Results for “dynamic thermal performance” — Page 22

DOE OSTI2022

Rapid Load Transition for Integrated Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - Gas Turbine (SOFC-GT) Energy Systems: A Demonstration of the Potential for Grid Response

Rapid load transition is an essential requirement for integrated energy systems to maintain grid resilience as more renewable resources are added to the grid. Integrated solid oxide fuel cell - gas turbine (SOFC-GT) systems can provide high efficiency and low carbon emissions over a broad range of turndown. These hybrids also have the potential to enable rapid grid response. The challenge has been to demonstrate effective control strategies to manage load transitions. In the present study, a load transition of ~50% was achieved in 10 s using a novel but simple strategy. Power demand on the SOFC and the GT were ramped down concurrently. During this transition, the SOFC anode fuel was manipulated to maintain SOFC fuel utilization while the cathode inlet air flow and temperature were also manipulated to thermally protect the SOFC. This study was conducted using the Hybrid Performance (Hyper) facility at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in a co-simulation environment with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL)'s grid-simulation. The load ramping strategy was tested using a hardware-based cyber-physical simulation methodology. The results demonstrate a high-fidelity representation of SOFC-GT hybrid dynamics and validation of the control strategy. Thermal and electrochemical transients indicated that the SOFC was well protected during rapid load turndown without violating operability constraints. This demonstration revealed the non-linear nature of tightly coupled SOFC-GT system components, especially the non-linear response of SOFC cathode air flow and inlet temperature controls. These results highlight the needs and challenges in developing adaptive automatic controls for autonomous rapid load transitions. This work demonstrates that SOFC-GT hybrids are a viable option to provide the fast-ramping characteristics essential to accommodate high levels of variable renewable power while maintaining grid resilience, reliability, and environmental performance. The results also demonstrate the utility of co-simulation in advancing the tightly-coupled integrated energy systems needed to meet goals for zero-carbon power generation.

DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION,POWER TRANSMISSION AND DI↗

NASA NTRS1984

Growth and maintenance of large-scale magnetic fields in the dayside Venus ionosphere

Observations from the Pioneer Venus orbiter magnetometer reveal the presence of large-scale magnetic fields in the dayside ionosphere during or after periods of high solar wind dynamic pressure. Various hypotheses have been proposed concerning the spatial and temporal evolution of these field structures. The hypothesis that the field is produced by a diffusion/convection process rather than by currents driven by electric fields resulting from the solar wind interaction is examined. Dynamic pressure variations occur on various time scales at Venus, producing transient and quasi-steady magnetization features. A one-dimensional diffusion/convection calculation is performed, using typical ionopause field and pressure values for a variety of altitudes. The Venus ionopause is considered to be the altitude at which ionospheric thermal pressure is equal to the magnetosheath magnetic pressure, which in turn is well correlated with the normal component of solar wind dynamic pressure. A subsolar model of downward plasma velocity in the 140-290 km range is used. The calculated growth of the ionospheric magnetic field, and the resulting quasi-steady altitude profiles, compare favorably with the observed profiles. The majority of the observed magnetic structures are best explained as the quasi-steady effects of the prevailing solar wind dynamic pressure, which determines the altitude and magnetic field strength of the ionopause boundary.

Phillips, J. L.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Robust dynamic operation of high temperature electrolysis solid oxide cells

Here, this study evaluates the durability of Ni/YSZ-supported SOECs under dynamic operating conditions relevant to real-world applications. Systematic tests were conducted to assess cell performance under steam cycling (3 to 75% humidified H 2 ), mode cycling between SOFC and SOEC operation, thermal cycling (150 to 750 °C at OCV, and 600 to 800 °C at 1.3V), and redox cycling (between 50% humidified H 2 and 50% humidified N 2 ). Steam cycling, mode cycling, and thermal cycling at OCV do not significantly accelerate performance degradation. Thermal cycling at 1.3V caused minimal damage within 600 to 800 °C. Full redox cycling (multi-hour oxidation holds) induced cell structural failure, while partial redox cycling (0.5 h holds) was tolerated. Extensive characterization revealed some material evolution, namely Sr and Co secondary phase formation, within the oxygen electrode due to La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ instability, especially for steam cycling and mode cycling. Minimal changes were identified within the Ni-YSZ fuel electrodes. These findings provide critical insights into SOEC reliability under dynamic conditions, supporting their application in dynamic or intermittent energy systems.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Transient Modeling and Simulation of a Generic Stable Salt Reactor

A SAM system-level model of a generic stable salt reactor has been developed to investigate thermal-hydraulic behavior and safety performance under steady and transient conditions. The model integrates information generated from a reactor physics analysis using PROTEUS and PERSENT, and a computation fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis using STAR-CCM+. A loose, iterative coupling scheme between PROTEUS and SAM is implemented to calculate the equilibrium power and temperature distributions in the steady-state critical core condition. The converged steady-state model is then used in PERSENT to calculate the four reactivity feedback temperature coefficients (Doppler, fuel density, coolant density, and core radial expansion) and kinetic parameters that are needed in SAM to model the temperature feedback effects in transient simulations. Within the fully enclosed liquid fuel pins, natural convection is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. The STAR-CCM+ model of the fuel pin considers conjugate heat transfer from the liquid fuel salt to the pin cladding and external reactor coolant. The CFD results of the axial and radial temperature profiles are used to empirically determine an effective fuel salt thermal conductivity in the SAM fuel pin model so that the temperatures predicted by the SAM model match as closely as possible the CFD results. In the central region of the fuel pin, the effective thermal conductivity is as high as similar to 60 times the physical fuel salt thermal conductivity. The whole-plant SAM model is then used to simulate an unprotected station blackout transient. The results of this simulation showed that the large negative fuel axial expansion reactivity feedback reduces fission power to similar to 2.4% nominal power. The core is cooled by natural circulation, which removes heat in the core to the emergency heat removal system, and ultimately, to the ambient. However, peak fuel salt and cladding temperatures can potentially reach as high as 1500 K, albeit briefly, if the shutdown mechanism fails to operate.

stable salt reactor; transient simulations; system↗

DOE OSTI2023

Temporally continuous thermofluidic–thermomechanical modeling framework for metal additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is known to generate large magnitudes of residual stresses (RS) within builds due to steep and localized thermal gradients. In the current state of commercial AM technology, manufacturers generally perform heat treatments in effort to reduce the generated RS and its detrimental effects on part distortion and in-service failure. Computational models that effectively simulate the deposition process can provide valuable insights to improve RS distributions. Accordingly, it is common to employ Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models or finite element (FE) models. While CFD can predict geometric and thermal-fluid behavior, it cannot predict the structural response (e.g., stress–strain) behavior. On the other hand, an FE model can predict mechanical behavior, but it lacks the ability to predict geometric and fluid behavior. Thus, an effectively integrated thermofluidic–thermomechanical modeling framework that exploits the benefits of both techniques while avoiding their respective limitations can offer valuable predictive capability for AM processes. In contrast to previously published efforts, the work herein describes a one-way coupled CFD-FEA framework that abandons major simplifying assumptions, such as geometric steady-state conditions, the absence of material plasticity, and the lack of detailed RS evolution/accumulation during deposition, as well as insufficient validation of results. Here, the presented framework is demonstrated for a directed energy deposition (DED) process, and experiments are performed to validate the predicted geometry and RS profile. Both single- and double-layer stainless steel 316L builds are considered. Geometric data is acquired via 3D optical surface scans and X-ray micro-computed tomography, and residual stress is measured using neutron diffraction (ND). Comparisons between the simulations and measurements reveal that the described CFD-FEA framework is effective in capturing the coupled thermomechanical and thermofluidic behaviors of the DED process. The methodology presented is extensible to other metal AM processes, including power bed fusion and wire-feed-based AM.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1995

Experimental Results From the Thermal Energy Storage-1 (TES-1) Flight Experiment

The Thermal Energy Storage (TES) experiments are designed to provide data to help researchers understand the long-duration microgravity behavior of thermal energy storage fluoride salts that undergo repeated melting and freezing. Such data, which have never been obtained before, have direct application to space-based solar dynamic power systems. These power systems will store solar energy in a thermal energy salt, such as lithium fluoride (LiF) or a eutectic of lithium fluoride/calcium difluoride (LiF-CaF2) (which melts at a lower temperature). The energy will be stored as the latent heat of fusion when the salt is melted by absorbing solar thermal energy. The stored energy will then be extracted during the shade portion of the orbit, enabling the solar dynamic power system to provide constant electrical power over the entire orbit. Analytical computer codes have been developed to predict the performance of a spacebased solar dynamic power system. However, the analytical predictions must be verified experimentally before the analytical results can be used for future space power design applications. Four TES flight experiments will be used to obtain the needed experimental data. This article focuses on the flight results from the first experiment, TES-1, in comparison to the predicted results from the Thermal Energy Storage Simulation (TESSIM) analytical computer code.

Jacqmin, David↗

DOE OSTI2024

Multi-stage load partitioning in additively manufactured Al6061+TiC nanocomposite characterized by in-situ neutron diffraction

Metal matrix composites (MMCs), combining metal matrix and ceramic particles, exhibit high mechanical strength and stiffness compared to conventional metallic materials. During fusion-based additive manufacturing (AM), MMCs undergo a rapid heating and cooling thermal history, which affects the interfacial bonding, thermal misfit stress and mechanical load transfer behavior between the metal matrix and particles, thus impacting the bulk mechanical performance. Here, we investigate the deformation dynamics and phase-specific load transfer in fusion-based AMed Al6061 +TiC MMCs through in-situ neutron diffraction. By calculating the phase-specific lattice strains, a multi-stage load transfer and deformation behavior during uniaxial compression is revealed: (1) elastic deformation in Stage I for both phases; (2) sudden stress rebalance between two phases in Stage II, evidenced by a sudden decrease in Al lattice strain and increase in TiC; (3) active load carrying by both phases in Stage III, with both phases experiencing an increase in lattice strains. Further, the deformation mechanism of each stage is deducted by correlating the evolutions of the interphase stresses and peaks’ broadening and intensity of the Al matrix. The local plastic deformation of the Al matrix near the phase interface is triggered and leads to stress rebalancing in Stage II. The global plastic deformation subsequently propagates throughout the Al matrix in Stage III, and the composite is further hardened through both dislocation multiplication and load transfer. The findings offer valuable insights into deformation and load-sharing behavior in AMed MMCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Heat load measurements for the PIP-II pHB650 cryomodule

Phase-3 testing of the pHB650 cryomodule at the PIP-II Injector Test Facility was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of heat load mitigations performed after earlier phases of testing and to continue pinpointing any sources of unexpectedly high heat loads.. The programme measured HTTS, LTTS, and 2 K isothermal/non-isothermal loads under "standard", "linac", and "simulated dynamic" operating modes, recording data both inside the cryomodule and across the bayonet can circuits. Thermal-acoustic oscillations were eliminated by replacing the original G10 cooldown-valve stem with a stainless-steel stem fitted with wipers. A newly developed Python script automated acquisition of ACNET data, performed real-time heat-load calculations, and generated plots and tables that were posted to the electronic logbook within minutes, vastly reducing manual effort and accelerating feedback between SRF and cryogenics teams. Analysis showed that JT heat-exchanger effectiveness and temperature stratification in the two-phase and relief piping strongly influence the observed loads and helped isolate sources of excess heat. The campaign demonstrates that rigorous pre-test planning, real-time diagnostics, and automated reporting can improve both accuracy and efficiency, providing a template for future PIP-II cryomodule tests and for implementing targeted heat-load mitigations.

Porwisiak, D. [Fermilab; Wroclaw Tech. U.] (ORCID:↗

NASA NTRS1990

A model-based approach to the symbolic control of space subsystems

A multilayered approach to the symbolic control of complex electromechanical assemblies, such as spaceborne thermal, power, and life subsystems, is discussed. An example of this approach is given in some recent tests of the Thermal Expert System (TEXSYS) in control of the Boeing Aerospace Thermal Bus System (BATBS), a prototype two-phase Space Station Freedom thermal bus. The BATBS hardware requires read-update-act cycles of under a minute, and it is subject to dynamic reconfiguration while operating. These performance requirements are addressed by layering model-based expert system software on a conventional numerical data acquisition and control system. TEXSYS test results demonstrate both nominal control and fault recovery actions with the BATBS. Dynamic modification of the symbolic model used in this approach is compared to that of a classical numerical adaptive controller.

Glass, B. J.↗

DOE OSTI2025

CFD modeling and simulation for corrosive wear of refractory in molten slag

The development of high-wear resistant refractories having minimal production costs is facilitated by characterizing the wear mechanisms associated with their corrosive wear. Static cup testing is a commonly used method for comparing the corrosion resistance performance of two or more refractory materials. Although the static cup test conditions are not as severe as dynamic tests, this study shows that the thermal gradient present within the system during heating and cooling stages serves to generate movement of the slag leading to mechanical wear. The thermal gradient within the refractory, and between the slag and the refractory, occurs during the ramp stage of the test and lasts until the soaking stage is reached bringing the system to a thermal equilibrium. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capabilities embedded within ANSYS software, this study modelled and quantified the convection currents within the slag and associated shear stresses generated on the refractory walls due to the thermal gradient. A traditional ladle furnace was employed as a case study to verify the results of the studied CFD model. The corrosion rate of the refractory lining was found to depend on the mass transfer coefficient of the refractory dissolution into the slag, and a velocity term which governs the extent of corrosion at any given location. This velocity term is a function of slag viscosity, as well as the concentration gradient and/or temperature gradient at the triple points. In this study, wall shear stress was used as a reliable proxy for identifying high-velocity regions prone to excessive corrosive wear. Elevated wall shear stress near the slag/air and slag/molten steel interfaces align with observed corrosion grooves, which reflects the intensified corrosive wear at these locations.

Ramteke, Rajat Rajat Durgesh Ramteke [University o↗

DOE OSTI2025

ORNL Package Testing Program Overview

Radioactive materials are widespread in our everyday activities which are used in many different types of industries: Consumer products, Medicine, Industry, Energy, and Defense. In the United States there is about 3 million shipments of radioactive materials per year. With radioactive material being very widespread the number of new applications to ship these quantities increases daily. As such, ensuring the safe and secure transport of these materials is paramount, necessitating stringent packaging, transportation, and certification requirements. Shipments of radioactive materials have been made from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the past 65 years. Since the 1940s ORNL has been at the forefront of the early development of regulations pertaining to the transport of radioactive shipments and associated regulatory testing. The early involvement resulted in ORNL being one of the leaders in the development of regulations and testing standards pertaining to the testing and design of packages. Today all package testing activities are conducted under the Package Testing Program (PTP) at ORNL at the Package Evaluation Facility (PEF). The PTP develops and evaluates testing solutions – ensuring that they are safe, efficient, and meet regulatory requirements ORNL PTP has extensive experience in the regulatory testing of radioactive material packages, supporting certification of Type A, Type, B, Type AF, and special form packages. The PEF serves as a one-stop-shop for design, testing, and certification of a wide variety of packages needed for shipment of radioactive materials. The facility provides the space, expertise, and equipment necessary to conduct rigorous performance testing under both normal and accident conditions or transport environments including free drop, dynamic crush, puncture, penetration, compression, vibration, water spray, water immersion, and thermal test. The PTP remains a key contributor to the safety and compliance of radioactive material transportation. This presentation will provide an overview of the program’s history, capabilities, and its ongoing role in advancing regulatory standards and transportation safety.

Martinez, Oscar [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000181814046)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Ab-initio informed cluster dynamics simulation of self- and Xe diffusivity in uranium mononitride under irradiation

Uranium mononitride (UN) is one of the ceramic nuclear fuel alternatives to oxide fuels considered for light water reactor and advanced reactor designs, as it presents significant advantages such as high uranium density (better economics) and high thermal conductivity and melting point (increased safety). Self- and fission gas diffusivities need to be better understood, given that they influence key fuel performance phenomena like swelling and fission gas release. Recently, radiation enhanced diffusivity was investigated in UN by means of cluster dynamics simulations relying on empirical potential-based parameterizations, the reliability of which highly depends on the interatomic potential accuracy. Here, in this work, we refine this approach by determining, using ab-initio calculations, the properties of defect clusters containing vacancies, self-interstitials and Xe impurities. We also consider larger clusters than previous studies. The obtained dataset (formation enthalpies, entropies, and migration barriers) is used to parameterize a cluster dynamics model of mobile clusters, and to calculate the defect cluster concentrations under irradiation. This gives us access to the radiation enhanced self- and fission gas diffusivities. Although the resulting diffusivities are close to the values reported in the literature, we find important qualitative differences in the diffusion mechanisms. Capturing the correct mechanisms is crucial to properly describe the chemistry and fission rate dependence of the model.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Assessing the Structure-Based Turbulence Model Performance for Thermal Striping Applications Using Symmetric Jet Experiments

Not Available

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS2004

Dual Transition Edge Sensor Bolometer for Enhanced Dynamic Range

Broadband surveys at the millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths will require bolometers that can reach new limits of sensitivity and also operate under high background conditions. To address this need, we present results on a dual transition edge sensor (TES) device with two operating modes: one for low background, ultrasensitive detection and one for high background, enhanced dynamic range detection. The device consists of a detector element with two transition temperatures (T(sub c)) of 0.25 and 0.51 K located on the same micromachined, thermally isolated membrane structure. It can be biased on either transition, and features phonon-limited noise performance at the lower T(sub c). We measure noise performance on the lower transition 7 x 10(exp -18) W/rt(Hz) and the bias power on the upper transition of 12.5 pW, giving a factor of 10 enhancement of the dynamic range for the device. We discuss the biasable range of this type of device and present a design concept to optimize utility of the device.

Chervenak, J. A.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Computational fluid dynamic analysis of a novel particle-to-air fluidized-bed heat exchanger for particle-based thermal energy storage applications

Long-duration energy storage technologies are being targeted to enable cost-effective, decarbonized energy systems. Particle-based thermal energy storage systems are one promising technology by storing excess electricity or heat as sensible thermal energy in inexpensive, solid, inert particles. These systems are only possible if an effective and economical particle-to-working fluid heat exchanger exists. This study predicts the performance of a proposed, direct-contact, particle-to-air, pressurized fluidized-bed heat exchanger using computational fluid dynamics. The common Eulerian-Eulerian framework for modeling fluidized beds is first benchmarked to experimental results at a previously untested operating condition and application. Then, the benchmarked model evaluates the performance of a proposed design for a commercial-scale version of the novel particle-to-air heat exchanger. The results show pressure drop and gas-phase approach temperatures are advantageous compared to other proposed designs for particle-to-air heat exchangers in the literature; approach temperatures were less than 5 °C and gas-phase pressure drop across the fluidized bed was 32 kPa. The model also highlights the importance of gas distributor design and representation in the Eulerian-Eulerian framework to control fluidization behavior. In conclusion, the model built and benchmarked in this study can be leveraged to advance the design and analysis of these heat exchangers critical to the deployment of a promising long-duration energy storage technology.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Hydrogeological assessment of CO2 containment assurance and wellbore integrity at a Gulf Coast storage site

Abstract A large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative on the Texas Gulf Coast serves as a premier demonstration of the U.S. Department of Energy’s CarbonSAFE program. Targeting deep saline formations, specifically Oligo-Miocene deltaic sequences, the project aims to establish technical and commercial viability for geologic CO2 storage within a major industrial corridor. This study provides a rigorous hydrogeological assessment to support Class VI permitting by quantifying the high degree of containment security. Utilizing a compositional reservoir simulator, we developed a suite of 27 distinct simulation cases to evaluate vertical plume dynamics near both planned injection wells and proximal legacy infrastructure. To ensure numerical accuracy near wellbores, we implemented a refined mesh strategy, determining that a 5.6 ft × 5.6 ft grid refinement offered the optimal balance between computational efficiency and descriptive precision. The modeling framework utilized a systematic sensitivity-based approach to evaluate the mechanical redundancy of the subsurface system by performing a bounding analysis of wellbore interfaces against hypothetical high-permeability microannuli. By systematically isolating competing physical drivers, including permeability, porosity, gas hysteresis, thermal gradients, salinity, and solubility trapping (quantified via Henry’s law with dynamically adjusted coefficients), this work moves beyond binary assessments to establish a nuanced hierarchy of containment factors. The results confirm that primary trapping mechanisms (e.g., gas hysteresis and solubility), combined with the site's unique geomechanical stratigraphy, significantly restrict vertical mobility and reinforce the robust containment security of the reservoir. Baseline results demonstrate substantial vertical separation between the CO2 plume and the upper confining system, ensuring robust containment. Sensitivity analysis reveals that even under highly conservative bounding scenarios—assuming theoretical 10-Darcy pathways at specific wellbore locations—the 2,900-ft thick multi-layered confining zone remains a reliable barrier. In these hypothetical upper-bound cases, peak upward fluxes of CO2 and saltwater after 15 years of injection remain localized and dissipate rapidly within the lower sections of the confining interval, leaving the integrity of the seal uncompromised. Furthermore, the study identifies that while localized wellbore pathways define theoretical upper bounds of vertical migration, the Area of Review (AoR) is primarily sensitive to regional thermal gradients and hysteresis, which can influence the AoR by over 3,000 acres in pessimistic configurations. Also, primary trapping mechanisms, specifically gas hysteresis and solubility, work in tandem with the Gulf Coast’s unique geomechanical stratigraphy to significantly restrict vertical mobility. Ductile, smectite-rich mudstones facilitate natural borehole convergence and the self-healing of potential conduits, creating a natural geomechanical bridge that effectively mitigates migration potential at both current injection points and legacy-well locations. This comprehensive modeling effort demonstrates that the integration of high-resolution wellbore simulations and regional geomechanical observations confirms the long-term storage security of the studied site, providing a physics-based foundation for industrial-scale CCS deployments. This modeling framework establishes a baseline for future research into coupled geomechanical effects, such as time-dependent borehole convergence, to further refine long-term containment projections. Acknowledgements We thank the Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC) at the Bureau of Economic Geology for foundational research support. We appreciate Alex Bump for technical guidance and David Hoffman for model mesh generation. This work used TACC’s Frontera cluster for simulations and CMG Ltd. software licenses provided to UT-Austin. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-FE0032338. Disclaimer This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Office under the CarbonSAFE program, award Number DE-FE0032338. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Hydrogeological assessment of CO2 containment assurance and wellbore integrity at a Gulf Coast storage site

Abstract A large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative on the Texas Gulf Coast serves as a premier demonstration of the U.S. Department of Energy’s CarbonSAFE program. Targeting deep saline formations, specifically Oligo-Miocene deltaic sequences, the project aims to establish technical and commercial viability for geologic CO2 storage within a major industrial corridor. This study provides a rigorous hydrogeological assessment to support Class VI permitting by quantifying the high degree of containment security. Utilizing a compositional reservoir simulator, we developed a suite of 27 distinct simulation cases to evaluate vertical plume dynamics near both planned injection wells and proximal legacy infrastructure. To ensure numerical accuracy near wellbores, we implemented a refined mesh strategy, determining that a 5.6 ft × 5.6 ft grid refinement offered the optimal balance between computational efficiency and descriptive precision. The modeling framework utilized a systematic sensitivity-based approach to evaluate the mechanical redundancy of the subsurface system by performing a bounding analysis of wellbore interfaces against hypothetical high-permeability microannuli. By systematically isolating competing physical drivers, including permeability, porosity, gas hysteresis, thermal gradients, salinity, and solubility trapping (quantified via Henry’s law with dynamically adjusted coefficients), this work moves beyond binary assessments to establish a nuanced hierarchy of containment factors. The results confirm that primary trapping mechanisms (e.g., gas hysteresis and solubility), combined with the site's unique geomechanical stratigraphy, significantly restrict vertical mobility and reinforce the robust containment security of the reservoir. Baseline results demonstrate substantial vertical separation between the CO2 plume and the upper confining system, ensuring robust containment. Sensitivity analysis reveals that even under highly conservative bounding scenarios—assuming theoretical 10-Darcy pathways at specific wellbore locations—the 2,900-ft thick multi-layered confining zone remains a reliable barrier. In these hypothetical upper-bound cases, peak upward fluxes of CO2 and saltwater after 15 years of injection remain localized and dissipate rapidly within the lower sections of the confining interval, leaving the integrity of the seal uncompromised. Furthermore, the study identifies that while localized wellbore pathways define theoretical upper bounds of vertical migration, the Area of Review (AoR) is primarily sensitive to regional thermal gradients and hysteresis, which can influence the AoR by over 3,000 acres in pessimistic configurations. Also, primary trapping mechanisms, specifically gas hysteresis and solubility, work in tandem with the Gulf Coast’s unique geomechanical stratigraphy to significantly restrict vertical mobility. Ductile, smectite-rich mudstones facilitate natural borehole convergence and the self-healing of potential conduits, creating a natural geomechanical bridge that effectively mitigates migration potential at both current injection points and legacy-well locations. This comprehensive modeling effort demonstrates that the integration of high-resolution wellbore simulations and regional geomechanical observations confirms the long-term storage security of the studied site, providing a physics-based foundation for industrial-scale CCS deployments. This modeling framework establishes a baseline for future research into coupled geomechanical effects, such as time-dependent borehole convergence, to further refine long-term containment projections. Acknowledgements We thank the Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC) at the Bureau of Economic Geology for foundational research support. We appreciate Alex Bump for technical guidance and David Hoffman for model mesh generation. This work used TACC’s Frontera cluster for simulations and CMG Ltd. software licenses provided to UT-Austin. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-FE0032338. Disclaimer This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Office under the CarbonSAFE program, award Number DE-FE0032338. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Transactive HVAC Agent - Design and Performance Evaluation

Transactive energy systems are playing an increasingly important role in the efficient and reliable marketbased operation of the power grid. Since a significant portion of the residential building energy consumption is from heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, HVAC is one of the most promising resources to provide load flexibility. However, utilizing HVAC flexibility to provide various grid services while simultaneously maintaining consumer comfort and cost-reductions is challenging. This paper presents a design of a transactive HVAC agent (T-HVAC) to be used as a supervisory control for the HVAC system that can simultaneously ensure comfort and cost-reduction. In particular, the T-HVAC a) estimates HVAC thermal dynamics, b) ensures optimal operations of the HVAC system, and c) participates into markets, and d) implements a market-based control via controlling the thermostat temperature set-point. The T-HVAC performance is demonstrated through multiple scenarios and illustrations.

Demand flexibility, distribution system, HVAC, Tra↗