perovskite Solar Cells via Contact Engineering and Gas Quench Processing

Low-bandgap Sn/Pb ABX 3 perovskites have reached photovoltaic power conversion efficiencies >20%, but they usually have poor stability due to the common use of acidic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) hole transport layers and A-site cation compositions containing methylammonium (MA). In this work, we develop a process to enable high-quality MA-free Sn/Pb perovskite films grown using a gas quenching process instead of the conventional antisolvents, which provides improved control of the film growth and eliminates wrinkling. Using this method in a device structure with poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA) instead of PEDOT:PSS as the hole transport layer, devices can reach efficiencies up to 20% mppt at 0.06 cm 2 and up to 17.5% mppt at 1 cm 2 active area. With these improvements, the devices are characterized for thermal stability and show 80% of the initial power output remaining after 4000 h at 85 °C.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Materials Design Directions for Solar Thermochemical Water Splitting

The sustainable, economical production of molecular hydrogen is a crucial component of a net zero-greenhouse-gas-emissions future. Solar thermochemical water splitting (STWS) offers a renewable route to hydrogen with the potential to help decarbonize several industries, including transportation, manufacturing, mining, metals processing, and electricity generation, as well as provide sustainable hydrogen as a chemical feedstock. STWS uses high temperatures generated from concentrated sunlight or other sustainable means for high-temperature heat to produce hydrogen and oxygen from steam. For example, in its simplest form of a two-step thermochemical cycle, a redox-active metal oxide is heated to ≈1700-2000 K, driving off molecular oxygen while producing oxygen vacancies in the material. The reduced metal oxide then cools (ideally with the extracted heat recuperated for re-use) and, in a separate step, comes into contact with steam, which reacts with oxygen vacancies to produce molecular hydrogen while recovering the original state of the metal oxide. Despite its promising use of the entire solar spectrum to split water thermochemically, the current estimated cost of hydrogen produced via STWS is ≈4-6× the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Shot target value of $1/kg. One contributing approach to bridging this cost gap is the design of new materials with improved thermodynamic properties to enable higher efficiencies. The state-of-the-art (SOA) redox-active metal oxide for STWS is ceria (CeO 2 ), due to its close to optimal, although too high, oxygen vacancy formation enthalpy and large configurational and electronic entropy of reduction. However, ceria requires high operating temperatures and its efficiency is insufficient. Therefore, efforts to increase the efficiency of STWS cycles have focused on further optimizing oxygen vacancy formation enthalpies and augmenting the reduction entropy via substitution or doping and materials discovery schemes. Examples of the latter include the perovskites BaCe 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3 and (Ca,Ce)(Ti,Mn)O 3 . These efforts and others have revealed intuitive chemical principles for the efficient and systematic design of more effective materials, such as the strong correlation between the enthalpies of crystal bond dissociation and solid-state cation reduction with the enthalpy of oxygen vacancy formation, as well as configurational entropy augmentation via the coexistence of two or more redox-active cation sublattices. The purpose of this chapter is to prepare the reader with an up-to-date account of STWS redox-active materials, both the SOA and promising newcomers, as well as to provide chemically intuitive strategies for improving their cycle efficiencies through materials design – in conjunction with ongoing efforts in reactor engineering and gas separations – to reach the cost points for commercial viability. First, we will introduce the thermodynamics of STWS using a two-step, metal-oxide, thermochemical cycle with economics in mind. We also will compare the pros and cons of processes that do or do not involve phase changes. Second, we will describe the qualities that make ceria the SOA STWS redox-active material, as well as its limitations. Third, we will survey some of the most promising candidates to date in the search for materials to supplant ceria, emphasizing the post-ternary, metal-oxide-perovskite alloys. Lastly, we will enumerate and discuss the following materials design directions for STWS redox-active materials: crystal reduction potentials as a proxy for oxygen vacancy formation enthalpies, engineering the electronic and configurational entropy of reduction via f-shells and simultaneous redox, and vetting materials stability via temperature-dependent phase diagrams and melting-point prediction.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Plasma-Coupled Flow Reactor Studies of Low-Temperature Plasma Assisted Kinetics of Methanol Blended with CO2

Ignition technologies based on low-temperature plasmas (LTP) have the potential to operate next generation engines at elevated pressures and increased dilution limits promoting higher efficiencies. From a practical standpoint, research on LTP igniters has shown to enhance combustion and ignition, improve flame stability, and extend the dilution limits of combustion. All of the aforementioned gains are complemented with higher ignition efficiencies. However, the biggest challenge with incorporating this technology into engines is the knowledge gap of how exactly plasma chemistry effects can enhance the basic combustion phenomena. This coupled with the lack of validated kinetic mechanisms for plasma-combustion chemistry is the biggest obstruction to recognize efficient ignition, especially for application relevant fuels and biofuels. In order to comprehensively evaluate the effects of LTP on an oxygenated fuel specific system, this present study examines the kinetics of methanol plasma-assisted pyrolysis and oxidation using a custom-built plasma flow reactor (PFR). Experimental regimes are also further extended to understand the effects of adding CO2 to the mixture and its consequence on reaction kinetics. The PFR is installed with a dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) configuration to induce LTP into the fuel mixture. Non-equilibrium plasmas are generated by high-voltage pulses (nearing 20 KV) administered by a plasma pulser at high-pulse repetition rates (up to 10 kHz). In order to better understand and isolate plasma chemistry and its effect on neutral chemistry, the experiments were carried out by heavily diluting reactive mixtures in nitrogen at near isothermal conditions. This suppresses the effect of exothermic reactions on chemistry allowing stable intermediates and products to be detected and quantified using ex-situ GC/MS diagnostic methods. Experiments were carried out at 0.5 atm pressure and over a wide range of temperatures from 523 K to 1203 K. Experimental results depicted the enhancement in intermediates production as well as overall lower temperatures required for complete fuel consumption in the plasma specific cases as opposed to their pure thermal counterpart. Formation of oxygenated and nitrile compounds specific to plasma assisted pyrolysis cases illustrated the efficacy of LTP to introduce new reaction pathways accelerating fuel decomposition. Increase in reactivity at lower temperatures is sought to be an effect induced by plasma chemistry postulating the acceleration in intermediates production. The onset of thermal ignition in plasma assisted oxidation is seen 200 K earlier than thermal oxidation highlighting efficient fuel conversion to final byproducts. Enhanced collisional processes afforded by LTP is seen to perturb reaction pathways between oxygenated fuel radicals and N-atoms to alter overall chemical reactivity. New insights into kinetics are gained from this study highlighting governing plasma assisted combustion (PAC) pathways for oxygenated fuel reaction chemistry. The results from this study can be used to develop future mechanisms specific to plasma chemistry which can bridge the mechanistic knowledge gap for LTP ignition so that future engines can adopt LTPs in their design for efficient combustion.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rheology and engine performance of very low sulfur fuel oil blended with 10% fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction oils in a 2-stroke crosshead engine

The performance and emissions for a downscaled single-cylinder 2-stroke crosshead engine were determined for a very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) when blended with 10 wt.% fast pyrolysis (FP) or hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) bio-intermediates. The FP and HTL oils were derived from biomass and were observed to contain lower molecular weight (MW) hydrocarbons than neat VLSFO (which was evaluated as a baseline comparison). The addition of either biofuel reduced the overall viscosity of the VLSFO. Aging tests at 50, 90, and 120°C showed that the dynamic viscosity of VLSFO increased with exposure time up to two weeks. Similar trends were observed for the FP and HTL blends, but a pronounced spike in viscosity occurred for these fuels during the early period of exposure. None of the viscosity increases exceeded the operational limits of fuel system pumps. Engine performance studies were conducted under low, medium and high load operational settings. The relative performance of the test fuels was highly dependent on operating condition. In general, the engine results for the three test fuels were similar, but modest improvements in brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption were observed, which may be attributed to the heightened reactivity of low molecular weight fraction of the FP and HTL oils.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultra-broadband mid-infrared generation in dispersion-engineered thin-film lithium niobate

Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) is an emerging platform for compact, low-power nonlinear-optical devices, and has been used extensively for near-infrared frequency conversion. Recent work has extended these devices to mid-infrared wavelengths, where broadly tunable sources may be used for chemical sensing. To this end, we demonstrate efficient and broadband difference frequency generation between a fixed 1-µm pump and a tunable telecom source in uniformly-poled TFLN-on-sapphire by harnessing the dispersion-engineering available in tightly-confining waveguides. We show a simultaneous 1–2 order-of-magnitude improvement in conversion efficiency and ∼5-fold enhancement of operating bandwidth for mid-infrared generation when compared to equal-length conventional lithium niobate waveguides. We also examine the effects of mid-infrared loss from surface-adsorbed water on the performance of these devices.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nuclear Decontamination Evolution and Revolution - 20349

Decontamination, one of the oldest practices in the nuclear industry, is about to change. While no single approach to decontamination is appropriate in all situations, decontamination of highly contaminated surfaces is historically viewed as difficult and/or marginally effective and fixatives and strippable coatings are often called on to manage time sensitive contamination control issues. The deferral of proper decontamination can lead to accumulated concentrations of radioactive material increasing the risk of cross-contamination of workers and equipment while also increasing radiation levels, which further discourages decontamination. The results of the subject testing demonstrate that superior decontamination factors are readily achievable and the ALARA benefit of decontamination is viable through advanced decontamination technologies in conjunction with innovative application techniques. The collateral benefits will save countless radiological man-hours and personnel radiological exposure. The appropriate use of radiological decontamination techniques can prevent or limit the adverse effects of highly radioactive contamination in the work area. High levels of radiological contamination are typically associated with some of the most physically demanding work in the nuclear industry. Additionally, working in highly contaminated environments increases the risk of exposure to elevated levels of airborne radioactivity and radiation from the source term of the contamination, particularly in hard to reach areas or complex equipment. Veolia's Alaron Nuclear Services (Alaron), a fully integrated nuclear facility, has provided the nuclear industry waste treatment, consolidation, repackaging, and broad decontamination services for almost 35 years. In looking at solutions for its customers, as well as for their own facility, Alaron has recently collaborated with Environmental Alternatives, Inc. (EAI), which has provided innovative solutions addressing difficult nuclear decontamination and industrial cleaning challenges since 1989. This broad range of experience along with the products to support the work created an ideal partner for Alaron's needs at their facility. The benefits of collaboration were immediately recognizable to the management of both companies although the decontamination challenge was significant. Due to the nature of the services offered, contamination at the Alaron facility is routine. The recent decontamination experience at Alaron utilized an innovative surfactant process that quickly produces remarkably higher decontamination factors for both removable surface contamination and fixed contamination. Considering the time to decontaminate areas historically designated for high radiological hazard work, the results from this decontamination effort not only reduced contamination levels but also significantly lowered exposure rates in the working environment. The relative ease with which the surfactant is applied, combined with extraordinary decontamination test results, indicates the potential to alter current radiological work processes in a way that improves worker comfort, and removes radiological engineering barriers, allowing Alaron to complete complex radiological tasks more efficiently and effectively. In a series of two simple applications of the decontamination agent to contaminated high bay vertical surfaces, as well as a variety of horizontal and vertical surfaces with variable porousness and surface sealants, there was an overall reduction in removable contamination of approximately 73% with a reduction in area dose of approximately 93%. The results indicate additional reduction in fixed contamination with application of the surfactant. These values are much higher than experienced with more traditional decontamination agents. In conjunction with demonstrating EAI's surfactant on room surfaces, additional studies were conducted on complex geometry equipment including waste processing equipment, tools, and heavily contaminated parts normally handled from Alaron's customers. Evaluations were made with straight application of EAI's surfactant as well as adding additional techniques to the treatment which afforded revolutionary improvements in the levels of contamination removed. Successful decontamination with up to 95% reduction in removable contamination with just one application were demonstrated in several of the trials. This paper outlines the planned approach to use this technology, the variety of surfaces and equipment treated, and the results of the decontamination efforts. Furthermore, this paper discusses options for pretreatment of certain heavily contaminated equipment prior to employees handling and/or working with the equipment. The potential for dose saving and the reduced risk of cross-contamination with the added benefit of lower PPE requirements, produces an enormous potential for cost and time savings. Attendees will benefit from Alaron's experiences and more fully understand the capabilities of EAI's decontamination process. With the variety of contamination agents, forms and surfaces on which the technology was demonstrated, the information will be valuable to a broad cross-section of industry users. The significance of this report demonstrates superior decontamination factors are achievable utilizing the next evolution of decontamination technology and that the ALARA benefits of decontamination are available through advanced and modern decontamination efforts. The collateral benefits will save countless radiological man-hours and valuable personnel radiological exposure. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantifying the impacts of micro- and mild- hybrid vehicle technologies on fleetwide fuel economy and electrification

Micro- and mild-hybridization (jointly labeled as M-HEV) is gaining popularity as a cost-effective technology for fuel economy improvement, but whether and how M-HEV may compete against less efficient conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV), more efficient full hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) is not well understood. As such, this study aims at evaluating the impact of the market adoption of M-HEV on the average fuel economy of the new vehicle fleet and on the sales share of PEVs. The study reviews recent sales trends and market forecasts, and uses published estimates of manufacturing cost and fuel economy of M-HEV with an existing discrete choice model (Market Acceptance of Advanced Automotive Technologies or MA3T) to project the market penetration and impacts of M-HEV under different scenarios of M-HEV choice positions, designed to enhance conclusion robustness. It is found that among engine-based powertrain choices, micro-HEV appears to be the most cost-effective, followed by ICEVs, mild-HEV and finally full HEVs. M-HEV technologies are likely to improve fleetwide average fuel economy without significant adverse effects on sales of plug-in electric vehicles, and are likely to remain highly competitive outside PEVs through 2050.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Surface engineering of polymeric membranes with metal oxides for improved fouling resistance and superior oil-water separation

Rapid industrial growth has increased the need for efficient membranes to separate oil-water emulsions. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes, although widely used due to their chemical inertness and favorable mechanical properties, suffer from fouling due to their intrinsic hydrophobicity. Modifying these membranes after fabrication offers a practical solution as it easily fits into existing large-scale manufacturing processes. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), an atomically-precise vapor phase surface modification technique, can create ultrathin metal oxide layers that greatly improve membrane hydrophilicity without significantly affecting the original pore size. However, PVDF's lack of reactive chemical moieties makes ALD challenging. Here, in this study, we present a simple alkali treatment that greatly enhances ALD nucleation and growth on PVDF membranes. This treatment imparts exceptional oil-water emulsion separation capabilities and antifouling behavior in PVDF membranes after just a few ALD cycles, surpassing the performance of PVDF membranes coated with hundreds of ALD cycles. This dramatic reduction in the number of ALD cycles required could enable cost-effective modification of commercial PVDF membranes at scale using spatial, roll-to-roll ALD. These modified membranes outperform reported modified PVDF membranes, with >99 % permeance recovery and <1 % irreversible loss of permeance and >98 % oil rejection from oil-water emulsions over 100 h continuous operation, making them promising for advanced water purification technologies.

Atomic layer deposition↗
DOE OSTI2022

Moving small files in a networked environment

Globally distributed computing infrastructures, such as clouds and supercomputers, are currently used to manage data that is generated with an unprecedented speed from a variety of resources. Coping with this trend, the volume of data exchanged across distant sites increases substantially. To accelerate data transfer, high-speed networks are provided to connect remote sites. Most existing data movement solutions are optimized for moving large files. However, it is still challenging to transfer a large number of small files across networks. This disadvantage not only lowers data transfer performance, but also decreases overall system utilization. Here, we identify that moving small files is mainly constrained by degraded file system throughput, not just network performance as might be suspected. We have built a data transfer pipeline model to analyze the impact of small network I/O and storage I/O on data movement. Extending one of the widely used open source data movement solutions, GridFTP, we demonstrate several appropriate engineering approaches that mitigate the bottleneck and increase data transfer efficiency. We show optimizations that improve data transfer performance more than 5 times. In comparison to existing solutions, our approaches can save a significant amount of system resources for moving lots of small files.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗