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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

UPGRADE-E: Understanding Patterns Guiding Residential Adoption and Decisions about Energy Efficiency

This work represents the largest and most comprehensive dataset to-date of responses surveyed from U.S. residents regarding home modifications and energy-related decision-making, including both objective measures describing the occupants and their homes and subjective measures describing the more unpredictable human factors behind residential decision-making. First, to develop the survey, we interviewed 121 individual decision-makers within their households regarding planned or completed projects. We used the insights of these interviews to design a survey that was distributed to 10,000 households across the U.S. The overarching topics approached in the survey include descriptive information about the respondent, their household, their home, home modifications they have made, and the human cognition-based contextual factors involved in home projects and decision-making, such as preferences, motivations, barriers, and information sources. The processed data from the survey was compiled into a dataset entitled UPGRADE-E: Understanding Patterns Guiding Residential Adoption and Decisions about Energy Efficiency and represents the basis for the analyses included in this paper. The dataset represents a rich repository of home energy technology and modification decision-making results, the largest of its kind to-date. The abundance of contextual considerations within this dataset provides a robust resource for continual analysis, with possibilities for considering cross-cuts of data from a variety of perspectives.

Fuentes, Tracy L↗
DOE OSTI2023

Single-cell quantification of ribosome occupancy in early mouse development

Translation regulation is critical for early mammalian embryonic development. However, previous studies had been restricted to bulk measurements, precluding precise determination of translation regulation including allele-specific analyses. Here, to address this challenge, we developed a novel microfluidic isotachophoresis (ITP) approach, named RIBOsome profiling via ITP (Ribo-ITP), and characterized translation in single oocytes and embryos during early mouse development. We identified differential translation efficiency as a key mechanism regulating genes involved in centrosome organization and N 6 -methyladenosine modification of RNAs. Our high-coverage measurements enabled, to our knowledge, the first analysis of allele-specific ribosome engagement in early development. These led to the discovery of stage-specific differential engagement of zygotic RNAs with ribosomes and reduced translation efficiency of transcripts exhibiting allele-biased expression. By integrating our measurements with proteomics data, we discovered that ribosome occupancy in germinal vesicle-stage oocytes is the predominant determinant of protein abundance in the zygote. The Ribo-ITP approach will enable numerous applications by providing high-coverage and high-resolution ribosome occupancy measurements from ultra-low input samples including single cells.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrating Health and Energy Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities

This report presents a review of literature and current best practices along the intersection of energy efficiency and occupant health at U.S. healthcare facilities, including federally owned buildings. It also includes a review of minimum code requirements for healthcare indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and research on building measures that optimize occupant health and energy efficiency.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrating Health and Energy Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities

In this report, PNNL presents a review of literature and current best practices along the intersection of energy efficiency and occupant health at U.S. healthcare facilities, including federally owned buildings. This report includes a review of building standards and certification systems for healthcare indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and research on building measures that optimize occupant health and energy efficiency. The healthcare industry includes a wide variety of services and thus facility types. This case study focuses primarily on inpatient facilities, such as hospitals.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

A-site occupancy effects on structure, ionic conductivity, and thermodynamic stability of KxMgx/2Ti8−x/2O16

Abstract K x Mg x /2 Ti 8− x /2 O 16 (1.54 ≤ x ≤ 2) hollandite samples synthesized using a conventional solid-state route were used to investigate the effect of structure, ionic conductivity, and thermodynamic stability as a function of A-site (K) occupancy. The ionic conductivity, as measured using AC impedance spectroscopy, decreased as the A-site occupancy (and K content) increased. Titanate hollandite, of the form K x Mg x /2 Ti 8− x /2 O 16 , was measured using high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry in sodium molybdate (3Na 2 O $$\bullet$$ ∙ 4MoO 3 ) solvent at 804 $$^\circ{\rm C}$$ ∘ C . The enthalpies of formation are strongly exothermic indicating that they are thermodynamically stable relative to their constituent oxides. Previous studies have demonstrated increased stability with an increase in Cs content at fixed A-site occupancy. This work demonstrated an increase in the stability for the K-bearing hollandite samples with an increase in K content and tunnel occupancy. The measured enthalpies of formation (∆ H f,ox ) were in good agreement with density functional theory (DFT) predictions. Graphical abstract

Cassell, Nakeshma S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct Measurement of Galaxy Assembly Bias using DESI DR1 Data

We report the first direct measurement of galaxy assembly bias, a critical systematic in cosmology, from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Bright Galaxy Survey. We introduce a novel, cosmology-independent method to measure the halo occupation distribution (HOD) by combining a state-of-the-art group catalog with weak gravitational lensing. For groups binned by total luminosity, we determine the galaxy occupation number $N_{\rm gal}$ from group-galaxy cross-correlations, while weak lensing constrains the average halo mass $M_h$. Applying this to a volume-limited sample at $z{\in}[0.05,0.2]$, we measure the dependence of HOD, $N_{\rm gal}(M_h)$, on large-scale overdensity $δ_{g}$. Focusing on the satellite galaxies, we find an assembly bias parameter of $Q_{\rm sat}{=}0.05{\pm}0.14$, a result consistent with zero and in tension with many empirical galaxy formation models. Our method provides a robust approach for characterizing galaxy assembly bias to achieve precision cosmology with DESI and future Stage-V surveys.

Shao, Zhiwei [Shanghai Jiaotong U.; Shanghai Jiao ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Terra-Populus v0.1: A Python Library for LandScan High-Definition Population Analysis and Modeling

The terra-populus library is designed for use by the LandScan HD technical team, offering a streamlined set of tools for generating and updating LandScan HD datasets from foundational building-level data, referred to as 'molecules,' provided by the building-level attribution team. This document serves as the primary technical documentation for terra-populus. Version 0.1 of the library includes the core modeling components necessary for LandScan HD production. It enables the generation of the LandScan HD Baseline dataset as well as corresponding confidence measures for the occupancy rates used. Parameters have been included for incorporating damaged building indicators and changes in population, to faciliate the creation of rapid updates for LandScan HD. Future iterations of terra-populus will introduce tools for creating a confidence index, and quantifying and propagating uncertainty, facilitating the creation of probabilistic LandScan HD outputs. This report provides an overview of the tools available in the library and the corresponding code implementations. One of the key advancements implemented in terra-populus is a redefinition of the atomic modeling unit for LandScan HD. Traditionally, the LandScan HD vector analytical framework has generated population estimates at the building sub-component (molecule) level. However, terra-populus adopts a building-level modeling approach. This shift is an operational decision aimed at aligning LandScan HD outputs with confidence measures, which are computed and validated at the building level (confidence measures are not included in this version of terra-populus, aside from those associated with the occupancy rates). Additional advancements to the LandScan HD modeling, as implemented by terra-populus, include a minimum population value parameter and an auto assignment of building floor counts. The population minimum value was implemented to prevent buildings and subsequent LandScan HD pixels that contained small values that may not rasterize in production. An 'auto' value has been included as a method for dealing with buildings lacking floor count information, where it is the average floor count of all other buildings with a residential building use type tag. The logic behind this is to remain consistent with the current logic employed for dealing with building use type null instances, where a null use type is defaulted to residential since it is the most common building type. The auto logic is intended to apply the most common building floor count of the most common type of buildings. The tools provided in terra-populus represent a significant step forward in improving the efficiency, reproducibility, and transparency of the LandScan HD modeling process. As the library evolves, it will continue to serve as a foundational resource for high-resolution population modeling.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lighting application efficacy: A framework for holistically measuring lighting use in buildings

Lighting consumes significant energy in buildings, but current measurements of lighting efficiency are inadequate in capturing the spatial and temporal effectiveness of light. The most widely used lighting energy efficiency measure, luminous efficacy, quantifies the amount of light generated by individual light sources. While luminous efficacy provides manufacturers and designers with a useful metric for quantifying the energy efficiency of individual lighting devices, it does not fully address the use of lighting in architectural spaces. Instead, application efficacy, the relationship between the electrical power consumed by lighting hardware and the amount of light that contributes to the visual perception of building occupants, must be measured. Here, we propose a framework for calculating lighting application efficacy (LAE) based on the primary pathway of light in architectural settings: the generation and emission of light from a luminaire, the travel of the light throughout the space and into occupants’ eyes, and the process of visual perception. The LAE framework will include the development of computational methods for estimating the proportion of emitted light that is directed to task areas and areas corresponding to occupants’ visual fields using ray-tracing lighting design software. Future modeling and validation work will quantify energy efficiency of buildings.

Durmus, Dorukalp↗
DOE OSTI2022

Infrared-Fused Vision-Based Thermoregulation Performance Estimation for Personal Thermal Comfort-Driven HVAC System Controls

Thermal comfort is one of the primary factors influencing occupant health, well-being, and productivity in buildings. Existing thermal comfort systems require occupants to frequently communicate their comfort vote via a survey which is impractical as a long-term solution. Here, we present a novel thermal infrared-fused computer vision sensing method to capture thermoregulation performance in a non-intrusive and non-invasive manner. In this method, we align thermal and visible images, detect facial segments (i.e., nose, eyes, face boundary), and accordingly read the temperatures from the appropriate coordinates in the thermal image. We focus on the human face since it is often clearly visible to cameras and is not merged into a hot background (unlike hands). We use a regularized Gaussian Mixture model to track the thermoregulation changes over time and apply a heuristic algorithm to extract hot and cold indices. We present a personalized and a generalized comfort modeling method, selected based on the availability of the occupant historical indices measurements in a neutral environment, and use the time-series of the hot and cold indices to define corrections to HVAC system operations in the form of setpoint constraints. To evaluate the efficacy of our proposed approach in responding to thermal stimuli, we designed a series of controlled experiments to simulate exposure to cold and hot environments. While applying personalized modeling showed an acceptable average accuracy of 91.3%, the generalized model’s average accuracy was only 65.2%. This shows the importance of having access to physiological records in modeling and assessing comfort. We also found that individual differences should be considered in selecting the cooling and heating rates when some knowledge of the occupant’s overall thermal preference is available.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

The impact of simplified window and exhaust fan assumptions on indoor air quality in multifamily buildings

In residential buildings, the indoor air quality can be significantly affected by ventilation measures initiated by occupants, including the operation of windows and in-unit exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms. Many simulations simplify these factors by disregarding window opening behaviors and using fixed schedules for exhaust fan operation across all residential units. To estimate the impact of these simplifications in the U.S. context, this study used coupled CONTAM and EnergyPlus models to simulate airflow and contaminant transport in multifamily buildings. The coupled models parametrically varied climate zone, building airtightness, and mechanical ventilation system types. The study conducted a sensitivity analysis on two key occupant behaviors: (1) operating kitchen and bathroom exhausts on different schedules in individual dwelling units, and (2) scheduling open windows on ground and top floors. The simplified assumptions (i.e. uniform in-unit exhaust fan operation and window operation) had a minimal impact on inter-unit air flow and contaminant transport simulations across a broad range of building air leakage and mechanical ventilation system types. These findings suggest that for buildings with tight construction it is reasonable for most modelling and simulation efforts to ignore the effects of non-uniform exhaust fan operation and window opening.

Occupant behavior↗
DOE OSTI2020

Constraining radio mode feedback in galaxy clusters with the cluster radio AGNs properties to z ∼ 1

ABSTRACT We study the properties of the Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey (SUMSS) 843 MHz radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs) population in galaxy clusters from two large catalogues created using the Dark Energy Survey (DES): ∼11 800 optically selected RM-Y3 and ∼1000 X-ray selected MARD-Y3 clusters. We show that cluster radio loud AGNs are highly concentrated around cluster centres to $z$ ∼ 1. We measure the halo occupation number for cluster radio AGNs above a threshold luminosity, finding that the number of radio AGNs per cluster increases with cluster halo mass as N ∝ M1.2 ± 0.1 (N ∝ M0.68 ± 0.34) for the RM-Y3 (MARD-Y3) sample. Together, these results indicate that radio mode feedback is favoured in more massive galaxy clusters. Using optical counterparts for these sources, we demonstrate weak redshift evolution in the host broad-band colours and the radio luminosity at fixed host galaxy stellar mass. We use the redshift evolution in radio luminosity to break the degeneracy between density and luminosity evolution scenarios in the redshift trend of the radio AGNs luminosity function (LF). The LF exhibits a redshift trend of the form (1 + $z$)γ in density and luminosity, respectively, of γD = 3.0 ± 0.4 and γP = 0.21 ± 0.15 in the RM-Y3 sample, and γD = 2.6 ± 0.7 and γP = 0.31 ± 0.15 in MARD-Y3. We discuss the physical drivers of radio mode feedback in cluster AGNs, and we use the cluster radio galaxy LF to estimate the average radio-mode feedback energy as a function of cluster mass and redshift and compare it to the core (<0.1R500) X-ray radiative losses for clusters at $z$ < 1.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Bedroom Concentrations and Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds during Sleep

Because humans spend about one-third of their time asleep in their bedrooms and are themselves emission sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is important to specifically characterize the composition of the bedroom air that they experience during sleep. This work uses real-time indoor and outdoor measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to examine concentration enhancements in bedroom air during sleep and to calculate VOC emission rates associated with sleeping occupants. Gaseous VOCs were measured with proton-transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry during a multiweek residential monitoring campaign under normal occupancy conditions. Results indicate high emissions of nearly 100 VOCs and other species in the bedroom during sleeping periods as compared to the levels in other rooms of the same residence. Air change rates for the bedroom and, correspondingly, emission rates of sleeping-associated VOCs were determined for two bounding conditions: (1) air exchange between the bedroom and outdoors only and (2) air exchange between the bedroom and other indoor spaces only (as represented by measurements in the kitchen). VOCs from skin oil oxidation and personal care products were present, revealing that many emission pathways can be important occupant-associated emission factors affecting bedroom air composition in addition to direct emissions from building materials and furnishings.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

The CMS Phase II Outer Tracker Upgrade at Fermilab

● Extracted threshold in electrons from S-curve measurement ● Estimated cut for noisy channels based on maximum module occupancy 10−6 ● ~40 channels offline masked ● Measured efficiencies and noise occupancies as a function of the threshold ● Source of inefficiency in the pixels due to punch through structure ● Inefficiencies in the strips after irradiation being investigated, the threshold used was not correct

Salimbeni, Nicolò↗
DOE OSTI2022

Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks

Abstract Cohen BS, Redmond JE, Haven CC, Foulis SA, Canino MC, Frykman PN, Sharp MA. Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 894–901, 2023—This study measured the impact of occupational experience (i.e., time spent deployed, in military service, and in job and task performance frequency in training, deployment, and study practice) on the physiological (heart rate [HR] and oxygen consumption [VO 2 ]) and perceptual (rate of perceived exertion [RPE]) responses to performance of critical physically demanding tasks (CPDTs). Five CPDTs (road march, build a fighting position, move under fire, evacuate a casualty, and drag a casualty to safety), common to all soldiers, were performed by 237 active duty soldiers. Linear regression models examined the association between measures of experience and physiological and perceptual performance responses to task demands. The level of significance was adjusted for multiple comparisons and set at ρ ≤ 0.0125 for this study. Significant and notable effect sizes included the impact of time spent deployed on the physiological measures of the road march (PostHR F = 24.84, p < 0.0001, β=-9.65), sandbag fill (PostHR F = 8.26, p = 0.005, β = −2.83), and sandbag carry (MeanHR F = 7.51, p = 0.007, β = −1.12; PostHR F = 7.35, p = 0.007, β = −0.87). For the road march task, there was a nearly 10 bpm decrease in postperformance HR for every year spent deployed. Road march, sandbag fill, and sandbag carry tasks PostHRs were also notably negatively associated with the experience measures of time in their MOS (job and time in military service but not for other physiological and perceptual responses, including VO 2 and RPE. Frequency of task performance in training, deployment, and study practice was not meaningfully associated with experience. The results suggest that increasing task familiarization through on-the-job occupational operational experience may result in greater proficiency and reduced physiological effort.

Sport Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in Recently Constructed U.S. Homes: Measured Data From Select Southeastern States

Little data is available that quantifies IAQ or associates contaminant levels with air exchange in U.S. homes. To address this gap, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America Program conducted a study to characterize IAQ in U.S. homes constructed since 2013, along with presence, functionality, and occupant use of control measures. Specific objectives of this study effort included: Measuring time-integrated concentrations and temporal profiles of established contaminants of concern; monitoring the use of ventilation equipment; and tracking activities that impact air pollutant emissions and removal processes in typical homes in various climate zones; Characterizing the prevalence, type, and installed performance of mechanical ventilation equipment in new homes; exploring regional variations in system designs and performance; Investigating associations between contaminant levels and the presence of control measures including whole-house mechanical ventilation (WHMV). The study engaged research teams to collect data at a regional level. This report introduces the study protocol and presents and discusses high-level results obtained from Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) data collection efforts in the southeastern U.S. states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hot, cold, or just right? An infrared biometric sensor to improve occupant comfort and reduce overcooling in buildings via closed-loop control

To improve occupant comfort and save energy in buildings, we have developed a closed-loop air conditioning (AC) sensor-controller that predicts occupant thermal sensation from the thermographic measurement of skin temperature distribution, then uses this information to reduce overcooling (cooling-energy overuse that discomforts occupants) by regulating AC output. Taking measures to protect privacy, it combines thermal-infrared (TIR) and color (visible spectrum) cameras with machine vision to measure the skin-surface temperature profile. Since the human thermoregulation system uses skin blood flow to maintain thermoneutrality, the distribution of skin temperature can be used to predict warm, neutral, and cool thermal states. We conducted a series of human-subject thermal-sensation trials in cold-to-hot environments, measuring skin temperatures and recording thermal sensation votes. We then trained random-forest classification machine-learning models (classifiers) to estimate thermal sensation from skin temperatures or skin-temperature differences. The estimated thermal sensation was input to a proportional integral (PI) control algorithm for the AC, targeting a sensation level between neutral and warm. Our sensor-controller includes a sensor assembly, server software, and client software. The server software orients the cameras and transmits images to the client software, which in turn assesses occupant skin temperature distribution, estimates occupant thermal sensation, and controls AC operation. A demonstration conducted in a conference room in an office building near Houston, TX showed that our system reduced overcooling, decreasing AC load by 42% when the room was occupied while improving occupant comfort (fraction of “comfortable” votes) by 15 percentage points.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Indexed improvements for real-time trotter evolution of a (1 + 1) field theory using NISQ quantum computers

Today's quantum computers offer the possibility of performing real-time calculations for quantum field theory scattering processes motivated by high energy physics. In order to follow the successful roadmap which has been established for the calculation of static properties at Euclidean time, it is crucial to develop new algorithmic methods to deal with the limitations of current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices and to establish quantitative measures of the progress made with different devices. In this paper, we report recent progress in these directions. We show that nonlinear aspects of the trotter errors allow us to take much larger step then suggested by low-order analysis. This is crucial to reach physically relevant time scales with today's NISQ technology. We propose to use an index averaging absolute values of the difference between the accurately calculated trotter evolution of site occupations and their actual measurements on NISQ machines (G index) as a measure to compare results that have been obtained from different hardware platforms. Using the transverse Ising model in one spatial dimension with four sites we apply this metric across several hardware platforms. We study the results including readout mitigation and Richardson extrapolations and show that the mitigated measurements are very effective based on the analysis of the trotter step size modifications. Furthermore, we discuss how this advance in the trotter step size procedures can improve quantum computing physics scattering results and how this technical advance can be applied to other machines and noise mitigation methods.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Estimating internal moisture generation rates in recently constructed, occupied homes in the southeastern United States

Internal moisture generation (IMG), or moisture generated by building occupants via activities such as respiration, cooking, bathing, and cleaning, is a critical input required for design, analysis, and simulation of building enclosure and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Based on previously published values, ASHRAE Standard 160-2021 provides guidance for estimating IMG rates for moisture control design analysis, which is based on occupied home datasets collected in the 1980s and 1990s. Residential energy use simulation software also utilizes estimates for IMG for energy rating, energy analysis, and code compliance calculations, as specified in ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 301. Data quantifying IMG rates in newer homes is useful in determining the continued relevance of current design and simulation guidance, and whether the guidance represents conditions found in new housing stock. ASHRAE Research Project 1844, conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida, estimated IMG rates in newer occupied homes built since 2013 in the southeastern US using a moisture balance model approach. Furthermore, the project obtained occupied home data in cooperation with a US Department of Energy Building America research project to characterize indoor air quality (IAQ) in newer US homes, along with presence, functionality, and occupant use of control measures. Full-scale laboratory homes operating with known IMG rates were used to validate a moisture balance model and quantify the accuracy of estimates obtained when the model is applied to data from occupied homes with unknown IMG rates.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗