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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

A Path to Successful Energy Retrofits: Early Collaboration through Integrated Project Delivery Teams

This document guides you through a process for the early design phases of retrofit projects to help you mitigate frustrations commonly experienced by building owners and designers. It outlines the value of forming an integrated project delivery team and developing a communication and information-sharing infrastructure that fosters collaboration. This guide does not present a complete process for designing an energy retrofit for a building. Instead, it focuses on the early design phase tasks related to developing and selecting energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that benefit from collaboration, and highlights the resulting advantages.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Deep Energy Retrofits - Eleven California Case Studies

This research documents and demonstrates viable approaches using existing materials, tools and technologies in owner-conducted deep energy retrofits (DERs). These retrofits are meant to reduce energy use by 70% or more, and include extensive upgrades to the building enclosure, heating, cooling and hot water equipment, and often incorporate appliance and lighting upgrades as well as the addition of renewable energy. In this report, 11 Northern California (IECC climate zone 3) DER case studies are described and analyzed in detail, including building diagnostic tests and end-use energy monitoring results. All projects recognized the need to improve the home and its systems approximately to current building code-levels, and then pursued deeper energy reductions through either enhanced technology/ building enclosure measures, or through occupant conservation efforts, both of which achieved impressive energy performance and reductions. The beyond-code incremental DER costs averaged $25,910 for the six homes where cost data were available. DERs were affordable when these incremental costs were financed as part of a remodel, averaging a $30 per month increase in the net-cost of home ownership.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Experimental Hygrothermal Performance. Cloquet Residential Research Facility Laboratory Results

This project was funded jointly by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL focused on developing a full basement wall system experimental database to enable others to validate hygrothermal simulation codes. NREL focused on testing the moisture durability of practical basement wall interior insulation retrofit solutions for cold climates. The project has produced a physically credible and reliable long-term hygrothermal performance database for retrofit foundation wall insulation systems in zone 6 and 7 climates that are fully compliant with the performance criteria in the 2009 Minnesota Energy Code. These data currently span the period from November 10, 2012 through May 31, 2014 and are anticipated to be extended through November 2014. The experimental data were configured into a standard format that can be published online and that is compatible with standard commercially available spreadsheet and database software.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Experimental Hygrothermal Performance: Cloquet Residential Research Facility Laboratory Results

Thermal and moisture problems in existing basements create a unique challenge because the exterior face of the wall is not easily or inexpensively accessible. This approach addresses thermal and moisture management from the interior face of the wall without disturbing the exterior soil and landscaping. the interior and exterior environments. This approach has the potential for improving durability, comfort, and indoor air quality. This project was funded jointly by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL focused on developing a full basement wall system experimental database to enable others to validate hygrothermal simulation codes. NREL focused on testing the moisture durability of practical basement wall interior insulation retrofit solutions for cold climates. The project has produced a physically credible and reliable long-term hygrothermal performance database for retrofit foundation wall insulation systems in zone 6 and 7 climates that are fully compliant with the performance criteria in the 2009 Minnesota Energy Code. The experimental data were configured into a standard format that can be published online and that is compatible with standard commercially available spreadsheet and database software.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Air Distribution Retrofit Strategies for Affordable Housing

In multifamily and attached buildings, traditional duct sealing methods are often impractical or costly and disruptive because of the difficulty in accessing leakage sites. In this project, two retrofit duct sealing techniques, manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, were implemented in several low-rise multiunit buildings. An analysis on the cost and performance of the two methods are presented. Each method was used in twenty housing units: approximately half of each group of units are single story and the remainder are two story. Results show that duct leakage to the outside was reduced by an average of 59% through the use of manual methods, and by 90% in the units where the injected spray sealant was used. It was found that 73% of the leakage reduction in homes that were treated with injected spray sealant was attributable to the manual sealing done at boots, returns and the air handler. The cost of manually-applying sealant ranged from $\$$275 to $\$$511 per unit and for the injected spray sealant the cost was $\$$700 per unit. Modeling suggests a simple payback of 2.2 years for manual sealing and 4.7 years for the injected spray sealant system. Utility bills were collected for one year before and after the retrofits. Utility bill analysis shows 14% and 16% energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing procedure respectively in heating season whereas in cooling season, energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing were both 16%.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

High Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

?A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulation at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated). The optimum insulation strategy was applied to single and multi-family residential buildings in climate zone 4 - 7. The highest site energy savings of 5% was realized for a single family home in Duluth, MN, and the lowest savings of 1.4 % for a 4-unit townhouse in Richmond, VA. SOG foundation insulation retrofit simple paybacks ranged from 18 to 47 years. There are other benefits of SOG foundation insulation resulting from the increase in the slab surface temperatures. These include increased occupant thermal comfort, and a decrease in slab surface condensation particularly around the slab perimeter.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Development and Deployment of Retrofit PolarisQ Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer for Isotope Ratio Measurements

This report describes Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) FY15 progress in support of National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Portable Mass Spectrometer project. A retrofit PolarisQ ion trap mass spectrometer (RPMS) has been assembled from components of two PolarisQ ion trap mass spectrometers used in previous isotope ratio programs. The retrofit mass spectrometer includes a custom Hastelloy vacuum chamber which is about ¼ the size of the standard aluminum vacuum chamber and reduces the instrument weight from the original by nine pounds. In addition, the new vacuum chamber can be independently heated to reduce impurities such as water, which reacts with UF 6 to produce HF in the vacuum chamber. The analyzer and all components requiring service are mounted on the chamber lid, facilitating quick and easy replacement of consumable components such as the filament and electron multiplier.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Turnkey Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning and Lighting Retrofit Solution Combining Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Benefits

NREL worked with the Bonneville Power Administration's Technology Innovation Office to demonstrate a turnkey, retrofit technology that combines demand response (DR) and energy efficiency (EE) benefits for HVAC and lighting in retail buildings. As a secondary benefit, we also controlled various plug loads and electric hot water heaters (EHWH). The technology demonstrated was Transformative Wave's eIQ Building Management System (BMS) automatically responding to DR signals. The BMS controlled the HVAC rooftop units (RTU) using the CATALYST retrofit solution also developed by Transformative Wave. The non-HVAC loads were controlled using both hardwired and ZigBee wireless communication. The wireless controllers, manufactured by Autani, were used when the building's electrical layout was too disorganized to leverage less expensive hardwired control. The six demonstration locations are within the Seattle metro area. Based on the assets curtailed by the BMS at each location, we projected the DR resource. We were targeting a 1.7 W/ft2 shed for the summer Day-Ahead events and a 0.7 W/ft2 shed for the winter events. While summarized in Table ES-1, only one summer DR event was conducted at Casino #2.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center

The U.S. DOE Building America program has established a research agenda targeting market-relevant strategies to achieve 40% reductions in existing home energy use by 2030. Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs) are part of the strategy to meet and exceed this goal. DERs are projects that create new, valuable assets from existing residences, by bringing homes into alignment with the expectations of the 21st century. Ideally, high energy using, dated homes that are failing to provide adequate modern services to their owners and occupants (e.g., comfortable temperatures, acceptable humidity, clean, healthy), are transformed through comprehensive upgrades to the building envelope, services and miscellaneous loads into next generation high performance homes. These guidance documents provide information to aid in the broader market adoption of DERs. They are intended for inclusion in the online resource the Building America Solutions Center (BASC). This document is an assemblage of multiple entries in the BASC, each of which addresses a specific aspect of Deep Energy Retrofit best practices for projects targeting at least 50% energy reductions. The contents are based upon a review of actual DERs in the U.S., as well as a mixture of engineering judgment, published guidance from DOE research in technologies and DERs, simulations of cost-optimal DERs, Energy Star and Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) product criteria, and energy codes.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Wireless Advanced Lighting Controls Retrofit Demonstration

Awareness of the economic costs and environmental consequences of electric energy use in buildings is steadily growing. Implementing energy efficiency measures for reducing energy consumption in buildings can be an effective strategy for managing these impacts. Within commercial buildings in the United States, electricity use for lighting accounts for 26% (around 346 TWh in 2010) and represents a large potential energy savings source. Significant lighting energy savings have already been achieved through the widespread adoption of efficient fluorescent lamps and ballasts in the past several decades. Looking towards efficient lighting operations’ innovations, wireless advanced lighting controls technology represents an increasingly viable option for capturing the next major level of lighting energy savings in new construction and building retrofits. Fundamentally, lighting is the most amenable building end use load for producing deep energy savings because of its dynamic controllability. Advanced lighting controls encompass control strategies from occupancy sensing to continuous dimming, institutional tuning and daylight harvesting. These strategies offer greater flexibility and higher granularity of control than traditional basic control methods. Historically, advanced control systems have required extensive control wiring, which has driven system costs. However, recently developed wireless lighting controls systems can be used to network lighting components, while potentially minimizing installation time and labor costs during retrofit in comparison to wired control systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2013

Cost and Performance of Retrofitting NGCC Units for Carbon Capture

This study presents the cost and performance of retrofitting natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants with post-combustion carbon capture based on an advanced solvent process. Cases developed include using a current state-of-the-art F-frame turbine, and H-frame turbine and an advanced J-frame turbine. Cases include both greenfield and retrofit analysis.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Improving Coal Power Economics: Retrofitting Flameless Pressurized Oxy-Combustion with Integral CO2 Capture

Presentation discussing Flameless Pressurized Oxy-combustion (FPO) technology's: philosophy and performance vs. traditional combustion, added value, and development path. Also overviewed is the large pilot planning with an update on DOE Project DE-FE0031580, cycle diagram, and plan for commercial-scale cycle. A summary of the projected cost of electricity for FPO with carbon capture, comparing to pulverized coal technology. New-build and retrofit FPO with PRB coal is compared. FPO new-build retrofit potential outlook for commercialization is addressed.

Reineck, Peter↗
DOE OSTI2018

User Guide for the Public PC and NGCC CO 2 Capture Retrofit Database Models

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has produced three carbon capture retrofit databases (CCRDs), which contain a collection of units selected from the power generation and industrial sources (IND) sectors located in the United States that are either in operating or standby status. The power generation category is subdivided into the post-combustion (PC) CCRD – containing coal-fired and atmospheric fluidized bed (AFB) units – and the natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) CCRD – containing natural gas-fired combined cycle and combined cycle single shaft units. The IND CCRD contains facilities from the ammonia, cement, ethanol, hydrogen, and natural gas processing industries. Public versions of these databases were created for use by individuals interested in exploring the impact of retrofitting plants with carbon capture. The power versions contain data from the NETL baseline reports as examples of information that a user can enter for plants of interest. This report is intended to provide a general guide to each of the power CCRDs. Efforts have been made to ensure similarities between each of the CCRDs. However, as the sources of CO 2 vary, differences will exist – most notably in the IND CCRD. Therefore, the PC and NGCC CCRDs are discussed in this guide.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2017

NETL Carbon Capture Retrofit Analyses

This presentation discusses carbon capture retrofit analyses for existing coal and natural gas power plants, and industrial facilities. Also discussed is development of an analysis tool that would quantify the cost and performance impacts of CCS retrofits.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2016

Eliminating the Derate of Carbon Capture Retrofits

One of the more significant issues related to carbon capture retrofits pertains to the reduction in net power output (derate) due to the large parasitic power load required for appreciable levels of carbon capture. Post-combustion capture (PCC) has been shown to reduce the net plant efficiency of an equivalent plant without capture by 20 percent or more. Yet, post-combustion amine scrubbing is anticipated to be the most viable near-term technology for reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from existing coal plants. This study attempts to quantify auxiliary load replacement options for existing pulverized coal (PC) boilers to reduce the effects caused by steam and power requirements of the CCS systems and the resulting derated output of the existing plant. While individual retrofit options are highly plant-specific and, therefore, subject to unique optimization pathways, each of the proposed cases in this study attempts to examine the most promising configurations for each repowering technology.

Chou, Vincent↗
DOE OSTI2019

Wall Upgrades for Residential Deep Energy Retrofits: Expert Meeting Report

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota are conducting a 3-year, multipart study of residential retrofit wall assemblies. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office. Researchers will identify, test, and verify the hygrothermal performance of wall assemblies in retrofit applications. This study includes engagement with leading thermal enclosure experts from industry, academia, national laboratories, state, and federal program administrators, through an expert meeting held in Arlington, VA on April 19, 2019. In addition to the expert meeting held in April, this project will involve the formation of an ongoing, expert advisory committee. This report summarizes the discussions and outcomes of the expert meeting. References made to specific organizations or products do not constitute endorsements or recommendations.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2017

NETL Carbon Capture Retrofit Analyses [Webinar]

This webinar discusses carbon capture retrofit analyses for existing coal and natural gas power plants, and industrial facilities. Also discussed is development of an analysis tool that would quantify the cost and performance impacts of CCS retrofits.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Transformative Building Envelope Retrofit Using Insulation-Inflatable Walls Assisted by Automation

This work highlights the effort to develop a low-cost envelope retrofit for homes built prior to the implementation of energy conservation measures established by the Department of Energy. Inflatable structures were constructed to conform to the exterior envelope (a corner wall construction with a fenestration was used as a prototype). The structures were then filled with spray polyurethane foam insulation. The flexibility in construction and the ability to fill with spray polyurethane foam insulation were demonstrated. In addition, hygrothermal simulations showed that the installation of these systems does not compromise the moisture durability of uninsulated and insulated building envelopes across eight climate zones from hot humid to subarctic. Preliminary cost estimates, based on retail pricing, of the inflatable retrofit including 3 inches of spray foam insulation (insulation value of approximately R 20) is $\$ 4.25$ per square foot uninstalled. The installed cost was calculated using two labor rates, the labor rate for the installation of a weather resistive barrier and the installation of spray foam insulation. Aggregating those values into one labor rate results in an installed cost between $\$ 11$ and $\$ 28$ per square foot. The low end includes the installation of vinyl siding as the exterior cladding. The higher value includes an exterior stucco finish.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗