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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 433 records · Page 24

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2023

Flexible Fully-Decoupled Nuclear Plants with Thermal Energy Storage - Technoeconomic Optimization

New nuclear power plants may be one of the technologies for future zero carbon electricity production. These future systems will however also need significant flexibility to cope with fluctuating demand and large share of intermittent renewable supply, rather than running in conventional baseload generation. The present work explores the use of thermal energy storage (TES) as a buffer between the reactor heat and its conversion to electricity, enabling flexible operation of nuclear plants. The focus is on maximizing flexibility, ideally as full decoupling of the nuclear and power cycle islands, as well as on system efficiency in various modes. A system design presented for a high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR) presents a slightly complex solution, as separate high- and low-temperature TES systems are required in order to cover the extended temperature range. Although this configuration imposes certain limitations on the discharge system configuration, it also presents the opportunity to design a more efficient system. For this case in particular, a steam reheat cycle is advantageous. Dynamic models were developed for the decoupled system in order to generate insights into aspects of off design operation and system control. A technoeconomic analysis, furthermore, provides sizing and costing of the component, followed by size and dispatch economic optimization considering energy arbitrage. This optimization shows that in all explored markets, the addition of TES system with the proposed configuration results in positive impact on project net present value. Further sensitivity analyses show impact of multiple inputs and possible technical limitations.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Market Driven Residential Energy Codes: Comparing Performance in a Changing Technological Environment

The research project is undertaken to better understand the changing relationship between the two basic methods of building energy code compliance – prescriptive and performance – and how those methods relate to each other with respect to advancements in building energy computer simulation standards and capabilities. The International Energy Efficiency Code (IECC) is a model code adopted by many jurisdictions across the United States. Historically, the prescriptive compliance methodology has been preferred in most jurisdictions. The prescriptive methodology requires meeting or exceeding specific efficiency minimums for each envelope component. This tends to be a simple method to teach and verify. A more involved prescriptive alternative called the Total UA alternative is sometimes used. This method requires some multiplication, summing, and comparison to compute, so it is done with a fairly simple computer program. However, advances in computer and building energy simulation technology have resulted in increased use of more detailed performance compliance methods. The performance compliance method establishes the annual energy cost threshold via hourly simulation models. The compliance threshold is determined with a comparison building model simulation with geometry similar to the proposed home and with energy feature parameters and efficiencies as specified in the IECC. This project examines relationships between the two methods of building energy code compliance, including: • Overall annual energy use based on utility bill analysis by compliance method • Code official work processes with respect to compliance methods • Gaps and issues associated with building code compliance methods • Simulated energy use difference between compliance methods • Code compliance cost as a function of compliance method • Code compliance labeling effectiveness for high performance residences • Getting to net zero energy use and net zero greenhouse gas emissions through high performance code alternatives • Electronic code permitting and compliance alternatives

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Optimal Co-Design of Integrated Thermal-Electrical Networks and Control Systems for Grid-interactive Efficient District (GED) Energy Systems

This project advances a unified, open-source framework for the optimal co-design of thermal, electrical, and control systems in grid-interactive efficient districts (GEDs). As communities integrate growing levels of distributed energy resources, traditional approaches that model thermal and electrical networks independently lead to reduced efficiency, limited flexibility, and missed opportunities for coordinated operation. To address these challenges, the research team developed a comprehensive suite of physics-based models, control algorithms, and software tools that enable holistic simulation, optimization, and demonstration of district-scale energy systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Threat Hunt Guide for BESS Environments

The rapid digitalization of the electric grid - driven by the integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and advanced grid control platforms - has significantly enhanced grid efficiency, visibility, and flexibility. However, this evolution also introduces new cybersecurity risks, particularly through supply chain dependencies and operational blind spots at the grid edge. To address these challenges, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), through the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) Rapid Risk initiative, conducted a series of rapid risk assessment engagements with energy organizations across the United States. Drawing on lessons learned from these engagements, INL developed the following threat hunting guide for asset owners and operators (AOOs) to enhance their cybersecurity visibility within BESS and IBR systems. The guide demonstrates how to use passive network monitoring to baseline device behavior, detect adversarial activity, and investigate anomalies without disrupting operations. By implementing these practices, energy sector stakeholders can improve coordination between cybersecurity and operations teams and strengthen the resilience of distributed energy resources (DERs) within the modern power grid. Prior to implementing any network monitoring, packet capture, or threat hunting activity described in this guide, AOOs are strongly advised to review applicable governance frameworks, legal requirements, and organizational policies. This guide is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace compliance with any federal, state, or local cybersecurity mandates or industry standards. Implementation of described configurations, technologies, or analytic workflows is performed at the discretion and responsibility of the asset owner and operator.

25 - ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Filament Extension Atomization for High Solids Loading in Energy Efficient Spray Drying Systems

We demonstrate that we could scale FEA to reach outputs needed by industrial production, while increasing solids loading of the sprayed product by at least 30% and maintaining equal or better spray powder. After testing a wide range of products, in collaboration with industry partners we decided on our primary spray products of dry whey and WPC-80, two common materials processed and sold by US manufacturers with different parameters. We sprayed these with FEA at solids loadings of 70% for dry whey and 45% for WPC-80 with a spray output with particle sizes similar to industrial particles sizes and reduced variation in particle size. We simultaneously scaled up FEA first with a multi-nip with 6 nips surrounding a central roller with parallel axis of rotation and eventually with a tapered design that solved problems we encountered with our initial design. We were able to achieve output from a single array from our first design of up to 4.7 liters per minute (L/min) and from an array of our second multi-nip of 8 L/min exceeding expectations. This demonstrates that FEA technology can indeed be scaled up to meet the needs of industrial production. More arrays can be added as necessary to meet a wide range of spray dryer designs. We also tested FEA to create dried powders from a small scale (10 L/hour of water removal) spray dryer. Though we were not able to produce large quantities of powder from FEA due to challenges in integration, the powder we produced was higher quality and produced from higher solids loading materials. From our technoeconomic analysis we for a typically sized spray dryer, we estimate a 27% cost reduction and 41% energy and carbon reduction for WPC-80 and a 39-57% cost reduction and 52-76% energy reduction for sweet dry whey (depending on the exact product).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2025

High-Efficiency Low-Carbon Fuel Flexible Burner for Steel Industry

GTI Energy, with Bloom Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are developing the FlexGen-H burner. This high-efficiency burner can achieve 45•100% CO2e emissions reduction using green hydrogen with natural gas. It offers NOx, CO emissions ?50 ppm (3% O2), 15•51% fuel savings, ?50% PM2.5 reduction with turndown of ?5:1. The technology can work with renewable liquid fuels, ethanol or methanol. The technology aims to significantly reduce emissions, enhance resiliency, improve process efficiency. The paper will discuss preliminary results of development, with planned laboratory validation including safety, CFD, burner system design and market for the technology.

Sperry, McKay [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000658602049)↗

DOE OSTI2021

The Changing-look Blazar B2 1420+32

Abstract Blazars are active galactic nuclei with their relativistic jets pointing toward the observer, comprising two major subclasses, flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and BL Lac objects. We present multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic monitoring observations of the blazar B2 1420+32, focusing on its outbursts in 2018–2020. Multiepoch spectra show that the blazar exhibited large-scale spectral variability in both its continuum and line emission, accompanied by dramatic gamma-ray and optical variability by factors of up to 40 and 15, respectively, on week to month timescales. Over the last decade, the gamma-ray and optical fluxes increased by factors of 1500 and 100, respectively. B2 1420+32 was an FSRQ with broad emission lines in 1995. Following a series of flares starting in 2018, it transitioned between BL Lac and FSRQ states multiple times, with the emergence of a strong Fe pseudocontinuum. Two spectra also contain components that can be modeled as single-temperature blackbodies of 12,000 and 5200 K. Such a collection of “changing-look” features has never been observed previously in a blazar. We measure gamma-ray–optical and interband optical lags implying emission-region separations of less than 800 and 130 gravitational radii, respectively. Since most emission-line flux variations, except the Fe continuum, are within a factor of 2–3, the transitions between FSRQ and BL Lac classifications are mainly caused by the continuum variability. The large Fe continuum flux increase suggests the occurrence of dust sublimation releasing more Fe ions in the central engine and an energy transfer from the relativistic jet to subrelativistic emission components.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2021

Life Cycle Emissions Factors for Electricity Generation Technologies

This dataset consists of a table containing the distribution of literature estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for the following electricity generation and storage technologies: biopower, coal, concentrating solar power, geothermal, hydrogen storage, hydropower, lithium-ion battery storage, natural gas, nuclear, ocean, oil, photovoltaic, pumped-storage hydropower, and wind. Quartile estimates of life cycle emissions factors in units of grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour of generation (g CO2e/kWh) are provided for the following life cycle stages: one-time upstream, ongoing combustion, ongoing non-combustion, one-time downstream, and total. Literature estimates were compiled by the LCA Harmonization study and subsequent updates, as detailed in the factsheet which accompanies this dataset, https://www.nlr.gov/docs/fy21osti/80580.pdf .

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2022

Interregional Renewable Energy Zones

Interregional Renewable Energy Zones (IREZs) are a component of the National Transmission Planning Study (NTPS), which analyzes strategies for building out transmission infrastructure to support decarbonizing the electricity sector by 2035. In particular, IREZs envision long-distance transmission corridors for moving large amounts of low-cost renewable energy. An IREZ is a transmission collection point that is easily accessible to a very high volume of low-cost developable wind and solar energy potential. This dataset includes 155 IREZs identified across the continental United States where each IREZ is characterized by its primary and secondary resource.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Cyber-Resilient Design Methodology for Microgrids

Recent advancement in tools has helped with microgrid design, development, planning and operation. Microgrids offer a unique application based on users with different requirements for tools. The process of designing, constructing, commissioning, and assessing a microgrid is not always straightforward due to these distinct requirements. Additionally, metrics are needed for performance evaluation. This panel will offer an overview and description of tools that helps with microgrid design, construction, planning, operation, cyber security, and metrics-driven performance assessment driven by multiple diverse applications and use cases.

CCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

ExaWind: Opportunity for Discovery

The predictive simulation of the dynamics of modern wind turbines and wind farms is a high-performance-computing (HPC) grand challenge. Modern wind turbines are the largest rotating machines in the world, with rotor diameters exceeding 200 meters, and with heights well into the atmospheric boundary layer. To address this grand challenge, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office and the Exascale Computing Project have been supporting the creation of the ExaWind modeling and simulation environment since 2016. ExaWind is composed of the incompressible-flow computational-fluid-dynamics (CFD) solvers AMR-Wind and Nalu-Wind and the wind-turbine-dynamics solver OpenFAST. In our hybrid CFD approach, Nalu-Wind unstructured-grid models resolve the near-body flow around the turbine; those models are embedded in, and two-way coupled to, an AMR-Wind structured-grid mesh through overset meshes. In this talk I give an overview of ExaWind software stack and describe how it is being used to address important problems in wind energy.

computational fluid dynamics↗

DOE OSTI2021

CCE and Resilience Strategies

Consequence-driven Cyber-informed Engineering (CCE) is a methodology focused on securing the nation’s critical infrastructure systems. Developed at Idaho National Laboratory, CCE starts with the assumption that if a critical infrastructure system is targeted by a skilled and determined adversary, the targeted network can and will be penetrated. This think like the adversary approach provides critical infrastructure owners, operators, vendors and manufacturers with a disciplined methodology to: evaluate complex systems; determine what must be fully safeguarded; and apply proven engineering strategies to isolate and protect an industry’s most critical assets.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

NiCrMoNb age hardenable alloy for creep-resistant high temperature applications, and methods of making

Nickel alloys, methods of making nickel alloys, articles including the nickel alloys, uses of the alloys, and methods of treating nickel alloys are described. The inventive heat resistant structural materials are suitable for applications requiring high yield stress at room temperature and good creep strength at high temperatures, such as in gas turbines, steam turbines, fossil energy boilers, aero engines, power generation systems using fluids such as supercritical carbon dioxide (e.g., advanced ultra-supercritical power plants), concentrated solar power plants, nuclear power plants, molten salt reactors: turbine blades, casings, valves, heat exchangers and recuperators.

Detrois, Martin↗

DOE OSTI2024

Wind Energy Accomplishments and Year-End Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2024

As the largest source of clean, renewable power generation in the United States and one of the fastest growing sources of new electricity supply, wind energy will play a large role in the nation's energy future. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, scientists, engineers, analysts, and support professionals at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) worked to accelerate the pace of innovation in wind energy science and technology, advance grid systems integration, and develop sustainable solutions to deployment challenges. Much of NREL's research, development, and deployment work aligns with addressing the Grand Challenges of Wind Energy. Beginning in 2019, DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office partnered with the International Energy Agency to identify the barriers to greater wind energy deployment and related research gaps. The world's leading wind energy scientists and engineers identified five research areas as critical to advancing wind energy deployment: wind atmospheric science, wind turbine systems, wind plants and grid, environmental co-design, and social science. In FY 2024, NREL's accomplishments helped narrow the research gaps in these critical areas. This report provides details on those accomplishments.

accomplishments↗

DOE OSTI2025

NiCrMoNb age hardenable alloy for creep-resistant high temperature applications, and methods of making

Detrois, Martin↗

DOE OSTI2025

Immersive Digital Twin Laboratory for Engineering Education (CRADA Final Report)

This project aimed to create an immersive digital twin laboratory that incorporates advanced tracking and visualization capabilities. In collaboration with Fort Lewis College, NREL designed a state-of-the-art physical visualization laboratory, developed a software platform to enable interaction with tracked physical objects in the laboratory, and provided proof-of-concept curricula that included manipulating these tracked objects. The project was initiated to address the growing need for innovative educational tools in engineering education. As renewable energy systems, particularly solar installations, become more complex, there is a pressing need to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Traditional methods of teaching solar engineering concepts often fall short of providing students with a comprehensive, hands-on understanding. This immersive digital twin laboratory was conceived to fill that gap by creating a safe, non-energized setting where students can interact with augmented solar installation objects, gaining valuable insights into system performance, design, and maintenance. The project utilized extended reality (XR) technologies, including head-mounted displays (HMDs) and a whole-room optical motion tracking system, to connect physical objects with their digital twins in real time. The laboratory was equipped with MagicLeap 2 HMDs, supported by a Vicon Vero 2.2 Optical Tracking System, which provided precise 6-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) tracking. We developed a software platform to manage the interaction between the tracked physical objects and their virtual counterparts, enabling real-time data synchronization, object recognition, and virtual overlays. We designed the system to be flexible and extendable, allowing for future integration of additional objects and curriculum. This research advances the field of engineering education by demonstrating the potential of immersive digital twin environments. The laboratory provides a dynamic learning space where students can experiment, collaborate, and learn without the risks associated with live experimentation. The ability to simulate and manipulate solar installation objects under various conditions has broad implications for workforce development, particularly in renewable energy. The project also highlights the economic feasibility of using XR technologies in educational settings, offering a cost-effective solution for institutions looking to enhance their curriculum. By fostering a deeper understanding of solar energy systems, this work contributes to the broader goal of supporting the global energy transition and preparing the next generation of engineers and technicians.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2025

Workforce Development Opportunities Through the US Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program 2025

The increasing global demand for energy underscores the importance of energy efficiency and sustainability. To address these challenges in the US manufacturing sector, the US Department of Energy has implemented the Better Plants and Better Climate Challenge programs. These initiatives aim to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage in industrial facilities. This paper highlights a critical component of these programs, workforce development, which equips individuals with the skills and knowledge to implement energy-saving measures. Through the variety of training opportunities discussed, including bootcamps, in-plant trainings, virtual trainings, and annual events, the programs are able to cater to a wide range of industrial participants, from entry-level professionals to experienced engineers. By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing and by leveraging certifications offered by organizations like the Association of Energy Engineers, these initiatives empower individuals to drive innovation and sustainable practices.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2020

Process Control and Energy Efficiency

We review the impact of control systems and strategies on the energy efficiency of chemical processes. We show that, in many ways, good control performance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for energy efficiency. The direct effect of process control on energy efficiency is manyfold: Reducing output variability allows for operating chemical plants closer to their limits, where the energy/economic optima typically lie. Further, good control enables novel, transient operating strategies, such as conversion smoothing and demand response. Indirectly, control systems are key to the implementation and operation of more energy-efficient plant designs, as dictated by the process integration and intensification paradigms. Our conclusions are supported with references to numerous examples from the literature.

42 ENGINEERING↗