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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 sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Electrolytic hydrogen fuel production with solid polymer electrolyte technology.

A water electrolysis technology based on a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) concept is presented for applicability to large-scale hydrogen production in a future energy system. High cell current density operation is selected for the application, and supporting cell test performance data are presented. Demonstrated cell life data are included to support the adaptability of the SPE system to large-size hydrogen generation utility plants as needed for bulk energy storage or transmission. The inherent system advantages of the acid SPE electrolysis technology are explained. System performance predictions are made through the year 2000, along with plant capital and operating cost projections.

Titterington, W. A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Storage of Marine Hydrokinetic Power through Hydrogen Production

Marine hydrokinetic (MHK) power is likely to play a crucial role in future energy diversification and remote energy supply efforts. Providing a means of direct energy storage for MHK power would provide additional benefits to applications in ship microgrids and remote communities. Hydrogen (H 2 ) has long been pursued as a means of green energy storage and can be generated through electrolysis of water in an electrolyzer. However, electrolyzer technology for H 2 production is currently only possible on the commercial scale using fresh water, also a precious resource in our society. The direct electrolysis of seawater would alleviate the fresh water constraints for a new H 2 feedstock and a seawater-fed electrolyzer could be powered locally at a MHK platform. Several technical challenges exist before efficient direct seawater electrolysis can be realized. This project was designed as a demonstration of efficient direct seawater electrolysis that limits chlorine evolution, avoids use of platinum (Pt) group metals and overcomes cathode fouling over long service times.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cyber-Physical Simulation of an Innovative Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell - Gas Turbine (SOEC-GT) Hybrid Energy System

To produce green hydrogen at scale and at low cost, the solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) systems would be tied to renewable power sources (mainly solar and wind), leveraging zero-carbon electricity at low prices and even nearly free during overgeneration scenarios. However, due to the intermittency of renewable power generation, the SOEC system is subjected to rapid load transitions that occur not only in diurnal cycles but also in short timeframes (e.g., sub-minute). This can result in fast degradation and thus greatly reduce the SOEC’s lifetime. Our team at the National Energy Technology Laboratory has demonstrated that the anode air flow can have a crucial role in SOEC thermal management. Typically, a higher air flow rate can help to mitigate the local temperature gradient distortion during rapid load transitions. To move a large amount of air, the gas turbine (GT; i.e., compressor-turbine-generator set) has been regarded as the most mature and efficient technology. In this presentation, we show the configuration and preliminary results of an innovative SOEC-GT hybrid energy system in a cyber-physical simulation (CPS) approach.

Zhang, Biao↗
DOE OSTI2025

Platinum and Gold Supported on Transition Metal Nitrides for Hydrogen Evolution in an Alkaline Electrolyte

Here, as the urgency to reduce reliance on fossil fuels increases due to carbon dioxide emissions, hydrogen produced by renewably powered water electrolysis has emerged as a promising technology. Alkaline electrolyzers typically exhibit lower current densities than acidic electrolyzers due to the slow kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under alkaline conditions. This work developed Pt- and Au-modified transition metal nitride (TMN) thin films for improving alkaline HER kinetics. One monolayer Pt–VN, Pt–Mo 2 N, and Pt–TiN were the most promising thin-film catalysts, with alkaline HER activity approaching that of a bulk Pt foil. Additionally, the Gibbs free energy of adsorbed hydrogen was identified as a useful descriptor for alkaline HER activity on TMN and TMN-supported catalysts and has the potential to guide future studies on TMN-based catalysts for enhancing alkaline HER. For practical applications, the thin-film catalysts were then extended to Pt- and Au-modified TMN powders for alkaline HER. Both 5 wt % Pt/TiN and 2 wt % Pt/TiN powders exhibited lower overpotentials at 5 mA/cm 2 when normalized by the Pt electrochemical surface area than the commercial 5 wt % Pt/C benchmark, suggesting a Pt–TiN synergy that creates opportunities for more cost-effective alkaline HER cathodes. Moreover, 20 wt % Au/Mo 2 N also displayed an enhancement in HER activity when compared to the commercial 20 wt % Au/C benchmark.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Demonstrating Advanced Nuclear Energy Solutions for Net Zero

Background/Objectives. The aggressive goals being set by nation states, communities, and private industry for decarbonization of grid electricity, industrial heat sources, and transportation around the world are imperative to mitigating the devastating effects that we are seeing from climate change. Although many of these goals focus on accomplishments by 2035 or 2050, the decisions that we make today won’t just impact the landscape of energy systems for the next 20 or 30 years—they will shape the world’s environment for centuries to come. That means that we can’t just focus on technologies that will get us to 2050, but technologies that will withstand our energy demands over that long-ranging future. Success will require us to utilize all of the clean energy resources that we have available to meet demands for electricity, heat, and steam, and we will need energy carriers such as hydrogen that do not emit additional greenhouse gases at the point of use. Nuclear energy, ranging from technologies in service today to advanced, higher temperature and modular systems that will be in service this decade, will provide a robust complement to renewable energy resources that operate variably. Researchers across the U.S. Department of Energy laboratory complex are working to advance multiple aspects of these clean energy solutions, with many focusing on integrated energy system solutions that leverage all available clean energy assets to meet wide-ranging energy demands. Approach/Activities. Nuclear energy is a proven, zero-emission option during operation that can provide consistent, dispatchable power to meet electricity demands while also providing high-quality heat that can meet energy demands beyond the electricity sector. Energy system design should seek to maximize these assets. As a dispatchable energy source with a small land utilization footprint, nuclear energy can be collocated with renewable resources, and the smaller systems that will be deployed this decade (ranging from a few megawatts to hundreds of megawatts) can be installed right where that energy is needed. Integrated nuclear and renewable systems will enhance power grid reliability and resilience, and they will help stabilize the grid through their increasingly flexible operation. Licensing, installation, and broad adoption of these advanced nuclear energy systems are expected to progress significantly in the 2020s, but this may be longer than desired by some stakeholders wishing to implement impactful clean energy decisions today. However, one must recall that nuclear energy systems will operate for 80 or more years, as is being demonstrated by current fleet nuclear systems. The nuclear community is extremely thorough in reviewing these systems with regard to safety and security; these efforts ensure that the deployed systems will continue to provide reliable, resilient energy over that operational lifetime. That investment of time up front will ensure that we can support energy demands over the centuries to come. While advanced nuclear technologies move through this process, communities and private industry may choose to install renewable generation systems that can later be coupled to the complementary nuclear systems as they become available—thus moving closer to the net zero goals in the near term. Choosing technologies and deployment configurations that allow small modular nuclear powerhouses to be added to these “energy parks” as they become available will ensure that advanced technologies can be readily adopted to support growing demands for clean energy. Results/Lessons Learned. The primary focus of integrated energy systems (IES) research is to assess the technical and economic potential of novel multi-input, multioutput solutions that are expected to enhance energy system flexibility, reliability, and resilience as we pursue a clean energy transition. Various energy applications and product streams beyond electricity are being evaluated, ranging from generation of potable water to production of hydrogen, fertilizers, synthetic fuels, and various chemicals. In early FY23 Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will commission thermal energy generation systems that emulate nuclear fission energy input using electric heating and will allow for integrated system testing with thermal energy storage, hydrogen production via high temperature electrolysis (HTE), and power systems hardware to demonstrate operation of a clean energy park within a microgrid or larger grid infrastructure, supporting up to 450 kW of heat input via electric heating and demonstrating operation of HTE systems at the multi-hundred kW scale. This presentation will highlight the wide array of RD&D being conducted at INL and partner laboratories to develop and deploy nuclear and renewable-based IES that will be key to achieving our net zero goals, including both computational and experimental demonstrations. By working with key collaborators in industry, analytical st

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

NREL 25-cm2 High-Pressure Low-Temperature Electrolysis Cell Hardware (Open Source)

This data resource describes an open-source cell hardware that enables low temperature electrolysis (LTE) testing at elevated pressures. Existing commercial options have several downsides when it comes to R&D testing. They are often not designed for repeated reassembly, may not be able to accommodate porous transport layers with different thicknesses, and do not give state-of-the-art performance. Therefore, this hardware was developed specifically with LTE R&D in mind and its design is being made available to the global LTE community. This work was planned and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's H2NEW consortium (https://h2new.energy.gov/). The hardware design package (.zip file) details the drawings, auxiliary materials, and procedures required to fabricate, assemble, and operate the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) high-pressure low-temperature electrolysis cells. While the hardware itself—end plates, current collectors, flow fields, bolts and washers, tube fittings—is always the same, the assembly and operating procedures may change depending on the active materials being tested, especially for the membrane. Material-specific assembly and operating procedures will be posted to the H2NEW website as they are developed and validated. Disclaimer: The documents and drawings included in this download package describe a design for a low temperature electrolysis hardware that is intended to comply with leak testing according to ASME B31.1. Safe operation at ambient and elevated pressures is the sole responsibility of the end user, which should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each individual cell. Factors affecting the sealing capability may depend on, for example, machining quality, cell assembly components, operating conditions, and operating history. Operation at pressure should only be performed on qualified test stands by qualified operators. NREL/ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC/DOE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN. USE OF THIS PACKAGE IS AT THE USER’S OWN RISK.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Green Hydrogen: A Briefing for Land Managers

Decarbonization goals for the U.S. are emphasizing reliance on clean hydrogen produced from renewable resources. Hydrogen can be produced by splitting water, stored, transported, and converted to energy or chemicals. These activities require land, water, and energy. This fact sheet provides insight for federal and state land managers on the resources required to facilitate clean hydrogen production and related activities.

electrolysis↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hybrid Ionomer-Free Porous Transport Electrodes With Catalyst Coated Membranes for Enhanced Water Electrolysis

To promote industrial uptake of clean hydrogen production technologies such as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers, advancements in catalyst layer (CL) morphology are required. We demonstrate how improved electrochemical performance can be achieved when using an ionomer free porous transport electrode (PTE) coupled with a traditional catalyst coated membrane (CCM) assembly in PEM water electrolyzers. Notably, we reveal that the superior performance achieved when utilizing a hybrid PTE and CCM assembly is due to enhanced ohmic performance caused by optimal contact with both the porous transport layer (PTL) and PEM interfaces. Using operando neutron radiography, we demonstrate that configurations utilizing a CCM resulted in more rapid water replenishment to reaction sites, indicating enhanced membrane hydration beneficial for performance. This enhanced membrane hydration coupled with improved contact area at the PEM-catalyst layer (CL) and PTL-CL interfaces was revealed through the reduced ohmic overpotentials of the hybrid PTE-CCM design, which achieved the lowest ohmic overpotential of 431 mV at 2000 mA cm−2. While the average in-plane water distributions are generally similar between cell configurations, we reveal that utilizing a PTE configuration promotes a more homogenous water distribution near the CL-membrane interface due to enhanced catalyst utilization.

Seip, Tess [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000232740594)↗
NASA NTRS1985

Molten-Salt Electrolysis

Concept of electrolytic decomposition of gaseous hydrogen sulfide to yield gaseous sulfur at anode and hydrogen gas at cathode considered.

Cubicciotti, D.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of Technology Improvements on the Cost of Hydrogen Produced using SOEC Technology at Large Scale

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) provides system-level process, cost, and market analyses on solid oxide cell (SOC) based technologies. Specifically, techno-economic analyses (TEA), market assessments, and other technology evaluations serve to guide the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (R-SOFC) Program technology goals and objectives. These studies are key to describing how the technologies contribute to improving domestic energy infrastructure in a clean, efficient manner. This effort focuses on hydrogen generation technologies, which have received recent attention due to their potential role in economy-wide decarbonization. In particular, the study is part of a series of investigations at NETL that seek to understand the techno-economic impacts of including SOC technology in energy production, hydrogen production, and/or storage configurations. The objective of this study is to establish a detailed TEA to assess the effectiveness of incremental technology improvements needed for solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology to achieve the U.S. DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal of hydrogen production at less than $1 per kilogram. To take advantage of the benefits of economies of scale, the SOEC hydrogen facilities are sized to produce ≈250,000 metric tons of hydrogen annually with an electrolysis load of one gigawatt (direct current). Some additional critical assumptions include stacks that operate near the thermo-neutral voltage of 1.28 V to avoid adverse thermal gradients, all necessary steam and heat is generated by electric boilers and heaters to enable green hydrogen production, and an air sweep is used to control the oxygen concentration in the air electrode exhaust stream. System efficiency and levelized costs of hydrogen (LCOH) for each case are presented.

Hackett, Gregory↗
DOE OSTI2022

Status Report 2: Advanced Nuclear Reactors Utilized for Synthetic Fuel Creation

Synthetic fuels (synfuels) are hydrocarbon fuels that source energy from electricity. Synfuels have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the transportation sector. To achieve this substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the electricity must be sourced from zero- or near-zero-carbon fuel sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and nuclear power. Synfuels are produced from a combination of carbon and hydrogen sources. Hydrogen can be sourced from water electrolysis with near-zero-carbon electricity and heat (e.g., nuclear), while carbon dioxide can be sourced from ethanol and ammonia plants. In the hydrocarbon fuel synthesis process, hydrogen and carbon dioxide can be reacted to produce carbon monoxide and water, via the so-called reverse watergas shift reaction. Carbon monoxide can then react with additional hydrogen to form hydrocarbons, with carbon chains ranging from C1–C30 in the reaction known as the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis reaction. The synthesized hydrocarbon molecules can then be hydro-processed with additional hydrogen and distilled into different carbon chain lengths so as to be compatible with existing conventional gasoline, jet, and diesel fuels. Carbon-free synfuel production comes with a “green premium” over the manufacture of identical products via conventional fossil fuels. Reports from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) reveal that hydrogen costs dominate the cost of carbon-free synfuel production. This suggests that for the cost of green synfuel to approach that of conventional petroleum fuel, the cost of hydrogen must be approximately $\$1$/kg. Of the primary low-carbon energy sources, only nuclear carries the potential to produce hydrogen at below $\$2$/kg. (Still a bit above the lofty $\$1$/kg goal, but perhaps manageable). To further identify the potential for creating low-cost synfuels capable of competing with legacy technologies, the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy has funded a multi-program, multi-lab effort among ANL, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Integrated Energy Systems (IES) program, and the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program. This collaboration effort will determine the possibility of using current and next generation nuclear reactors to create low-cost carbon-free synfuels for sale in the U.S. energy and commodities market.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1975

Solid polymer electrolyte water electrolysis system development

Solid polymer electrolyte technology used in a water electrolysis system (WES) to generate oxygen and hydrogen for manned space station applications was investigated. A four-man rated, low pressure breadboard water electrolysis system with the necessary instrumentation and controls was fabricated and tested. A six man rated, high pressure, high temperature, advanced preprototype WES was developed. This configuration included the design and development of an advanced water electrolysis module, capable of operation at 400 psig and 200 F, and a dynamic phase separator/pump in place of a passive phase separator design. Evaluation of this system demonstrated the goal of safe, unattended automated operation at high pressure and high temperature with an accumulated gas generation time of over 1000 hours.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1976

The development of an electrochemical technique for in situ calibrating of combustible gas detectors

A program to determine the feasibility of performing in situ calibration of combustible gas detectors was successfully completed. Several possible techniques for performing the in situ calibration were proposed. The approach that showed the most promise involved the use of a miniature water vapor electrolysis cell for the generation of hydrogen within the flame arrestor of a combustible gas detector to be used for the purpose of calibrating the combustible gas detectors. A preliminary breadboard of the in situ calibration hardware was designed, fabricated and assembled. The breadboard equipment consisted of a commercially available combustible gas detector, modified to incorporate a water vapor electrolysis cell, and the instrumentation required for controlling the water vapor electrolysis and controlling and calibrating the combustible gas detector. The results showed that operation of the water vapor electrolysis at a given current density for a specific time period resulted in the attainment of a hydrogen concentration plateau within the flame arrestor of the combustible gas detector.

Shumar, J. W.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Renewable ammonia for sustainable energy and agriculture: vision and systems engineering opportunities

Synthetic ammonia is essential for agriculture, but its production at present is unsustainable. Ammonia synthesized with hydrogen from renewable-powered electrolysis and nitrogen separated from air has the potential to alleviate these sustainability concerns while also having promise as a low-cost storage medium for intermittent renewable energy. This paper reviews recent research and development on the topic of renewable ammonia production and utilization as fertilizer and as energy storage. We describe our vision for synergistically combining these renewable ammonia applications to improve sustainability. Furthermore, we outline opportunities for systems engineering to play a crucial role in advancing the adoption of renewable ammonia in a manner which is sustainable, economically competitive, and reliable.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Linking structure to performance: Characterization of porous transport layers for high-pressure water electrolysis

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis is a promising technology to produce cost-efficient hydrogen. PEM electrolyzers offer a large current density range and the ability to operate at differential pressure which can be used to minimize both capital and operational expenditures. However, directly producing pressurized hydrogen at the cathode results in pushing the membrane against the anode porous transport layer (PTL). This can lead to detrimental effects, such as membrane deformation or ruptures, which depend on membrane properties as well as PTL material properties such as pore size, structure, and morphology. In this work, a range of sinter and felt-based commercial PTLs are evaluated for their contributions to the cell's electrochemical and H 2 crossover performance at cathode pressures up to 30 bar. X-ray tomography and post-operando optical microscopy are used to assess the morphology of the PTLs, and the PTL induced deformation experienced by the catalyst coated membrane (CCM), respectively. PTL samples with lower porosity were found to reduce both the cell voltage and the amount of H 2 permeating from the cathode to the anode exhaust, which was ascribed to improved catalyst layer contact and reduced membrane deformation, respectively. The best performing PTLs improved electrolyzer efficiency by ~1.5 kWh/kg H2 . Specifically, 1 kWh/kg H2 was gained due to reducing membrane deformation and decreasing H 2 crossover. The remainder 0.5 kWh/kg H2 were achieved by improving the electrical contact at the electrode/PTL interface which decreased cell voltage.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultra-stable and poison tolerant oxygen evolution activity enabled by surface In 2 O 3- x (OH) y of Co 3 In 2 S 2 large single crystals

Water is an earth-abundant source for clean hydrogen production via electrochemical water electrolysis (WE). However, the surface poisoning that occurs in aqueous electrolytes drastically deactivates the electrocatalytic performance of electrodes. Here, in this study, we report electrochemically formed In 2 O 3-x (OH) y on the surface of a large (1–1.5 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm wide and 0.3–0.5 mm thick) single crystal of Weyl semimetal Co 3 In 2 S 2 (Co 3 In 2 S 2 /In 2 O 3-x (OH) y ) as an ultra-stable and poison tolerant electrode for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 M KOH, addressing a bottleneck in WE. The OER activity of the powder form of Co 3 In 2 S 2 is limited by its aerophilic nature. Remarkably, the single-crystal electrodes maintained their high activity for a continuous operational period of 5 h in 1 M KOH electrolyte with/without 10 mM strong surface-poisoning ligands i.e., potassium cyanide, bipyridine, and ethylenediaminetetraacetate disodium salt. The electrodes exhibited stable OER activity for 1000 h at 100 mA cm -2 (1.73 V vs. RHE). The temperature-dependent OER polarization curves (10–70 °C) unambiguously revealed surface poisoning through the suppression of precatalytic Co-redox peaks on the bipyridine poisoned electrode, which led to the stabilization of surface Co-sites. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of pristine, poisoned and post-electrocatalytic single-crystal Co 3 In 2 S 2 electrodes revealed the existence of an In 2 O 3-x (OH) y surface phase, which could be the potential heterostructure for the origin of ultra-stable and poison tolerant OER activity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

The impact of second coordination sphere functional group extension on product selectivity for manganese bipyridyl CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts

Utilizing the well established manganese bipyridyl class of homogeneous electrocatalyst, four new ligands are studied to probe the influence of distal, outer coordination sphere, H-bonding and steric effects on product selectivity for proton-coupled electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. The presence of a simple acetate functional group in the second coordination sphere provides a high selectivy for CO 2 -to-CO conversion irrespective of proton source (H 2 O vs. PhOH) or applied potential. The o-(methoxybenzoate)phenyl second/outer coordination sphere at the bipyridyl 6,6′-positions imparts poor product selectivity. In contrast, upon conjugation of the acetate functional group with the N-Boc-alanine moiety, a CO : HCO 2 − product selectivity of ∼1 : 1 is observed at the high overpotential catalytic wave (for both H 2 O and PhOH acids). Computed enthalpy and free energy of activation parameters suggest that selective CO 2 insertion at the manganese hydride transition state is favored, over protonation, consistent with negligible hydrogen production during controlled potential electrolysis studies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗