Results for “#technology” — Page 22

DOE OSTI2024

Technology progress and clean vehicle policies on fleet turnover and equity: insights from household vehicle fleet micro-simulations with $\text{ATLAS}$

This paper documents the design and application of ATLAS (Automobile and Technology Lifecycle-Based ASsignment), a comprehensive household vehicle transaction and technology adoption micro-simulator in the San Francisco Bay Area. ATLAS evolves the fleet mix of individual households by simulating the vehicle transaction and choice decisions in response to co-evolving demographics, land use, and vehicle technology simulations. While most existing literature has focused on the aggregate clean vehicle uptake, this paper differentiates distributional effects and decomposes the underlying mechanisms across heterogeneous sub-populations of households. Using scenarios and sensitivity simulations that vary vehicle technology and policy assumptions, we find that Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) penetrate into higher income groups at a faster rate than into lower income groups, which is intuitive and aligns with expectations. Interestingly, the relative income disparity in ZEV ownership shrinks over time across all scenarios, with a ZEV mandate coupled with declining battery cost leading to the greatest reduction in disparity of ZEV ownership by 2050. Federal, state, and local financial incentives influence the redistribution of ZEV uptake across income groups and contribute to narrowing income disparity. Vehicle transaction frequency and new versus used market dynamics are found to be important factors contributing to the income disparity.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2021

Phage display and other peptide display technologies

ABSTRACT Phage display technology, which is based on the presentation of peptide sequences on the surface of bacteriophage virions, was developed over 30 years ago. Improvements in phage display systems have allowed us to employ this method in numerous fields of biotechnology, as diverse as immunological and biomedical applications, the formation of novel materials and many others. The importance of phage display platforms was recognized by awarding the Nobel Prize in 2018 ‘for the phage display of peptides and antibodies’. In contrast to many review articles concerning specific applications of phage display systems published in recent years, we present an overview of this technology, including a comparison of various display systems, their advantages and disadvantages, and examples of applications in various fields of science, medicine and the broad sense of biotechnology. Other peptide display technologies, which employ bacterial, yeast and mammalian cells, as well as eukaryotic viruses and cell-free systems, are also discussed. These powerful methods are still being developed and improved; thus, novel sophisticated tools based on phage display and other peptide display systems are constantly emerging, and new opportunities to solve various scientific, medical and technological problems can be expected to become available in the near future.

Jaroszewicz, Weronika (ORCID:0000000302948682)↗

DOE OSTI2022

Mass spectrometry-based technologies for probing the 3D world of plant proteins

Abstract Over the past two decades, mass spectrometric (MS)-based proteomics technologies have facilitated the study of signaling pathways throughout biology. Nowhere is this needed more than in plants, where an evolutionary history of genome duplications has resulted in large gene families involved in posttranslational modifications and regulatory pathways. For example, at least 5% of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome (ca. 1,200 genes) encodes protein kinases and protein phosphatases that regulate nearly all aspects of plant growth and development. MS-based technologies that quantify covalent changes in the side-chain of amino acids are critically important, but they only address one piece of the puzzle. A more crucially important mechanistic question is how noncovalent interactions—which are more difficult to study—dynamically regulate the proteome’s 3D structure. The advent of improvements in protein 3D technologies such as cryo-electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray crystallography has allowed considerable progress to be made at this level, but these methods are typically limited to analyzing proteins, which can be expressed and purified in milligram quantities. Newly emerging MS-based technologies have recently been developed for studying the 3D structure of proteins. Importantly, these methods do not require protein samples to be purified and require smaller amounts of sample, opening the wider proteome for structural analysis in complex mixtures, crude lysates, and even in intact cells. These MS-based methods include covalent labeling, crosslinking, thermal proteome profiling, and limited proteolysis, all of which can be leveraged by established MS workflows, as well as newly emerging methods capable of analyzing intact macromolecules and the complexes they form. In this review, we discuss these recent innovations in MS-based “structural” proteomics to provide readers with an understanding of the opportunities they offer and the remaining challenges for understanding the molecular underpinnings of plant structure and function.

Plant Sciences↗

DOE OSTI2021

Development of Quantum Interconnects (QuICs) for Next-Generation Information Technologies

Just as “classical” information technology rests on a foundation built of interconnected information-processing systems, quantum information technology (QIT) must do the same. A critical component of such systems is the “interconnect,” a device or process that allows transfer of information between disparate physical media, for example, semiconductor electronics, individual atoms, light pulses in optical fiber, or microwave fields. While interconnects have been well engineered for decades in the realm of classical information technology, quantum interconnects (QuICs) present special challenges, as they must allow the transfer of fragile quantum states between different physical parts or degrees of freedom of the system. The diversity of QIT platforms (superconducting, atomic, solid-state color center, optical, etc.) that will form a “quantum internet” poses additional challenges. As quantum systems scale to larger size, the quantum interconnect bottleneck is imminent, and is emerging as a grand challenge for QIT. For these reasons, it is the position of the community represented by participants of the NSF workshop on “Quantum Interconnects” that accelerating QuIC research is crucial for sustained development of a national quantum science and technology program. Given the diversity of QIT platforms, materials used, applications, and infrastructure required, a convergent research program including partnership between academia, industry, and national laboratories is required.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2021

Educating HPC Users in the use of advanced computing technology

We examine a multi-modal approach to educating and training users of an advanced computing technology testbed at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University. Ookami provides researchers worldwide with access to 176 Fujitsu A64FX compute nodes, this being the same processor technology powering the Japanese Fugaku supercomputer, the fastest computer in the world since June 2020. However, achieving high-performance on this Arm-based, leadership computing technology requires that users be familiar with details of computer architecture, performance analysis and modeling, and high-performance programming models that are commonly omitted in introductory programming courses. Indeed, regardless of their seniority, many of the testbed users are surprisingly unfamiliar with basic concepts such as vectorization, pipelining, latency/bandwidth, roofline models, computing energy/power, threads, and non-uniform memory access. These same concepts also pervade mainstream x86 technologies, so this is of widespread concern. Due to the national/global nature of our user community that is also very diverse in both discipline and experience, the inability to offer formal classes, and our experience that most people do not tend to read online documentation or training materials in sufficient depth, we have consciously employed multiple approaches that heavily emphasize (online) personal interactions and transfer of skills. Online documentation has been organized around best-practices and FAQs; twice-weekly hackathons and office hours via Zoom enable deep dives by both the team and the user community with multiple broad benefits; a Slack channel provides both real time and archived answers and discussions; and workshops, training and webinars target community needs as they arise. Furthermore, the perspective that these tools are being used in an educational setting rather than just for project communication makes them more effective and contributes to community success.

A64FX↗

DOE OSTI2025

Impact of 12-nm FinFET Technology Variations on TID Effects: A Comparative Study of GF 12LP and 12LP+ at the Transistor Level

Here, this article presents a comparative analysis of total ionizing dose (TID) response in GlobalFoundries’ (GF) 12 low-power (LP) and 12LP+12-nm bulk fin field effect transistor (FinFET) technologies using 10-keV X-rays. Our findings show that 12LP+ n-type transistors demonstrate higher sensitivity to TID degradation of the off-state leakage drain current compared to 12LP. Data indicate that for both 12LP and 12LP+, transistors with higher threshold voltages (VTs) exhibit lower off-state drain-source leakage postirradiation compared to transistors with lower VTs. Data consistently show that transistors with fewer fins per transistor show superior TID tolerance, in both 12LP and 12LP+ technologies. Lower VT transistors in both technologies display similar preirradiation leakage currents. On the other hand, higher VT transistors in 12LP+ show lower preirradiation leakage currents than those in 12LP, highlighting that the front-end-of-line of 12LP+ technology has been modified compared to 12LP. p-type devices in 12LP+ presented negligible degradation. Larger TID sensitivity in 12LP+ might be attributed to the implementation of dual-metal gate work functions, reduced halo doping, deeper source/drain (S/D) doping profiles, and/or 12LP+ having narrower fins compared to 12LP.

Dual-metal gate work functions↗

DOE OSTI2020

Industry 4.0 and Intelligent Manufacturing Processes: A Review of Modern Sensing Technologies

Digital Manufacturing technologies have quickly become ubiquitous in the manufacturing industry. The transformation commonly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, has ushered in a wide range of communication technologies, connection mechanisms, and data analysis capabilities. These technologies provide powerful tools to create a more lean, profitable, and data-driven manufacturing processes. In this paper, we review modern communication technologies and connection architectures for Digital Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 applications. An introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems and a review of digital manufacturing trends is followed by an overview of data acquisition methods for manufacturing processes. Numerous communication protocols are presented and discussed for connecting disparate machines and processes. Flexible data architectures are discussed and examples of machine monitoring implementations are provided. Finally, select implementations of these communication protocols and architectures are surveyed with recommendations for future architecture implementations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Targeted Particle Fractionation Technologies: Proof of Concept

Most methods of particle-size analysis involve particle fractionation which, is often done by filtration or the use of screens. This paper provides proof of concept testing for new in-pipe particle fractionation technologies that can be used at laboratory to industrial scales. These technologies are extensions of recent advancements in bump arrays as well as testing of new inline angled-to-the-flow slats, and advanced boycott-based Avalanche separation technologies. Experiments were conducted for three targeted particle fractionation technologies to evaluate the in-pipe removal of oversized sands in Newtonian slurries prior to the introduction of bump arrays. The mesofluidic system uses an array of staggered posts as configured in a bump array for Newtonian slurry conditions. The methods and results of these experiments are described in this paper. This information could be applied in most industrial and laboratory systems to rapidly remove oversized particles from a flowing slurry.

slurry, solids removal, particle fractionation, bu↗

DOE OSTI2020

Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model ® (2020 .Net)

To fully evaluate energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels, the fuel cycle from wells to wheels and the vehicle cycle through material recovery and vehicle disposal need to be considered. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Argonne has developed a full life-cycle model called GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies). It allows researchers and analysts to evaluate various vehicle and fuel combinations on a full fuel-cycle/vehicle-cycle basis. The first version of GREET was released in 1996. Since then, Argonne has continued to update and expand the model. GREET.Net provides the user with an easy to use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in a matter of a few clicks. It provides a comprehensive, life-cycle-based approach to compare the energy use and emissions of conventional and advanced vehicle technologies. The tool includes the data of both fuel-cycle (fuel production and vehicle operation) and vehicle-cycle (vehicle material recovery and production, vehicle component fabrication, vehicle assembly, and vehicle disposal/recycling). This public domain model is available free of charge for anyone to use.

Wang, Michael↗

DOE OSTI2021

Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model ® (2021 .Net)

To fully evaluate energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels, the fuel cycle from wells to wheels and the vehicle cycle through material recovery and vehicle disposal need to be considered. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Argonne has developed a full life-cycle model called GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies). It allows researchers and analysts to evaluate various vehicle and fuel combinations on a full fuel-cycle/vehicle-cycle basis. The first version of GREET was released in 1996. Since then, Argonne has continued to update and expand the model. GREET.Net provides the user with an easy to use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in a matter of a few clicks. It provides a comprehensive, life-cycle-based approach to compare the energy use and emissions of conventional and advanced vehicle technologies. The tool includes the data of both fuel-cycle (fuel production and vehicle operation) and vehicle-cycle (vehicle material recovery and production, vehicle component fabrication, vehicle assembly, and vehicle disposal/recycling). This public domain model is available free of charge for anyone to use.

Wang, Michael↗

DOE OSTI2022

Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model ® (2022 .Net)

To fully evaluate energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels, the fuel cycle from wells to wheels and the vehicle cycle through material recovery and vehicle disposal need to be considered. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Argonne has developed a full life-cycle model called GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies). It allows researchers and analysts to evaluate various vehicle and fuel combinations on a full fuel-cycle/vehicle-cycle basis. The first version of GREET was released in 1996. Since then, Argonne has continued to update and expand the model. GREET.Net provides the user with an easy to use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in a matter of a few clicks. It provides a comprehensive, life-cycle-based approach to compare the energy use and emissions of conventional and advanced vehicle technologies. The tool includes the data of both fuel-cycle (fuel production and vehicle operation) and vehicle-cycle (vehicle material recovery and production, vehicle component fabrication, vehicle assembly, and vehicle disposal/recycling). This public domain model is available free of charge for anyone to use.

Wang, Michael↗

DOE OSTI2023

Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model ® (2023 .Net)

To fully evaluate energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels, the fuel cycle from wells to wheels and the vehicle cycle through material recovery and vehicle disposal need to be considered. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Argonne has developed a full life-cycle model called GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies). It allows researchers and analysts to evaluate various vehicle and fuel combinations on a full fuel-cycle/vehicle-cycle basis. The first version of GREET was released in 1996. Since then, Argonne has continued to update and expand the model. GREET.Net provides the user with an easy to use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in a matter of a few clicks. It provides a comprehensive, life-cycle-based approach to compare the energy use and emissions of conventional and advanced vehicle technologies. The tool includes the data of both fuel-cycle (fuel production and vehicle operation) and vehicle-cycle (vehicle material recovery and production, vehicle component fabrication, vehicle assembly, and vehicle disposal/recycling). This public domain model is available free of charge for anyone to use.

Wang, Michael↗

DOE OSTI2026

Downloadable Dynamometer Database (D3): Public Test Data on Advanced-Technology Vehicles

Access to high-quality, independent vehicle test data is critical to advancing energy-efficient transportation research. The Downloadable Dynamometer Database (D3) is a public repository of dynamometer test data on advanced-technology vehicles, generated at the Advanced Mobility Technology Laboratory (AMTL) at Argonne National Laboratory and hosted by the Transportation and Power Systems Division. The database has been made available to support researchers, students, and professionals engaged in energy-efficient vehicle research, development, and education. A wide range of vehicle categories has been tested (i.e., alternative fuel vehicles, conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, all-electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), as well as various drive cycles and test conditions documented in the accompanying D3 user presentation. Stakeholders can select a vehicle type, identify a vehicle of interest, and download the associated test data for use in their own analyses. Data downloaded from D3 must be accompanied by the required attribution: "This data is from the Downloadable Dynamometer Database and was generated at the Advanced Mobility Technology Laboratory (AMTL) at Argonne National Laboratory." These data are critical to vehicle modeling, validation, technology assessment, and educational use.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

Carbon Capture from ArcelorMittal Hot Briquetted Iron Plant Using Air Liquide Cryocap™ FG Technology – FEED Study

The process of steel production is energy and carbon intensive with global average energy consumption of 5.5 MWh/tonne of steel and CO2 emission intensity of 1.83 tonne CO2/tonne of steel. The steel making process has inherent CO2 emissions from mineral conversion and is considered major contributors to the global carbon emissions. The steel industry is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions. The main objective of this research project is to execute and complete a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for a commercial-scale, carbon capture project that separates 95% of the total CO2 emissions at the ArcelorMittal’s Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) plant in Portland, TX (Figure 1). The HBI is an ore-based metallic that is used as high-grade feedstock for high-quality steel via an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) route. The HBI plant produces 2.0 million metric tonnes of high-quality HBI and emits approximately 1 million tonnes CO2/yr. The capture system is a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system assisted Cryocap™ FG technology (Figure 2). The captured CO2 will be pipeline grade and will be geologically stored in a facility within 10 miles of the CO2 source. The Host Site location in Corpus Christi, TX, is near hydrocarbon processing facilities and near Environmental Justice (EJ) and Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) communities. Due to the location of the Host Site, the retrofit project offers the ability to demonstrate how a workforce focused on the fossil energy sector can be redirected to the clean- energy sector. The Air Liquide Cryocap™ capture technology is a proven technology and has been extensively examined for large industrial applications. It has been shown to be applicable to a variety of industrial applications including the steel industry. Cryocap™ FG (specific setup for Flue Gas application) consists of a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) unit coupled with a Cryogenic System. The PSA pre-concentrates the CO2 from the flue gas, while the cryogenic unit enables the CO2 purity to be increased to the desired level. The scope of this study incorporates completing FEED study of the CO2 capture system which includes point-source CO2 capture and balance-of-plant; Business Case Analysis (BCA) outlining the current and projected volumes of the steel plant’s point sources of CO2 and the potential utilization of tax credits, including its projected revenue and duration; Life Cycle Analysis (LCA); Environmental Justice Analysis; Economic Revitalization and Job Creation Outcomes Analysis; and Workforce Readiness Plan. The plant design work was divided into two components: Inside Battery Limits (ISBL) and Outside Battery Limits (OSBL). The ISBL focuses on the capture system, while the OSBL focuses on the utility feeds and ducting from the plant to the capture system. Various design and engineering deliverables will be developed to define commodity quantities, equipment specifications, and labour effort required to execute the project. These FEED study deliverables will be prepared with the intent to develop an overall project capital cost estimate consistent with an AACE Class 3 estimate. The modular approach for the Cryocap™ FG that is being designed for this study integrates compression, PSA, and cryogenic “bricks” to achieve the desired CO2 capture rates. This carbon capture system integrates easily with the existing plant, thus reducing project costs and risks. It is also capable of managing impurities such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), mercury, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. The capture system has a smaller footprint than amine-based systems. The two-step process uses PSA to preconcentrate the CO2 in the feedstream and then uses the cryogenic portion to purify and compress the resulting high purity CO2 product. This combination of purification and compression (i.e., process intensification) significantly reduces the CAPEX associated with use of a separate compressor commonly utilized for amine solvent-based systems. Successful completion of the FEED study will provide DOE with a detailed understanding of the costs for scaling up this proven capture technology for commercial applications at industrial facilities.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Lighting Technology Energy Solutions (LiTES) (Final Technical Report)

The Lighting Technologies Energy Solutions (LiTES) Program Final Technical Report is a collaborative effort between NextEnergy, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy (DTE) and the Detroit Joint Apprentice Training Center (DJATC) to evaluate customer and contractor experiences deploying advanced/networked lighting controls systems (ALC/NLC). The LiTES Program, funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), sought to reduce energy use in small and medium commercial buildings (SMCB) by accelerating the adoption of ALC/NLC through contractor training and technology deployment. Leveraging recommendations already outlined by the Design Lights Consortium Commercial Advanced Lighting Controls (DLC CALC) project, NextEnergy led an effort to train contractors, evaluate the experience of ALC/NLC demonstration projects, identify opportunities to reduce market barriers, and accelerate the increased adoption of ALC/NLC technologies within SMCB. The LiTES Program defined SMCB as commercial buildings under 100,000 square feet. The LiTES Program efforts also included evaluating current ALC/NLC utility incentives, piloting ALC/NLC incentives specific to SMCB, and identifying opportunities to better align utility incentives with current ALC/NLC technology to support accelerating the adoption of ALC/NLC in SMCB. This report shares the survey results and M&V data findings, including energy savings, market barriers, experience of installations, impact of incentives/financing programs and provides recommendations for the increased deployment of ALC/NLC systems in small and medium commercial buildings. Utility survey results, incentive alternatives and recommendations, including a cost benefit analysis outlining energy and economic impacts of the provided ALC/NLC incentives on SMCB projects are also provided.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2020

Spotlight: Quantum Information Science and Technology

U.S. stakeholders from academia, industry, and government recognize the need for the United States to cement itself as a technology leader in the coming quantum economy. Our national investments in quantum technology must keep pace with those of other countries to secure a significant share of future markets and the associated economic opportunities. This spotlight document showcases DOE's efforts in the arena of Quantum Information Science & Technology, highlighting significant public-private engagements, DOE programs, and funding opportunities designed to keep America at the fore of this rapidly developing suite of technologies.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

SFAI and Related Technologies

Researchers at Los Alamos have developed Swept-Frequency Acoustic Interferometry (SFAI) a technology that enables businesses to have greater control over their industrial processes, allowing for significantly improved efficiency by giving operators vital composition and flow rate information in real-time. This technology fills the information gap by providing this data non-invasively and at a fraction of the cost of traditional composition meters. SFAI uses engineered ultrasound and advanced signal processing to characterize multiphase flow (e.g., liquids, gasses, multi-phase mixtures) and other flows inside sealed containers and flow pipes. By being both low-cost and non-invasive, this technology is set to disrupt the current oil field monitoring state-of-the-art by providing individual well-level composition data, compared to the multi-well macroscopic information that is currently available. We are seeking a commercialization partner to license the technology or fund us through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to a further develop a usable product for commercial purposes.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Subtask 2.6 – Optimization of Aerosol Mitigation Technology for Postcombustion CO 2 Capture

Growing concerns over the impact of CO 2 emissions from combustion sources on global climate change have prompted numerous research and development projects aimed at developing cost-effective technologies for CO 2 capture. One family of technologies being demonstrated at pilot and full scale globally is postcombustion CO 2 capture (PCCC) systems that employ amine-based solvents. The captured CO 2 can be compressed and permanently stored underground or used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The proximity of North Dakota’s lignite-fired fleet of power plants to potential CO 2 storage options creates a unique atmosphere for PCCC within the state. However, the aerosols present in lignite flue gas present a challenge for large-scale PCCC at North Dakota power plants. Aerosols can negatively impact the long-term performance of amine-based solvents for CO 2 capture. Amine-based solvents are volatile, and aerosols provide nucleation sites where amine vapors can condense. Because aerosols cannot be easily captured at the column outlet using conventional technologies, the amine-laden aerosols escape the system and lead to accelerated solvent losses. Moreover, aerosol components can chemically react with amines to form degradation products that can permanently deactivate the amine, cause fouling, and lead to hazardous emissions. Many of the elements that have been shown to catalyze solvent degradation are present in lignite coals and can exacerbate solvent replacement economics. Understanding this issue is critical to the implementation of solvent-based CO 2 capture systems as applied to lignite-fired generation systems. The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) designed and carried out this project to optimize aerosol mitigation technology for PCCC at a lignite-fired power plant. To meet the goal of this project, the following objectives were identified: Determine the effectiveness of a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) on collection of aerosols at a low-rank coal-fired power station. Determine the impact of aerosols on the efficiency and degradation products of amine-based carbon capture systems fired with low-rank fuels. Work was conducted at Minnkota Power Cooperative’s (MPC’s) Milton R. Young (MRY) Station Unit 2 using a slipstream of flue gas from the outlet of the plant’s flue gas desulfurization (FGD) unit. To gather initial data for sizing and specifying a WESP for this system, a temporary pilot-scale WESP was rented and installed on-site. Several different conditions were tested to examine the impact of flow rate, voltage, and current on WESP performance. The WESP was effective at removing large particulate (>200 nm) but caused an increase in fine particulate (<75 nm). Fine particulate material at the inlet and outlet of the WESP was collected, analyzed, and showed that crystalline sulfates carried over from the plant’s FGD unit were being converted to fine aerosols and SO 2 was being converted to SO 3 through the WESP. Additionally, the high moisture content of the flue gas stream at this sample location also contributed to an overall increase in aerosol mass under some of the test conditions. Using the results from the rented WESP, the project team installed a smaller-scale WESP upstream of the EERC’s slipstream CO 2 capture system. Flue gas was routed through a pilot-scale FGD unit to remove SO 2 to very low levels (~1 ppm) and then through a direct contact cooler (DCC) to further cool the gas and to remove moisture. The gas exiting the DCC was then routed through the new WESP before passing to the CO 2 absorber columns. Fluor’s amine-based solvent was used to scrub CO 2 from the slipstream through a set of two absorber columns. The rich solvent was regenerated in a stripper column by heating to drive off captured CO 2 . The system operated using a catch-and-release method where the CO 2 was separated to provide data on the process, but the captured CO 2 was released back into the host site stack. Aerosols and sulfur species were measured at multiple locations throughout the pilot-scale system. The inlet FGD and DCC removed much of the particulate matter and gaseous sulfur upstream of the WESP. With this configuration, the WESP achieved >95% particulate capture. The new WESP did not show any of the increases in SO 3 or other aerosol species that had been consistently observed with the larger-scale WESP installed immediately downstream of the plant’s full-scale FGD unit. Particulate samples captured and analyzed from the WESP inlet did not show any presence of crystalline sulfate materials, indicating that the pilot-scale FGD and DCC were efficient at reducing carryover from the plant’s full-scale FGD unit. A set of parametric tests were conducted on the new WESP to assess the impacts of flow rate, voltage, number of online WESP fields, and gas-phase sulfur content on aerosol and sulfur transformations. The results showed that the WESP performed similarly well at all sets of conditions. Sulfur and particulate matter exiting the WESP were further reduced through the absorber column as the amine-based solvent captured some of the residual contaminants. Solvent analysis showed that these species were slowly concentrating in the solvent over the duration of the test. When the WESP was taken offline and the sulfur slip through the FGD allowed to rise, the sulfate content in the solvent rose sharply, showing that the extra FGD and WESP were effective at reducing sulfate and cation uptake. This would be expected to extend amine-based solvent life by slowing the formation of heat-stable salts and other degradation products. This subtask was cofunded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FE0024233. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission and MPC.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗