Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “SALINITY”

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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Switchable system for high-salinity brine desalination and fractional precipitation

A saline feed stream flows into a liquid-liquid extraction system; and a volatile organic solvent flows through a main compressor. The compressed volatile organic solvent then flows through a solvent regenerator, which can be a heat exchanger or a combination of a vaporization device and a condenser, to cool the volatile organic solvent. The cooled volatile organic solvent in liquid phase then flows into the liquid-liquid extraction system, where the saline feed stream contacts the volatile organic solvent to selectively extract water from the saline feed stream into the volatile organic solvent, producing a concentrated brine and an organic-rich mixture of water and the volatile organic solvent. The organic-rich mixture flows from the liquid-liquid extraction system into the solvent regenerator, where the organic-rich mixture is heated to produce an organic-rich vapor and desalinated water; and the organic-rich vapor is recycled as volatile organic solvent back into the liquid-liquid extraction system.

Wilson, Aaron D.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Sorption Behavior of Iodate Ions on Calcium Silicate Hydrate under a High Saline Condition - 18176

The sorption behavior of iodate ions on calcium-silicate hydrate (CSH) gel under high saline condition was examined by monitoring the concentrations of iodate ions and chloride ions using ion chromatography and Raman spectroscopy, without drying process. In the sorption experiments, a stable isotope I-127 was used as an alternative of I-129 which is radioactive one. Each sample was synthesized with mixing CaO powder, SiO{sub 2} as fumed silica and NaCl solution. Ca/Si molar ratios of CSH gel were set to 0.4, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 (add 0.2, 0.6, 1.0 and 1.4 only L/S = 20), and the concentration of NaCl solution was set to 0 M or 0.6 M for simulating the condition of fresh or saline groundwater. The liquid/solid (L/S) ratios of CSH gel were set to 10, 15 and 20, and the total weight of solid phase was 1.5 g. At the same time, NaIO{sub 3} solution was added to the sample in order to adjust its concentration to 1.0 mM, 0.67 mM and 0.5 mM for each L/S ratios. The synthesis procedure for all samples was conducted in a glove bag filled with nitrogen gas. The curing period was 7, 14, 30, and 60 days at a room temperature (298 K) with shaking at 120 strokes/min. As a results, the concentration of iodate ions in the liquid phase decreased for all samples under experimental conditions. Besides, the sorption behavior of iodate ions were hardly changed by the concentration of NaCl. That is, iodate ions migrated to solid phase in spite of the high concentration of NaCl. The distribution coefficients, Kd, increased as Ca/Si ratio increased, and hardly depended on NaCl concentration. The results of Raman analysis shows that the structure of CSH gel was almost not changed with or without NaCl from the viewpoint of the silicate chain under this condition. These results suggest that a sorption process except for the electrostatic process such as an ion exchange and a complexation exists between CSH gel and iodate ions. Besides, CSH gel might be able to contribute the retardation for the migration of iodate ions without changing its structure, even if the disposal environment are saturated by a high saline groundwater. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling Cost of Offshore Carbon Storage in Saline Reservoirs

Poster presentation to the AAPG-SEG-SPE CCUS 2024 Conference. Offshore saline reservoirs provide a significant and accessible resource for geologic carbon storage (CS). The offshore environment requires distinct approaches to site selection, operations, monitoring, and risk that affect the technoeconomic assessment of offshore CS projects. The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has developed a CS cost model for offshore saline reservoirs known as CO2_S_COM_Offshore. Based on NETL’s widely used CO2_S_COM cost model for onshore saline CS, CO2_S_COM_Offshore enables technoeconomic analysis of CS in offshore areas. This model comprehensively incorporates multiple facets of offshore CS projects, from regional evaluation and site selection to permitting, transport, operations, monitoring, site closure, and decommissioning. Developed to model cost for offshore United States (US) Exclusive Economic Zones, aspects of this model can be adapted to international projects. Presented at the SPE/AAPG/SEG Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Conference in Houston, TX, March 11-13, 2024.

Mark-Moser, Mackenzie K.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling the Cost of Onshore CO2 Pipeline Transport and Onshore CO2 Saline Storage

This paper describes the FECM/NETL CO2 Transport Cost Model (CO2_T_COM), a technoeconomic model of CO2 transport by pipeline, and the FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM), a technoeconomic model of storage of CO2 in a deep, subsurface saline formation. The results of applying CO2_T_COM to calculate break-even CO2 prices to transport CO2 at different mass flow rates and different distances are presented. Similarly, CO2_S_COM is used to calculate the break-even CO2 price for storing CO2 in 314 potential storage formations across the US. These break-even prices are used to construct cost-supply curves for CO2 storage which are presented on a national and regional basis. CO2_T_COM and CO2_S_COM are the most comprehensive open source technoeconomic models available for analyzing CO2 pipeline transport and CO2 saline storage. To be presented at the SPE?AAPG/SEG Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Conference in Houston, TX, March 11-13, 2024.

Morgan, David↗
NASA NTRS2012

Sea Surface Salinity : Research Challenges and Opportunities

Sea surface salinity (SSS) can be important in regulating sea surface temperature (SST). Two technological breakthrough satellite SSS missions, Aquarius and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), are currently producing high-quality SSS data. This paper provides an overview of the importance of SSS for weather and climate applications and describes the Aquarius and SMOS missions. The newness of adequately sampled SSS data prompted a first-time at-sea field campaign devoted to improved understanding of SSS variations.

Aquarius↗
DOE OSTI2019

Designing a high sensitivity hexagonal nano-cavity photonic crystal resonator for the purpose of seawater salinity sensing

In this paper a sensing platform based on nano-cavity photonic crystal resonator (NC-PCR) is proposed for seawater salinity concentration detection. It has been demonstrated that the proposed NC-PCR has high sensitivity and selectivity for various concentrations of seawater salinity. The sensitivity is computed to be as high as 544 nm/RIU (nm per refractive index unit) and the quality factor (Q) is 3860. Also it has been shown that the figure of merit for the proposed structure calculated to be as high as ~ 1.234 × 10{sup 3} RIU{sup −1} which is very appropriate for sensing applications. Moreover, the minimum detection limit for the presented structure is obtained as 8.1 × 10{sup −5} RIU. The finite-difference time-domain method is employed to investigate the transmission characteristics of the device for a verity of refractive indices. It should also be mentioned that our design is comparatively easy to fabricate and certainly the advantages of our design justify its usage in sensing applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Areal sweep efficiency improvement by integrating preformed particle gel and low salinity water flooding in fractured reservoirs

The oil recovery from fractured reservoirs is usually low, which is usually caused by the existence of areal formation heterogeneity. Two existing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies, low salinity water flooding (LSWF) and preformed particle gel treatment (PPG), have recently drawn great interest from the oil industry. We integrated both of these technologies into one process to improve both oil displacement and areal sweep efficiency. The objective of this study was to test how the integrated method could be used effectively to increase oil recovery and control water production. The semi-transparent five-spot models, which were made of sandstone cores and acrylic plates, were built. We investigated the effect of four parameters on the improvement of oil recovery and areal sweep efficiency of oil, including gel strength, water salinity, injection rate, and number of fractures. Two approaches were followed during core flooding, sequential mode and mixed mode. Here the result shows that PPG and LSW injected together as one mixture improved oil recovery factor more than the first approach. PPGs plugged the fractures and successfully improved areal sweep efficiency; however, they have little effect on displacement efficiency. LWSF increased displacement efficiency but had little or no effect on sweep efficiency. The integrated methods bypassed the limitations of each method when used individually and improved both displacement and sweep efficiency.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Simulated CO 2 storage efficiency factors for saline formations of various lithologies and depositional environments using new experimental relative permeability data

Saline formations are attractive geologic reservoirs for permanent carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage. Here, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE-NETL) has worked to develop and refine methods and tools for the calculation of CO 2 storage potential in subsurface reservoirs. DOE-NETL's CO 2 -SCREEN provides an online tool for executing these storage methods. CO 2 storage efficiency terms are input parameters in DOE-NETL's methods and equations embedded in the CO 2 -SCREEN, which assesses pore space available for CO 2 storage. In this work, a modeling workflow was initiated to refine two CO 2 storage efficiency terms - volumetric displacement (E V ) and microscopic displacement (E d ). The models are based on new experimental relative permeability data that are specific to homogenous lithology and depositional environments of key subsurface saline formations targeted for CO 2 storage. In future work, heterogenous features will be added to this initial modeling effort to update efficiency factors as described in DOE-NETL's methods and CO 2 -SCREEN tool. E V accounts for the volume utilized in the reservoir under the areal plume, while E d accounts for saturation values in the plume to assess efficiency of CO 2 storage at the pore scale. The results of this work are significant in that prior values were based on a limited geologically non-specific relative permeability data set that were collected prior to 2009. Specifically, we applied numerical simulations using TOUGH3 models to update CO 2 storage efficiency values for supercritical CO 2 injection into brine-saturated reservoirs for three lithologies (clastics, limestone, dolomite) and six depositional environments (Marginal Marine, Strand Plain, Deltaic Complex Fluvial, Aeolian, Shallow Marine, and Reef) that have a high potential for geologic CO 2 storage. Experimental relative permeability data in cores from these environments were utilized in the models with corresponding rock type/sedimentary environment. Results of this study showed that dolomite followed by limestone generated higher ranges of storage efficiency compared to clastics. The updated values provided a tighter efficiency range for clastics, lower P 10 but higher P 90 range for limestone, and higher P 10 and P 90 for dolomite. In general, tighter reservoirs with relatively low permeability and porosity were associated with higher E V and E d , showing efficient reservoir and pore utilization in these scenarios. High reservoir pressure and temperature associated with increasing depth increased the E V , and high CO 2 injection rates resulted in increases in E V and E d , while the impact of permeability anisotropy was minimal after the 30-year injection period.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ion Clusters Reveal the Sources, Impacts, and Drivers of Freshwater Salinization

Population growth, land use change, climate change, and natural resource extraction are driving the salinization of freshwater resources worldwide. Reversing these trends will require data-centric approaches that identify salt sources, environmental drivers, and ecosystem responses. In this study, we applied principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering to identify ion covariance patterns, or “ion clusters,” in Broad Run, an urban stream in the Mid-Atlantic United States. These clusters correspond to distinct hydrologic regimes and reveal specific salinization risks: (1) phosphorus pollution mobilized during summer storms (Cluster 1); (2) elevated concentrations of sulfate and bicarbonate during baseflow (Cluster 2), likely reflecting groundwater discharge; and (3) elevated specific conductance and sodium, chloride, and potassium ion concentrations during snowmelt and rain-on-snow events (Cluster 3), driven by deicer and anti-icer wash-off. These ion fingerprints offer a transferable framework for diagnosing salt sources, assessing ecological risk, and identifying management targets. Our findings underscore the need for next-generation stormwater infrastructure and smart growth policies to protect aquatic life in rapidly urbanizing watersheds.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Transition Zone Morphology Dynamics of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in a Salinity-Impacted Hyporheic Zone

Freshwater salinization is a common yet underappreciated environmental problem in rivers, yet how this process impacts the transport of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the hyporheic zone remains unknown. Here, using flume experiments and numerical simulations, we have demonstrated that the morphological dynamics of the DO transition zone are controlled by the dimensionless number Da·Ra –2 , a measure of the rate of aerobic respiration to free convection. At low Da·Ra –2 , the oxic front breaks up into fingers which subsequently grow, and leads to accelerating of DO transport and shrinking of the anaerobic zone in the underlying sediment. As Da·Ra –2 increases, the growth rate of the instability decreases, and the DO plume fingers are suppressed and delayed compared with the saltwater-freshwater interface, the mixing area between saltwater and freshwater. These results indicate that the freshwater salinization syndrome can have significant impacts on the functioning of aquifer ecosystems unless regulated and managed effectively.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model CO2_S_COM 2024 (v4)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), in collaboration with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), has developed the FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM). This Excel-based tool provides a comprehensive framework for estimating the costs and breakeven prices associated with storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep saline formations. Designed from the perspective of a CO2 storage site owner, the CO2_S_COM incorporates four integrated modules—project management, financial analysis, activity cost estimation, and geological evaluation—to deliver fast, robust and actionable insights for screening project finances.

CO2 storage↗
DOE OSTI2025

FECM/NETL Offshore CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model

The FECM/NETL Offshore CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM_Offshore) estimates costs for a CO2 storage project in an offshore saline formation or reservoir. It is applicable for storage projects located on the Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of America. The purpose is to model the costs associated with a project, using simplified geo-engineering equations to calculate reservoir values needed to determine costs (such as CO2 plume area and number of injection wells). To use the model, change any of the inputs, which are always in orange cells, to the values you desire. Although there are numerous values that can be changed, the values expected to be of most interest have input cells on the 'Key_Inputs' sheet. Last update: 5/2/2025; Version 1.1 corrects bug in reservoir thickness calculations.

Carbon storage↗
DOE OSTI2016

Identification of Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) MicroRNAs Using RNA-Seq and Their Putative Roles in High Salinity Responses in Seedlings

The halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (common or crystalline ice plant) is a useful model for studying molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance. The morphology, physiology, metabolism, and gene expression of ice plant have been studied and large-scale analyses of gene expression profiling have drawn an outline of salt tolerance in ice plant. A rapid root growth to a sudden increase in salinity was observed in ice plant seedlings. Using a fluorescent dye to detect Na + , we found that ice plant roots respond to an increased flux of Na + by either secreting or storing Na + in specialized cells. High-throughput sequencing was used to identify small RNA profiles in 3-day-old seedlings treated with or without 200 mM NaCl. In total, 135 conserved miRNAs belonging to 21 families were found. The hairpin precursor of 19 conserved mcr-miRNAs and 12 novel mcr-miRNAs were identified. After 6 h of salt stress, the expression of most mcr-miRNAs showed decreased relative abundance, whereas the expression of their corresponding target genes showed increased mRNA relative abundance. The cognate target genes are involved in a broad range of biological processes: transcription factors that regulate growth and development, enzymes that catalyze miRNA biogenesis for the most conserved mcr-miRNA, and proteins that are involved in ion homeostasis and drought-stress responses for some novel mcr-miRNAs. Analyses of the functions of target genes revealed that cellular processes, including growth and development, metabolism, and ion transport activity are likely to be enhanced in roots under salt stress. The expression of eleven conserved miRNAs and two novel miRNAs were correlated reciprocally with predicted targets within hours after salt stress exposure. Several conserved miRNAs have been known to regulate root elongation, root apical meristem activity, and lateral root formation. Based upon the expression pattern of miRNA and target genes in combination with the observation of Na + distribution, ice plant likely responds to increased salinity by using Na + as an osmoticum for cell expansion and guard cell opening. Excessive Na + could either be secreted through the root epidermis or stored in specialized leaf epidermal cells. These responses are regulated in part at the miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional level.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Determination of Wettability Alteration: Analysis for Low-Salinity Water

Wettability has been shown to influence oil recovery. This property has become central to low-salinity (LSW) and smart (SWF) water flooding recovery mechanisms research. The challenge lies in the fact that oil recovery results from the combined effects of solid-liquid and liquid-liquid interactions. This demands methods that allow an independent interpretation of wettability alteration contributions. The primary objective of this work is to assess changes in wettability through the application of Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) T 2 distribution and diffusion coefficient, starting with a well-controlled porous system, that is, glass beads, and then a model rock (Berea), in the presence of one phase, either oil or brine exclusively. Subsequently, two-phase fluid saturation was tested. For the glass beads, dimethyldichlorosilane was used to induce a hydrophobic response, as confirmed by contact angle experiments on slides of the same material. Sodium sulfate was used for its known positive influence on oil recovery during LSW and SWF. In cases where alteration of surface properties was expected, a leftward shift of the average T 2 distribution curve modes, accompanied by a reduction on the diffusion coefficient during the aging process was observed. The results of this work confirm that fluid-solid interactions during LSW and SWF, namely a shift in wettability, take place after the injection of low-salinity water.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2003

Body water handling in response to hypertonic-saline induced diuresis in fasting northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris)

During natural fasting conditions in postweaned northern elephant seal (NES) (Mirounga angustirostris) pups, urinary water loss is minimized and percent total body water (TBW) is maintained constant. However, following infusion of hypertonic saline, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urine output increased in fasting pups. Therefore, we quantified the magnitude of the hypernatremia-induced diuresis relative to the animal's total body water (TBW) pool and the percentage of filtered water reabsorbed. Following a 24 h control period, naturally fasting NES pups (n=7) were infused (4 ml min(-1)) with hypertonic saline (16.7%) at a dose of 3 mmol NaCl kg(-1) body mass. Total body water was estimated prior to infusion by tritium dilution, GFR was estimated by standard creatinine clearance, and urine output (V) was measured for 24 h during the control and post infusion periods. Percentage of filtered water reabsorbed was calculated as (1-(V/GFR))x100. Twenty-four hours following the infusion, GFR (control: 69+/-12 ml min(-1) and post-infusion: 118+/-19 ml min(-1); mean+/-S.E.) increased 77+/-28% above control and the percentage of filtered water reabsorbed was decreased 0.4+/-0.1%. The increase in urine output (control: 218+/-47 ml d(-1) and post-infusion: 883+/-92 ml d(-1)) accounted for 1.7+/-0.2% of the pups' TBW. The hypernatremia-induced diuresis was accompanied by the loss of body water indicating the lack of water retention. Although the 77% increase in GFR was only associated with a 0.4% decrease in the percentage of filtered water reabsorbed, this decrease was significant enough to result in a 4-fold increase in urine output. Despite the observed diuresis, fasting NES pups appear to possess an efficient water recycling mechanism requiring only a small percentage of body water to excrete an excess salt load. This water recycling mechanism may allow pups to avoid negative perturbations in body water as they initiate feeding in a marine environment following the fast.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2004

Microwave radiometer and scatterometer design for the aquarius sea surface Salinity Mission

The measurement of sea surface salinity with L-band microwave radiometers is a very challenging task. Since the L-band brightness temperature variations associated with salinity changes are small, it is necessary to have a very sensitive and stable radiometer. In addition, the corrections for the ocean surface roughness require real time scatterometer measurements. The designs of the Aquarius radiometer and scatterometer are described in this paper.

sea surface salinity↗
NASA NTRS2006

Compact, Lightweight Dual-Frequency Microstrip Antenna Feed for Future Soil Moisture and Sea Surface Salinity Missions

The development of a compact, lightweight, dual-frequency antenna feed for future soil moisture and sea surface salinity (SSS) missions is described. The design is based on the microstrip stacked-patch array (MSPA) to be used to feed a large lightweight deployable rotating mesh antenna for spaceborne L-band (approx.1 GHz) passive and active sensing systems. The design features will also enable applications to airborne soil moisture and salinity remote sensing sensors operating on small aircrafts. This paper describes the design of stacked patch elements and 16-element array configuration. The results from the return loss, antenna pattern measurements and sky tests are also described.

microstrip antennas↗
NASA NTRS2007

Aquarius: An Instrument to Monitor Sea Surface Salinity from Space

Aquarius is a combined passive/active L-band microwave instrument that is being developed to map the salinity field at the surface of the ocean from space. The data will support studies of the coupling between ocean circulation, global water cycle, and climate. Aquarius is part of the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, which is a partnership between the U.S. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and Argentina (CONAE). The primary science objective of this mission is to monitor the seasonal and interannual variation of the large-scale features of the surface salinity field in the open ocean with a spatial resolution of 150 km and a retrieval accuracy of 0.2 psu globally on a monthly basis.

scatterometer↗