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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Quantifying the Role of Snowmelt in Stream Discharge in an Alaskan Watershed: An Analysis Using a Spatially Distributed Surface Hydrology Model

Here, this study uses a spatially distributed surface hydrology model to investigate the role of snowmelt in stream discharge for the Tanana Flats Basin in interior Alaska. The Parameter ESTimation code is used to calibrate the model with observed stream discharge data. The model was further evaluated using remote sensing-based snow cover product and in situ snowpack water equivalent (SWE) observations. A 36 year (1980–2015) U.S. Geological Survey Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulation shows (1) the monthly stream discharge from the Tanana Flats Basin in April decreased by 44%; (2) snow cover area at high altitudes (above 2000 m) decreased in summer, both SWE and snowmelt also decreased significantly, especially in spring; (3) the timings of snowmelt onset and ending shifted by 2 (earlier) and 5 (later) days per decade, respectively; and (4) snowmelt accounts for 40% of the annual stream discharge. This study provides a quantitative tool to investigating hydrological systems considering the impacts of snow dynamics in cold regions. Additionally, this study suggests that future warming will further decrease snow coverage, advance snow melting time, and hereafter change the stream discharge dynamics in the Arctic.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Revisiting Discharge Mechanism of CF x as a High Energy Density Cathode Material for Lithium Primary Battery

Lithium/fluorinated graphite (Li/CFx) primary batteries show great promise for applications in a wide range of energy storage systems due to their high energy density (>2100 Wh kg –1 ) and low self-discharge rate (<0.5% per year at 25 °C). While the electrochemical performance of the CF x cathode is indeed promising, the discharge reaction mechanism is not thoroughly understood to date. In this article, a multiscale investigation of the CF x discharge mechanism is performed using a novel cathode structure to minimize the carbon and fluorine additives for precise cathode characterizations. Titration gas chromatography, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cross-sectional focused ion beam, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy are utilized to investigate this system. Results show no metallic lithium deposition or intercalation during the discharge reaction. Crystalline lithium fluoride particles uniformly distributed with <10 nm sizes into the CF x layers, and carbon with lower sp2 content similar to the hard-carbon structure are the products during discharge. This article deepens the understanding of CF x as a high energy density cathode material and highlights the need for future investigations on primary battery materials to advance performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Discharge Rate‐Driven Li 2 O 2 Growth Exhibits Unconventional Morphology Trends in Solid‐State Li‐O 2 Batteries

Solid-state lithium oxygen batteries (LOBs) are known for their enhanced safety, higher electrochemical stability, and improved energy density compared to liquid-state LOBs. However, the investigation of solid-state LOBs is limited with little understanding of their discharge and charge processes. In this work, a polymer-based solid-state LOB is used to investigate the effect of discharge rate on lithium peroxide (Li 2 O 2 ) formation, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and cycle performance. Notably, we observe a counterintuitive trend: Li 2 O 2 particle size increases with increasing discharge current density, in contrast to liquid systems. This behavior arises from inherent space charge layers that restrict Li⁺ transport under high current, and spatially heterogeneous active sites at the solid electrolyte–cathode interface, directly evidenced by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), which govern nucleation accessibility and promote site-selective Li 2 O 2 growth. Furthermore, higher current densities improve ORR and OER efficiency but accelerate anode degradation, while lower currents promote side reactions. These opposing effects result in a trade-off that defines an optimal discharge rate (0.1 mA cm -2 ) for maximizing cycle life. This study provides a new mechanistic perspective on discharge-driven processes in solid-state LOBs and offers practical guidelines for performance optimization in future high-energy battery systems.

Discharge current density↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enabling fast discharge of Li-ion batteries via electrolyte formulations for urban air mobility applications

High-power discharge requirements are critical for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles that are increasingly considered in urban mobility. This investigation places a particular emphasis on understanding the impact of electrolytes on discharge processes and rate capability. We aim to compare the discharge behavior of LiBs using a conventional electrolyte (Gen 2: 1.2 M LiPF 6 in EC:EMC) and the dual salt LiTFSI-LiBOB-based electrolyte. Here we carefully examine the profiles of charging and discharging, the behavior during extended cycles, impedance spectroscopy results, and the characteristics of the electrode surface. Our research findings demonstrate the complex relationship between the composition of electrolytes and the specific high-power discharge requirements of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) systems. This research highlights the importance of customizing electrolyte compositions to optimize energy storage density while simultaneously enabling higher power extraction to enhance performance in short-range electric aviation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Emergence and consequences of lateral sample heterogeneity in glow discharge spectrometry

We report conventional glow discharge emission or mass spectrometry requires the assumption that the surface of the sample is homogeneous. However, recent developments in glow discharge imaging appear to offer an opportunity to obtain three-dimensional concentration maps, in which this assumption is no longer necessary. Here, experiments, models, and a summary of earlier work are combined to examine the sputtering behavior of elemental and morphological heterogeneities in a sample. The theoretical model reveals gaps in current knowledge of glow discharge sputtering of heterogeneous samples, particularly indicating that heterogeneity in the sample leads to roughened crater bottoms and how additional morphology can evolve. Additionally, a three-dimensional profiling microscope is used to characterize the effects of surface inclusions on the sputtering process in a DC glow discharge in a reduced-pressure argon environment. Findings have important implications for bulk analysis, depth-profiling, and elemental surface mapping with glow discharge spectrometry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Uncovering the Relationship between Aging and Cycling on Lithium Metal Battery Self-Discharge

Lithium metal is considered the “holy grail” material to replace typical Li-ion anodes due to the absence of a host structure coupled with a high theoretical capacity. The absence of a host structure results in large volumetric changes when lithium is electrodeposited/dissolved, making the lithium prone to stranding and parasitic reactions with the electrolyte. Lithium research is focused on enabling highly reversible lithium electrodeposition/dissolution, which is important to achieving long cycle life. Understanding the various mechanisms of self-discharge is also critical for realizing practical lithium metal batteries but is often overlooked. In contrast to previous work, it is shown here that self-discharge via galvanic corrosion is negligible, particularly when lithium is cycled to relevant capacities. Rather, the continued electrochemical cycling of lithium metal results in self-discharge when periodic rest is applied during cycling. The extent of self-discharge can be controlled by increasing the capacity of plated lithium, tuning electrolyte chemistry, incorporating regular rest, or introducing lithiophilic materials. Finally, the Coulombic losses that occur during periodic rest are largely reversible, suggesting that the dominant self-discharge mechanism in this work is not an irreversible chemical process but rather a morphological process.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dynamics of the water-plasma interface in various discharge modes of atmospheric-pressure plasmas

This paper presents an experimental study of the dynamics of the water-plasma interface during the interaction high-voltage (HV) atmospheric pressure discharge with the water surface. Under the influence of the voltage applied to the pin type electrode, discharges are formed at the air layer between the sharp-tip HV electrode and deionized water. Three discharge regimes were identified from synchronized electrical waveforms and imaging: (i) a weak linear regime at 3–10.6 kV, (ii) a branching streamer regime at the maximum applied voltage of 12.6 kV, and (iii) a continuous arc-like regime occurring during the transition to lower voltage and higher current (e.g., U ≈ 3.2 kV, I ≈ 4.07 mA). High-speed shadowgraph images showed a symmetric interfacial cavity whose depth increased nonlinearly with voltage from h 0 ≈ 0.1 mm at 3 kV to h 0 ≈ 2.7 mm at 10.6 kV, reaching a maximum depth of h 0 ≈ 5.9 mm at 12.6 kV, while the cavity disappeared in the continuous-channel regime and was replaced by outward-propagating wave-like motion. The deformation of the water surface during the discharge-water interaction is governed by the balance between electric field forces, surface tension, gravitational forces, and electrohydrodynamic forces, whose relative contributions vary with the applied voltage. This effect was explained by quantitatively estimating the magnitudes of the acting forces and establishing the force balance. Optical emission spectroscopy in the continuous-channel regime indicated air plasma signatures and yielded a gas temperature of approximately 400 K, while prolonged operation (≈ 20 min) increased the water temperature to ~ 70 °C, reduced the water-layer thickness from 6 mm to 3 mm, and decreased pH from 7 to 4. These regime-resolved, quantitative results clarify how the dominant interfacial forcing shifts with discharge mode and provide a mechanistic basis for controlling plasma-water interactions in atmospheric-pressure applications.

atmospheric pressure plasma↗
DOE OSTI2011

Diagnosis of the ion density in two discharge modes generated in atmospheric pressure argon with pin-to-plate dielectric barrier geometry

In this study, the ion densities of an ac dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) (that is, a pin-to-plate DBD) as a function of the applied frequency in argon have been studied by means of the plasma radiation. The pin-to-plate DBD shows the characteristic of radiation oscillations with a low-frequency wave hidden in a high-frequency wave to form a mosaic structure, which reveals the coexistence of two discharge modes in the ac barrier discharge, i.e., the streamer mode and the corona mode. According to the oscillation frequencies, the ion densities are calculated. The results show that the ion density in streamer discharge is higher than that in corona discharge for about 1-2 magnitude orders.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Emission spectroscopy of a microhollow cathode discharge plasma in helium-water gas mixtures

A dc microhollow cathode discharge (MHCD) plasma was generated inflowing helium gas containing water vapor. The cathode hole diameters were 0.3, 0.7, 1.0, and 2.0 mm, each with a length of 2.0 mm. Emission spectroscopy was carried out to investigate the discharge mode and to determine the plasma parameters. For the 0.3-mm cathode, stable MHCDs in an abnormal glow mode existed at pressures up to 100 kPa, whereas for larger diameters, a plasma was not generated at atmospheric pressure. An analysis of the lineshapes relevant to He at 667.8 nm and to H{alpha} at 656.3 nm implied an electron density and gas temperature of 2 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup -3} and 1100 K, respectively, for a 100-kPa discharge in the negative glow region. The dependence of the OH band, and H{alpha} intensities on the discharge current exhibited different behaviors. Specifically, the OH spectrum had a maximum intensity at a certain current, while the H atom intensity kept increasing with the discharge current. This observation implies that a high concentration of OH radicals results in quenching, leading to the production of H atoms via the reaction OH + e{sup -}{yields} O + H + e{sup -}.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Helium corona-assisted air discharge

Operation of atmospheric discharge of electronegative gases including air at low voltages yet without consuming any inert gas will enormously promote the application of non-thermal plasmas. By taking advantage of the low onset voltage for helium corona, air discharge was successfully launched at much reduced voltages with a needle-plate system partly contained in a helium-filled glass bulb--for a needle-plate distance of 12 mm, 1.0 kV suffices. Ultraviolet emission from helium corona facilitates the discharging of air, and the discharge current manifests distinct features such as relatively broad Trichel pulses in both half periods. This design allows safe and economic implementation of atmospheric discharge of electronegative gases, which will find a broad palette of applications in surface modification, plasma medicine and gas treatment, etc.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

High-current discharge channel contraction in high density gas

Research results for discharges at current amplitudes of 0.5-1.6 MA and current rise rate of {approx}10{sup 10} A/s are presented. The discharge is performed in the hydrogen environment at the initial pressure of 5-35 MPa. Initiation is implemented by a wire explosion. The time length of the first half-period of the discharge current is 70-150 {mu}s. Under such conditions, discharge channel contraction is observed; the contraction is followed by soft x-ray radiation. The phenomena are discussed, which are determined by high density of the gas surrounding the discharge channel. These phenomena are increase of the current critical value, where the channel contraction begins and growth of temperature in the axis region of the channel, where the initial density of the gas increases.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Radio frequency discharge with control of plasma potential distribution

A RF discharge plasma generator with additional electrodes for independent control of plasma potential distribution is proposed. With positive biasing of this ring electrode relative end flanges and longitudinal magnetic field a confinement of fast electrons in the discharge will be improved for reliable triggering of pulsed RF discharge at low gas density and rate of ion generation will be enhanced. In the proposed discharge combination, the electron energy is enhanced by RF field and the fast electron confinement is improved by enhanced positive plasma potential which improves the efficiency of plasma generation significantly. This combination creates a synergetic effect with a significantly improving the plasma generation performance at low gas density. The discharge parameters can be optimized for enhance plasma generation with acceptable electrode sputtering.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Development of large volume double ring penning plasma discharge source for efficient light emissions

In this paper, the development of large volume double ring Penning plasma discharge source for efficient light emissions is reported. The developed Penning discharge source consists of two cylindrical end cathodes of stainless steel having radius 6 cm and a gap 5.5 cm between them, which are fitted in the top and bottom flanges of the vacuum chamber. Two stainless steel anode rings with thickness 0.4 cm and inner diameters 6.45 cm having separation 2 cm are kept at the discharge centre. Neodymium (Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B) permanent magnets are physically inserted behind the cathodes for producing nearly uniform magnetic field of {approx}0.1 T at the center. Experiments and simulations have been performed for single and double anode ring configurations using helium gas discharge, which infer that double ring configuration gives better light emissions in the large volume Penning plasma discharge arrangement. The optical emission spectroscopy measurements are used to complement the observations. The spectral line-ratio technique is utilized to determine the electron plasma density. The estimated electron plasma density in double ring plasma configuration is {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}, which is around one order of magnitude larger than that of single ring arrangement.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effects of the growth and the charge of carbon nanoparticles on direct current discharges

The formation of fine particles in plasmas from sputtered carbon atoms and the consequences of their growth and charging mechanisms on sputtering DC discharges were investigated. Experiments were performed with a constant discharge current so that the coupling between the plasma and two successive generations of nanoparticles were studied through the evolution of the discharge voltage, proportional to the ionization rate and also through the plasma emission. The consequences of the formation of negative ionic molecular precursors of the first particle generation were established as well as the effects of a redistribution of the nanoparticle cloud in the inter-electrode gap, not similar to the void effects usually observed in RF discharges. The cathode heating during the sputtering mechanism was also considered to explain partly the evolution of the discharge voltage and the plasma emission during the growth of the second nanoparticle generation.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Improving the homogeneity of alternating current-drive atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharges in helium with an additional low-amplitude radio frequency power source: A numerical study

It was proposed in this paper that the homogeneity of the atmospheric pressure discharge driven by an ac power source could be improved by applying an auxiliary low-amplitude rf power source. To verify the idea, a two-dimensional fluid model then was applied to study the atmospheric discharges in helium driven by ac power, low-amplitude rf power, and combined ac and low-amplitude rf power, respectively. Simulation results confirmed that an auxiliary rf power could improve the homogeneity of a discharge driven by an ac power source. It was further found that there existed a threshold voltage of the rf power source leading to the transition from inhomogeneous to homogeneous discharge. As the frequency of the rf power source increased from 2 to 22 MHz, the magnitude of the threshold voltage dropped first rapidly and then to a constant value. When the frequency was over 13.56 MHz, the magnitude of the threshold voltage was smaller than one-sixth of the ac voltage amplitude under the simulated discharge parameters.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Numerical study of He/CF{sub 3}I pulsed discharge used to produce iodine atom in chemical oxygen-iodine laser

The pulsed discharge for producing iodine atoms from the alkyl and perfluoroalky iodides (CH{sub 3}I, CF{sub 3}I, etc.) is the most efficient method for achieving the pulse operating mode of a chemical oxygen-iodine laser. In this paper, a one-dimensional fluid model is developed to study the characteristics of pulsed discharge in CF{sub 3}I-He mixture. By solving continuity equation, momentum equation, Poisson equation, Boltzmann equation, and an electric circuit equation, the temporal evolution of discharge current density and various discharge products, especially the atomic iodine, are investigated. The dependence of iodine atom density on discharge parameters is also studied. The results show that iodine atom density increases with the pulsed width and pulsed voltage amplitude. The mixture ratio of CF{sub 3}I and helium plays a more significant role in iodine atom production. For a constant voltage amplitude, there exists an optimal mixture ratio under which the maximum iodine atom concentration is achieved. The bigger the applied voltage amplitude is, the higher partial pressure of CF{sub 3}I is needed to obtain the maximum iodine atom concentration.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Magnetic dipole discharges. I. Basic properties

A simple discharge is described which uses a permanent magnet as a cold cathode and the metallic chamber wall as an anode. The magnet's equator is biased strongly negative, which produces secondary electrons due to the impact of energetic ions. The emitted electrons are highly confined by the strong dipolar magnetic field and the negative potential in the equatorial plane of the magnet. The emitted electrons ionize near the sheath and produce further electrons, which drift across field lines to the anode while the nearly unmagnetized ions are accelerated back to the magnet. A steady state discharge is maintained at neutral pressures above 10{sup −3} mbar. This is the principle of magnetron discharges, which commonly use cylindrical and planar cathodes rather than magnetic dipoles as cathodes. The discharge properties have been investigated in steady state and pulsed mode. Different magnets and geometries have been employed. The role of a background plasma has been investigated. Various types of instabilities have been observed such as sheath oscillations, current-driven turbulence, relaxation instabilities due to ionization, and high frequency oscillations created by sputtering impulses, which are described in more detail in companion papers. The discharge has also been operated in reactive gases and shown to be useful for sputtering applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical pumping in a microfabricated Rb vapor cell using a microfabricated Rb discharge light source

Miniature (<few cm{sup 3}) vapor-cell based devices using optical pumping of alkali atoms, such as atomic clocks and magnetometers, today mostly employ vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers as pump light sources. Here, we report on the demonstration of optical pumping in a microfabricated alkali vapor resonance cell using (1) a microfabricated Rb discharge lamp light source, as well as (2) a conventional glass-blown Rb discharge lamp. The microfabricated Rb lamp cell is a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) light source, having the same inner cell volume of around 40 mm{sup 3} as that of the resonance cell, both filled with suitable buffer gases. A miniature (∼2 cm{sup 3} volume) test setup based on the M{sub z} magnetometer interrogation technique was used for observation of optical-radiofrequency double-resonance signals, proving the suitability of the microfabricated discharge lamp to introduce efficient optical pumping. The pumping ability of this light source was found to be comparable to or even better than that of a conventional glass-blown lamp. The reported results indicate that the micro-fabricated DBD discharge lamp has a high potential for the development of a new class of miniature atomic clocks, magnetometers, and quantum sensors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗