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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 379 records · Page 21

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2015

Process for improving the energy density of feedstocks using formate salts

Methods of forming liquid hydrocarbons through thermal deoxygenation of cellulosic compounds are disclosed. Aspects cover methods including the steps of mixing a levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock with a formic acid salt, exposing the mixture to a high temperature condition to form hydrocarbon vapor, and condensing the hydrocarbon vapor to form liquid hydrocarbons, where both the formic acid salt and the levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock decompose at the high temperature condition and wherein one or more of the mixing, exposing, and condensing steps is carried out a pressure between about vacuum and about 10 bar.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2015

Torrefaction reduction of coke formation on catalysts used in esterification and cracking of biofuels from pyrolysed lignocellulosic feedstocks

A bio-oil production process involving torrefaction pretreatment, catalytic esterification, pyrolysis, and secondary catalytic processing significantly reduces yields of reactor char, catalyst coke, and catalyst tar relative to the best-case conditions using non-torrefied feedstock. The reduction in coke as a result of torrefaction was 28.5% relative to the respective control for slow pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading. In fast pyrolysis bio-oil processing, the greatest reduction in coke was 34.9%. Torrefaction at 275.degree. C. reduced levels of acid products including acetic acid and formic acid in the bio-oil, which reduced catalyst coking and increased catalyst effectiveness and aromatic hydrocarbon yields in the upgraded oils. The process of bio-oil generation further comprises a catalytic esterification of acids and aldehydes to generate such as ethyl levulinate from lignified biomass feedstock.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Methods of refining and producing dibasic esters and acids from natural oil feedstocks

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks and producing dibasic esters and/or dibasic acids. The methods comprise reacting a terminal olefin with an internal olefin in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a dibasic ester and/or dibasic acid. In certain embodiments, the olefin esters are formed by reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters, separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product, and transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product having olefin esters.

02 PETROLEUM↗

DOE OSTI2016

Methods of refining and producing isomerized fatty acid esters and fatty acids from natural oil feedstocks

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks and producing isomerized esters and acids. The methods comprise providing a C4-C18 unsaturated fatty ester or acid, and isomerizing the fatty acid ester or acid in the presence of heat or an isomerization catalyst to form an isomerized fatty ester or acid. In some embodiments, the methods comprise forming a dibasic ester or dibasic acid prior to the isomerizing step. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrolyzing the dibasic ester to form a dibasic acid. In certain embodiments, the olefin is formed by reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters, separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product, and transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product having unsaturated esters.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuel and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuels and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Microalgae Feedstocks for Aviation Fuels

There is significant global interest in developing, testing, and using alternative jet fuels for both commercial and military use in an effort to create a sustainable and stable fuel supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the aviation industry is entirely dependent on a finite-supply of petroleum based fuel sourced in part by politically and economically unstable regions of the world. Commercial jet fuel use within the contiguous United States (CONUS) was 17.8 billion gallons per year (BGY) in 2009, while jet fuel use in 2010 by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), Navy, and Army was 1.5 BGY, 0.6 BGY, and 0.8 BGY, respectively (Carter et al., 2011). U.S. commercial and military aviation sectors have set ambitious near-term alternative fuel and environmental performance targets. This includes a tentative Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) goal of 1 BGY alternative fuel use by commercial aircraft by 2018. The USAF has set a target of 50% for USAF domestic aviation via alternative fuels by 2016 (0.73 BGY), and 50% of the Navy’s total energy consumption afloat (0.3 BGY) will come from alternative fuels by 2020 (Carter et al., 2011). If these targets become policy, at least 2 BGY of domestically-produced alternative jet fuel will be required by 2020. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 established production requirements for domestic alternative fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). For example, 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel must be produced by 2022, of which 21 billion gallons shall be advanced biofuels. EISA defines advanced biofuels as non-corn starch derived biofuels having lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions 50% lower than gasoline. There a number of potential fuel pathways for meeting the RFS. One of these is biomass-based diesel, including jet fuel (Schnepf and Yacobucci, 2013). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has a stated goal in its 2013 Multi-Year Program Plan (USDOE, 2013) to support the RFS through development of “…commercially viable biomass utilization technologies to encourage the creation of a new domestic bioenergy industry…”. BETO has also recognized the potential for aviation biofuels to support the bioenergy industry, seeing drop-in bio-based jet fuels one of the viable alternatives for the aviation industry and the military to meet their ambitious near-term GHG reduction targets (USDOE, 2014). One of the important Multi-year Program Plan Targets (USDOE, 2013) is to establish feedstock resource assessment models to evaluate the geographic, economic, quality and environmental criteria for which 20 million metric tons of ash free dry weight (AFDW) algal biomass can be produced by 2022. Toward meeting the EISA requirements, algal biofuels may offer a number of advantages. They can produce a range of biofuel feedstocks suitable for diesel and aviation fuels. Microalgae, on a strain-specific basis, can be cultivated using impaired water including saline, and/or brackish pumped groundwater or seawater, treated industrial wastewater, municipal sewage effluent, and produced water generated from oil and gas drilling operations. Additionally, microalgae require nitrogen and phosphates as essential nutrients and could provide water treatment co-benefits to municipalities, industry, and the environment.

algae↗

DOE OSTI2018

Method for generating methane from a carbonaceous feedstock

The present invention provides a method for generating methane from a carbonaceous feedstock with simultaneous in situ sequestration of carbon dioxide to afford a biogas comprising at least 85 percent by volume methane, the method comprising anaerobically incubating a particulate additive in contact with a carbonaceous feedstock in a neutral or alkaline aqueous culture medium containing a culture of methanogenic consortia and collecting methane generated therefrom. The additive comprises at least one material selected from a biochar, an ash produced by gasification or combustion of a carbonaceous material, a black carbon soil, and a Terra Preta soil.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

Lilga, Michael A.↗

DOE OSTI2018

Expectation vs. Reality: The Unexpected Abrasive Nature of Biomass Feedstocks

Early reports coming from stover-fed biorefineries have indicated that the feedstock is damaging equipment due to wear caused by the feedstock. It is suspected that biomass ash, both physiological and introduced ash, is responsible for the accelerated rates of wear being observed. Biomass ash can contain several different types of minerals, some of which are very hard. To simulate biomass wear on material handling equipment, a sandblaster was modified to shoot ground biomass at a metal coupon. The angle of impingement was set at 90°, 65.5°, or 45° by rotating the coupon. The coupon was weighed before and after shooting a known quantity of biomass to determine mass loss, and the surface characteristics of the blasted coupon were analyzed using laser microscopy. Coupon mass loss was positively correlated with ash content. Coupons blasted with loblolly pine (0.58% ash) lost 2.2mg±0.3mg per kg biomass shot, while high-ash stover (12.56% ash) coupons lost 104.7±2.1mg per kg biomass shot. Coupons blasted with NaOH leached low-ash stover (4.01% ash) lost 10.1±2.7mg per kg biomass shot. Decreasing the angle of impingement (90° to 45°) increased mass loss by about 17%. The concentrations of soil elements (silicon, aluminum, iron, titanium, sodium) were positively correlated with coupon mass loss, indicating that introduced ash is likely the primary source of wear to equipment. Future studies will identify mineral forms of ash present in biomass to further characterize biomass wear properties and to identify strategies to improve biomass quality.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Process for selectively recovering a phenolic compound from feedstock comprising bio-crude and/or bio-oil

A process for selectively recovering a phenolic compound from feedstock comprising bio-crude and/or bio-oil is described. The recovery efficiency of the selected phenolic compound is greater than 70 wt % and the purity of the recovered selected phenolic compound is higher than 80 wt %. The process comprises distilling the feedstock to isolate the selected phenolic compound in a first distillate fraction comprising the selected phenolic compound, concentrating the selected phenolic compound from the first distillate fraction in a concentrated mixture, and purifying the concentrated mixture to recover the selected phenolic compound.

Mante, Ofei D.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Method for tuning thermal expansion properties in an additive manufacturing feedstock material

A feedstock material for use in an additive manufacturing apparatus is prepared from a first material and a metal organic framework (MOF). The MOF comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of linkers, the plurality of linkers coupled to the plurality of nodes, thereby forming a framework. The MOF has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than a coefficient of thermal expansion for the first material. As a result, the feedstock material has a reduced coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to the first material alone and thus exhibits low thermal expansion as its temperature is increased. The coefficient of thermal expansion for the MOF may be modified by using a different plurality of nodes and/or a different plurality of linkers, as well as by incorporating guest molecules or atoms into the framework of the MOF.

Burtch, Nicholas C.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Method for controlling fiber growth in a laser heated pedestal growth system by controlling a laser power output, a pedestal feedstock rate of motion, and a draw rate

One or more embodiments relate to a method for controlling fiber growth and fiber diameter in a laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) system so as to provide long, continuous single-crystal optical fibers of uniform diameter. The method generally provides three independent parameter feedback controls to control the molten zone height, laser power, and fiber drawing rates simultaneously in order to reduce the mismatch between instantaneous diameter changes and current diameter. The method permits the growth of fibers with non-uniform diameters along the fiber's length. The method also provides the capability to stop the LHPG system, remove the exhausted pedestal feedstock with a second pedestal feedstock, and restart the LHPG system to provide a continuous fiber.

Buric, Michael P.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Biomass Feedstock Flow Modeling at Exascale

Variable biomass feedstock handling in hoppers and screw conveyors can cause upstream failures and disrupt downstream conversion operations. Understanding how particle size, shape, and moisture content affect feedstock flowability is important for efficient biorefinery operation. We present the use of our open-source discrete element method (DEM) solver for predicting flows in large scale hoppers and assess its performance on state-of-the-art high performance computing platforms that use heterogenous computing architectures.

bioenergy↗

DOE OSTI2023

Coupling Waste Feedstocks to Microbial Protein for a Circular Food System

The global food system is responsible for approximately 34% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and up to 85% of water consumption. This critical sector suffers from intensive and inefficient land and water use, the generation of multiple (solid, liquid, and gaseous) waste streams, and high fuel, fertilizer, and pesticide consumption. The production of waste-derived microbial protein (MP) represents a promising alternative for reducing the environmental impacts of protein production relative to conventional agriculture. MP can be mass-produced in volumetrically scalable cultivation processes on short timescales, enabling facile up-scaling with lower greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water impacts than animal and, in some cases, plant protein production. MP can also be produced from waste feedstocks, diverting waste from landfills or the natural environment. Here, we present the availability and suitability of waste feedstocks for MP production, as well as the fermentation and downstream processes required to convert MP into human food products. We discuss the challenges and opportunities facing waste-derived bacterial MP and highlight key areas for innovation in both the microbiology and process design space for a more sustainable and circular food system.

BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY,↗

DOE OSTI2022

Predictive models enhance feedstock quality of corn stover via air classification

Feedstock heterogeneity is a fundamental obstacle to cost-competitive biobased products. Agricultural products like corn stover have anatomical components that vary in their chemical composition, mechanical properties, structure, and response to chemical and biological treatments. A technique that can enrich streams in select anatomical fractions would allow a tailored deconstruction approach to increase overall process efficiency. Air classification can be leveraged for such refining, however, fundamental characterization and understanding of the particle properties that underly the physics of air classification are only modestly documented. Here, we determine fundamental particle properties including mass-to-area ratio, drag coefficient, and partition velocity that describe how anatomical tissues of corn stover behave during air classification. In this work, mass-to-area ratios of anatomical tissues vary by nearly two orders of magnitude from 2.3 mg/mm 2 for cob to 0.04 mg/mm 2 for leaf. Drag coefficients of longer, fibrous materials (i.e., rind, husk, and sheath) are shown to correlate with particle area (p-value < 0.001) whereas granular tissues (i.e., cob, pith, and leaf) correlate better with mass-to-area ratio (p-values < 0.001). When compared to experimental observations, a simulated two-stage air classification and size reduction scenario predicts the overall partitioning of anatomical tissues within 15% for pith, husk, rind, and cob tissues. The model predicts an air-classified fraction preferentially enriched in cob (purity = 20%), rind (purity = 74%), and pith (purity = 4.5%) with a mass yield of 47%. Empirical relations for these properties can be used to predict the partitioning of corn stover during air classification based on anatomical type and size.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Techno-Economic Analysis of decentralized preprocessing systems for fast pyrolysis biorefineries with blended feedstocks in the southeastern United States

This study evaluated the economic feasibility of fast pyrolysis biorefineries fed with blended pine residues and switchgrass in the Southeastern U.S. with different supply chain design. Previous techno-economic analyses (TEA) have focused on either blended biomass or decentralized preprocessing without investigating the impacts of varied process parameters, technology options, and real-world biomass distribution. This study fills the literature gap by modeling scenarios for different biomass blending ratios, biorefinery and preprocessing site (so-called depot) capacities, and alternative preprocessing technologies. High-resolution, real-world geospatial data were analyzed using Geographic Information Systems to facilitate supply chain design and TEA. For a decentralized system, the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of biofuel was 3.92–4.33 per gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE), while the MFSP for the centralized biorefinery at the same capacities ranged between 3.75–4.02/GGE. Implementing a high moisture pelleting process depot rather than a conventional pelleting process lowered the MFSP by 0.03–0.17/GGE. Scenario analysis indicated decreased MFSP with increasing biorefinery capacities but not necessarily with increasing depot size. Medium-size depots (500 OMDT/day) achieved the lowest MFSP. Here, this analysis identified the optimal blending ratios for two preprocessing technologies at varied depot sizes. Counterintuitively, increasing the proportion of higher cost switchgrass reduced the MFSP for large biorefineries (>5000 ODMT/day), but increased the MFSP for small biorefineries (1000–2500 ODMT/day). Although the decentralized systems have a higher MFSP based on current analysis, it has other potential benefits such as mitigated supply chain risks and improved feedstock quality that are difficult to be quantified in this TEA.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗