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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Pressure balancing of anode and cathode in a fuel cell system

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having an anode configured to receive anode feed gas and output anode exhaust, and a cathode configured to receive cathode feed gas and output cathode exhaust. The system further includes a pressurizing assembly downstream from the anode and an oxidizer downstream from the anode. The cathode feed gas is the anode exhaust that has been compressed in the pressurizing assembly and reacted with air in the oxidizer.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Applying design principles to improve hydrogen storage capacity in nanoporous materials

Hydrogen is an attractive option for energy storage because it can be produced from renewable sources and produces environmentally benign byproducts. However, the volumetric energy density of molecular hydrogen at ambient conditions is low compared to other storage methods like batteries, so it must be compressed to attain a viable energy density for applications such as transportation. Nanoporous materials have attracted significant interest for gas storage because they can attain high storage density at lower pressure than conventional compression. Here, we examine how to improve the cryogenic hydrogen storage capacity of a series of porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) by controlling the pore size and increasing the surface area by adding functional groups. We also explore tradeoffs in gravimetric and volumetric measures of the hydrogen storage capacity and the effects of temperature swings using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. We also consider the effects of adding functional groups to the metal–organic framework NU-1000 to improve its hydrogen storage capacity. We find that highly flexible alkane chains do not improve the hydrogen storage capacity in NU-1000 because they do not extend into the pores; however, rigid chains containing alkyne groups do increase the surface area and hydrogen storage capacity. Finally, we demonstrate that the deliverable capacity of hydrogen in NU-1000 can be increased from 40.0 to 45.3 g/L (at storage conditions of 100 bar and 77 K and desorption conditions of 5 bar and 160 K) by adding long, rigid alkyne chains into the pores.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Natural Gas Combined Cycle Carbon Capture Retrofit Database

This tool provides high-level analysis on the incremental costs for retrofitting natural gas combined cycle plants with carbon dioxide capture and/or compression systems. Options are available to include costs of other technological improvements that would be required to comply with various environmental regulations when installing carbon capture technology. This model is based on the NETL report "Cost and Performance of Retrofitting NGCC Units for Carbon Capture" (2023).

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Results from single-shock Marble experiments studying thermonuclear burn in the presence of heterogeneous mix on the National Ignition Facility

The Marble campaign on the National Ignition Facility investigates the effect of heterogeneous mix on thermonuclear burn for comparison to a probability distribution function (PDF) burn model. Marble utilizes plastic capsules filled with deuterated plastic foam and a fill gas containing tritium. As the capsules implode, the deuterium in the foam mixes with the tritium gas, and DT neutrons are produced as the shocks compress and heat the mixture. The yield of DT neutrons is dependent on the uniformity of the mix, with more heterogeneous mix producing fewer neutrons. In Marble, the heterogeneity of the mix is controlled by varying the diameter of voids introduced into the foam. The first NIF Marble campaign has been executed in which the Marble capsules were indirectly driven with a single strong shock using NIF hohlraums. The experiments produce a low-convergence, high-ion-temperature implosion. The ratio of DT to DD neutron yield is largely consistent with uniform atomic mix for fine-pore foam, and increases slightly with void diameter, contrary to 1D simulations using the PDF burn model. Recent 3D high-resolution simulations of similar experiments performed on the Omega Laser Facility suggest an explanation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Studying of multi-shell gas-puff Z-pinches using x-ray spectroscopy with spatial resolution

Dynamics and parameters of gas-puff Z-pinch plasmas at stagnation were studied using x-ray spectroscopic diagnostics. In experiments on a 1 MA pulsed power generator, multilayer coaxial loads were made using a triple-nozzle gas-puff valve. High-luminosity spectrographs with spherically bent crystals made it possible to record spectra with high spatial resolution along the pinch axis and to record two-dimensional plasma images in separate spectral lines. Using various combinations of gases in the nozzles and adding small amounts of a gas tracer, the final structure and composition of the compressed plasma were determined. Furthermore, plasma parameters were estimated by modeling the spectra using the PrismSPECT program, but with the limitation that the spectra were time-integrated, so that spectra from different gases and at different positions may have been emitted at different times.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Equations of State in Computational Physics: What, Why, and How

Summary: 1. Equations of state furnish thermodynamic properties of a material. 2. Usually involve P, p (or V), and T, or P, r, and E 3. Necessary ingredient to solve compressible flow problems. 4. Varieties: i. Analytical expressions (ideal gas, Grüneisen) – fast, convenient for verification and test problems ii. Graphs and charts – good for hand calculations iii. Tables and databases – generally most accurate, require interpolation i. Steam tables ii. NIST database iii. SESAME EOS Library 5. Constructed by using semi-empirical models from Statistical Mechanics and fitting to available data

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Analysis of Carbon Capture Retrofits for Cement Plants

The objective of this study is to provide an estimate of the cost to capture CO 2 in retrofit applications at cement plants. The cement plant configurations considered in this study include natural gas and solid fuel (coal and coke) cases, and both wet- and dry kiln-fed plant designs, however the base cement plants in this study were not evaluated other than characterization of their kiln off-gas stream and high-level quantification of heat integration potential at the existing plant. In each case, the base cement plant produces 1.5 M tonnes per year of finished cement, assuming 91.4 percent clinker content. This analysis includes a 10 percent retrofit cost increase for process integration and low grade heat recovery, when compared to the analogous non-heat integration case. Heat integration is considered as a potential offset to capture system heating demands (i.e., as a percentage reduction). Recovery and reuse of excess heat from the base cement plant can provide economic benefits—primarily by reducing the need to purchase supplemental natural gas for CO 2 solvent regeneration—but any process improvement must be great enough to overcome the cost increases (i.e., capital and O&M) necessary to realize those benefits. With heat integration potential of 10 percent and 30 percent, that benefit wasn’t significant enough to offset the increase in capital and operating costs, and a cost of capture increase was observed based on the assumptions in this report. Benefits of heat integration potential may be realized when natural gas prices are higher, as demonstrated in the sensitivity to natural gas price where crossover points exist between heat integration cases and their respective non-heat integration cases. Four of the base cases were further evaluated to explore the cost implications of deeper levels of gas pre-treatment to remove oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and oxides of sulfur (SOx) from the kiln off-gas stream prior to CO 2 capture, purification, and compression. The results of these additional case analyses showed a 7.4–18.8 percent increase in cost of capture over the respective base case (i.e., analogous cases without SOx/NOx removal).

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

3D modeling of the Staged Z-pinch with the FLASH code

The Staged Z-pinch (SZP) fusion concept is a magneto-inertial compression scheme developed by Magneto-Inertial Fusion Technologies, Inc. (MIFTI), in which small amounts of fusion fuel are brought to fusion-relevant conditions by passing multi-million amperes strong current through a cylindrical shell of high atomic number material. One- and two-dimensional modeling performed by MIFTI with the MACH2 code, suggests that net fusion energy gain can be achieved when currents in the 10 million amperes range compress a 50%-50% mixture of deuterium and tritium gas. In this project we enhance and use the FLASH code to execute high-fidelity, simulations of various SZP configurations, a collaboration between the Flash Center for Computational Science at the University of Rochester and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, and MIFTI. FLASH is a high-performance computing, multi-physics, radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code with extended physics capabilities, which is developed at the Flash Center. The goal of this project is to assess the shell/fuel stability of the pinch to two- and three-dimensional MHD instabilities and to utilize FLASH’s extended physics capabilities to understand how extended-MHD effects impact implosion dynamics and plasma conditions at stagnation. The project is a natural extension of an ongoing collaborative effort between MIFTI and the Flash Center through the U.S. DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) BETHE program and can provide MIFTI with simulation capabilities that are currently beyond their reach with MACH2. Ultimately, MIFTI wants FLASH to become one of their simulation workhorses for reliable, high-fidelity SZP platform design. During the project, the Flash Center team developed a suite of in one- and two-dimensional FLASH simulations to model different variants of the SZP platform, performed code-to-code comparisons with MACH2, and used the FLASH code to design and model SZP experiments like the Double Eagle experiments that MIFTI recently performed. Also, the Flash Center team developed the capabilities of FLASH to be able to do three-dimensional simulations of pulsed-power experiments with the code for the first time. Two publications from this effort are currently under review and two more are in preparation. MIFTI has also committed to the use of FLASH for future SZP simulation efforts.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermonuclear Fusion Verification of Staged Z-Pinch Fusion on a 0.5 MA LTD Pulsed Power Generator (Final Report)

LLNL fielded neutron detectors at UCSD’s CESZAR facility during the experimental campaigns investigating the staged Z-pinch concept. This concept uses high current to compress a cylindrical plasma composed a high atomic number gas, such as argon, surrounding fusion fuel. LLNL analyzed data from the diagnostics and improved the diagnostic setup specific to the experiment. This work helps to advance the mission creating a fusion energy source, which is a benefit to the economy and for energy security.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Illinois Compressed Air Energy Storage

Compressed Air Storage Energy (CAES) is one of the few mid- technology readiness level (TRL) energy storage technologies that can address the long-duration infrastructure needed for dealing with variable electric output from renewable energy sources and be reliable backup source for replacing natural gas during supply interruptions. In CAES the goal is to capture and store compressed air in subsurface sedimentary strata when off-peak power is available, or there is a need for grid balancing. The stored high-pressure air is returned to the surface and used to power turbines during reductions in either renewable energy or supply issues with fossil fuels. The Illinois CAES project evaluates the feasibility of capturing surplus electrical energy from renewable sources and off-peak energy at a fossil fuel power plant at the University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign (UIUC) campus. The UIUC Abbott Power Plant uses natural gas and coal to generate electricity (capacity: 35 MWe by coal and 49 MWe by NG). UIUC receives additional electricity from on campus solar farm, and off-campus wind farm. Also, UIUC offsets electricity usage by integrating geothermal energy systems into building heating Also, UIUC offsets steam, hot and chilled water usage by integrating geothermal energy systems into building heating and cooling systems. Furthermore, the two UIUC solar farms (Solar Farm 1 is 21 acres and Solar Farm 2 is 54 acres) to generate 4.68 megawatts (MW) and 12.1 MW, respectively. Campus receives 8.6% of the wind-generated electricity from the Rail Splitter Wind Farm. The project objectives were to design an integrated system to 1) capture surplus electrical energy from renewable sources and the Abbott Power Plant using a CAES system, 2) store both the compressed air and the thermal heat generated by compression in the subsurface as part of an adiabatic system, 3) simulate the movement of the air and heat in the subsurface, 4) recover the compressed air and stored thermal heat to rotate turbine generators during sustained interruption due to weather events or fossil fuel disruptions.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Investigation of the effects of turbulence modeling on the prediction of compression-ignition combustion unsteadiness

Adverse effects of global warming due to the greenhouse gas emissions is changing the actual paradigm for the use energy resources. In the absence of a mid-term solution for reducing these emissions in transportation, internal combustion (IC) engines are going to coexist in the social spheres in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the study of other IC engine-related problems remains relevant to ensuring the health of the society. In this investigation, a numerical methodology for comprehensive understanding of Noise, Vibration and Harshness in internal combustion engines is proposed. Due to its inherent complexity and lack of awareness, the main objective is to evaluate the impact of the turbulence modeling framework on the in-cylinder acoustic field recreation. Modal decomposition methods have been applied to isolate the coherent flow structures and to analyze how they change with the turbulence approach. Results demonstrate that the choice of the turbulence model is a critical aspect for noise modeling. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes schemes predict a raw estimation of the internal acoustic field with the added value of being computationally less expensive. However, the use of more complex turbulence approaches such us large eddy simulation offers an accurate prediction of the acoustic structures and their cyclic dispersion.

Broatch, A.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improvements in High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Modeling Capabilities in the Pronghorn Code

This report details the improvement of pebble bed reactor modeling capabilities in the Pronghorn code in fiscal year 2022. The following accomplishments are reported: Deployment of weakly compressible finite volume formulation to the HTR- PM reference plan model; Enable modeling of stagnant gas gaps in the finite volume formulation; Enable using all Pronghorn correlations available in the finite element version in the finite volume version; Modeling of decay heat in pebble bed reactors; Simplifying the input for multiphysics equilibrium core calculations and significant reduction of execution time; Implementation of advanced correlations developed by the Center of Excellence for Thermal-Fluids Applications in Nuclear Energy . In addition, this report includes a development plan for Pronghorn and associated NEAMS tools for prismatic gas-cooled reactors.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Efficient turbine engine using integrated ammonia fuel processing

A gas turbine engine includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where air is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with an ammonia based fuel and ignited to generate a high energy combusted gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. The turbine section is mechanically coupled to drive the compressor section. An ammonia flow path communicates an ammonia flow to the combustor section. A cracking device is disposed in the ammonia flow path. The cracking device is configured to decompose the ammonia flow into a fuel flow containing hydrogen (H2). At least one heat exchanger is upstream of the cracking device that provides thermal communication between the ammonia flow and a working fluid flow such that the ammonia fluid flow accepts thermal energy from the working fluid flow.

Smith, Lance L.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Investigating anode off-gas under spark-ignition combustion for SOFC-ICE hybrid systems

Solid oxide fuel cell – internal combustion engine (SOFC-ICE) hybrid systems are an attractive solution for electricity generation. The system can achieve up to 70% theoretical electric power conversion efficiency through energy cascading enabled by utilizing the anode off-gas from the SOFC as the fuel source for the ICE. Experimental investigations were conducted with a single cylinder Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) engine by altering fuel-air equivalence ratio (φ), and compression ratio (CR) to study the engine load, combustion characteristics, and emissions levels of dry SOFC anode off-gas consisting of 33.9% H 2 , 15.6% CO, and 50.5% CO 2 . The combustion efficiency of the anode off-gas was directly evaluated by measuring the engine-out CO emissions. The highest net-indicated fuel conversion efficiency of 31.3% occurred at φ = 0.90 and CR = 13:1. These results demonstrate that the anode off-gas can be successfully oxidized using a spark ignition combustion mode. The fuel conversion efficiency of the anode tail gas is expected to further increase in a more modern engine architecture that can achieve increased burn rates in comparison to the CFR engine. NO x emissions from the combustion of anode off-gas were minimal as the cylinder peak temperatures never exceeded 1800 K. This experimental study ultimately demonstrates the viability of an ICE to operate using an anode off-gas, thus creating a complementary role for an ICE to be paired with a SOFC in a hybrid power generation plant.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2021

Lasergate: A windowless gas target for enhanced laser preheat in magnetized liner inertial fusion

At the Z Facility at Sandia National Laboratories, the magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) program aims to study the inertial confinement fusion in deuterium-filled gas cells by implementing a three-step process on the fuel: premagnetization, laser preheat, and Z-pinch compression. In the laser preheat stage, the Z-Beamlet laser focuses through a thin polyimide window to enter the gas cell and heat the fusion fuel. However, it is known that the presence of the few μm thick window reduces the amount of laser energy that enters the gas and causes window material to mix into the fuel. These effects are detrimental to achieving fusion; therefore, a windowless target is desired. The Lasergate concept is designed to accomplish this by “cutting” the window and allowing the interior gas pressure to push the window material out of the beam path just before the heating laser arrives. In this work, we present the proof-of-principle experiments to evaluate a laser-cutting approach to Lasergate and explore the subsequent window and gas dynamics. Further, an experimental comparison of gas preheat with and without Lasergate gives clear indications of an energy deposition advantage using the Lasergate concept, as well as other observed and hypothesized benefits. While Lasergate was conceived with MagLIF in mind, the method is applicable to any laser or diagnostic application requiring direct line of sight to the interior of gas cell targets.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

ECAR-1943 AGC-1 INDIVIDUAL SPECIMEN FLUENCE, TEMPERATURE, AND LOAD CALCULATION AND TABULATION

This ECAR calculates the fluence and temperature of the AGC-1 specimens as they change elevation through the course of the experiment. The specimen elevation varies as the specimen stack shrinks due to irradiation and load induced creep. The compressed specimen stacks (S-1 thru S-6) have a graphite pushrod that applies a gas cylinder load. The top of the pushrod position is measured and recorded in the NGNP Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS). The bottom of each of these compressed stacks is supported by the lower specimen holder which also shrinks as a result of irradiation and load. The specimen holder post-irradiation length was recorded during post-irradiation examination (PIE). Assuming the specimen holder shrinkage is linear with respect to the fluence received, the position of the top of the specimen holder can be calculated with respect to reactor integrated power. Assuming that individual specimen shrinkage is proportional to the fluence received, and that the shrinkage behavior is similar in all the specimens, the individual specimen position can be calculated.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Epoxy-based vitrimeric semi-interpenetrating network/MXene nanocomposites for hydrogen gas barrier applications

Herein, we report MXene-filled epoxy-based vitrimeric nanocomposites featuring a semi-interpenetrating network (S-IPN) to develop a hydrogen gas (H 2 ) barrier coating with self-healing characteristics for compressed H 2 storage applications. The reversible epoxy network was formed by synthesizing linear epoxy chains with pendent bis-hydroxyl groups using amino diol, which were then crosslinked with 1,4-benzenediboronic acid to generate dynamic boronic ester linkages. To achieve the S-IPN-type molecular arrangement, the epoxy chains were in situ crosslinked in the presence of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), giving rise to a self-healing network (EEP) with a healing efficiency of 87%. Into the S-IPN vitrimer (EEP), a 2D platelet-type nanofiller MXene was incorporated to introduce a tortuous path for H 2 gas diffusion along with improved mechanical properties. The nanocomposite coating was applied to nylon 6 liner material, which is conventionally used in all-composite H 2 storage vessels. Further, the application of a 2 wt% MXene/EEP nanocomposite coating showed a permeability coefficient of 0.062 cm 3 mm m -2 d -1 atm -1 exhibiting ~96% reduction in gas permeability compared to uncoated nylon 6. The same nanocomposite exhibited a healing efficiency of 79%. Increasing the MXene loading to 10 wt% further reduced the permeability coefficient to 0.002 cm 3 mm m -2 d -1 atm -1 ; however, the healing efficiency decreased due to restricted chain mobility. In essence, the current work highlights the potential of vitrimeric S-IPN nanocomposite coatings for H 2 gas-barrier applications, enhancing safety and performance.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Impacts of advanced diesel combustion operation and fuel formulation on soot nanostructure and reactivity

Advanced diesel combustion, accomplished via a single pulse fuel injection and high levels of exhaust gas recirculation (referred to as “PCCI”, partially-premixed charge compression ignition), is shown to be a path to reduce oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter simultaneously. This is well established in the literature. Less established is the extent to which such dilute combustion processes influence soot formation and affect soot that is emitted from diesel engines under such combustion modes. This work focuses on characterization of the nanostructure and oxidative reactivity of soot generated by a light-duty turbodiesel engine operating under a PCCI combustion mode, a dilute, low-temperature combustion process. Previous work on a type of PCCI combustion, referred to as high-efficiency clean combustion (HECC), showed soot samples having a fullerenic nanostructure, characterized by high levels of tortuosity of the fringe layers as seen in transmission electron micrograph images and as quantified using an image processing algorithm. Thermogravimetric analysis of the HECC mode soot samples showed that they displayed higher rates of oxidation than soot samples from a conventional diesel combustion mode. The present work returns to PCCI combustion, considering the timing of the main fuel injection, and the effects of operating on fuels rich in n-alkanes, particularly a fuel produced from a low temperature Fischer-Tropsch process (LTFT) and a renewable diesel fuel (RD) produced via hydrodeoxygenation of a plant oil. PCCI combustion conditions yield soot that shows higher reactivity compared to soot from the conventional combustion mode regardless of fuel type. LTFT and RD fuels produce soots with lower reactivity compared to ULSD. Soots produced from PCCI combustion have higher surface oxygen concentration and higher proportion of amorphous carbon. In addition, TEM images show that PCCI soots from all three fuels have smaller primary particle and particle aggregate sizes, and smaller graphene layers. These properties explain the higher reactivity of soot from PCCI combustion. The less reactive soots, which are produced from LTFT and RD fuel under conventional combustion, show internal burning during oxidation. However, soots with higher reactivity which are produced from late injection PCCI combustion and ULSD show shrinking core oxidation, most likely because of their overall amorphous structure.

42 ENGINEERING↗