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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 sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Dragonstone Strategy – State of Cybersecurity in the Oil & Natural Gas Sector

The oil & natural gas (ONG) system touches every corner of the nation and increased communications & control capabilities have not only allowed for greater efficiency of system operation, but have also created a massive target for adversaries to launch cyber-attacks. Like any other heavy industrial process, the ONG system relies on a complex system of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) devices. The current state of cyber-preparedness across the ONG industry varies from organization to organization. Among the most common challenges that ONG companies face are remote locations, longlived field assets, and lacking capabilities to find and track malware on their systems. ONG companies tend to be concerned with lack of cyber-awareness from employees, risk stemming from remote access for operations & maintenance, and software vulnerabilities within third-party equipment. Various industry and government organizations are performing research and development activities to address some of these challenges, but in many cases industry stakeholders are not aware of solutions that already exist. It is clear that a need exists for a coherent, comprehensive, multi-layered strategy for assuring the security and resilience of the nation's pipeline infrastructure against cyber threats. For a variety of reasons, the general consensus from stakeholders interviewed by LLNL is that the state of cyber-security within the electric grid is currently outpacing its ONG cousin. Existing strategies for the resilience and cyber-security of the electric grid can and should be leveraged to provide immediate benefits to the ONG system. In LLNL’s view, there are two key factors currently limiting the development of necessary cyber-practices within the ONG industry: The sheer number of differing regulatory bodies and trade groups offering both standards and best-practice recommendations for ONG cyber-security makes it difficult to create a comprehensive, directed, and coherent strategy that is applicable to all players within the ONG industry. The ONG industry is unaware of potentially useful technologies that have been developed for ensuring cyber-security of other infrastructure systems, such as the electric grid. Leveraging these technologies—and the science and engineering behind them—can provide some low-hanging fruit that can greatly improve cyber-security in the ONG industry without significant investments in terms of time and money. In the months following this report, LLNL will continue to perform outreach to key oil & gas industry stakeholders in a continual effort to identify the most pressing cyber-resilience issues in the industry. This outreach will be supplemented with LLNL’s threat intelligence capabilities to begin painting a clearer picture of the overall threat landscape faced by this sector. This assessment will be threat-informed and while the strategy itself will not be classified we will leverage intelligence analysis and adversary capabilities to identify gaps in current cybersecurity practices for oil & gas pipeline systems. Recommended efforts will be compiled into a cyber-resilience roadmap for the oil & gas pipeline sector, in which LLNL will highlight priority activities to immediately improve the state of cyber-resilience in the industry.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2024

Major Drivers of Long-Term Distribution Transformer Demand

Distribution transformers, used to step-down medium voltage to service-voltage level for end-use electrical consumption, are currently experiencing major shortages. Utilities are experiencing extended lead times for transformers of up to 2 years (a 4x increase on lead times pre-2022) and prices have gone up by as much as 5-6 times in the past 2 years. Current shortages have been attributed to pent-up post-pandemic demand, workforce shortages and low retention rates, component supply chain challenges, and materials shortages (grain-oriented electrical steel, aluminum, and copper). The supply of this equipment is critical for the reliability and growth of the power system, and in meeting administration climate goals in terms of electrification of demand and the growth of renewable energy. This report details some of the initial analysis conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Electricity and Office of Policy, in assessing the long-term demand trends for distribution transformers. Expected increased demand is due to a confluence of not only electrification and renewable energy growth, but also in the context of aging electric infrastructure, increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and utility-driven investments in reliability and resiliency of the electricity distribution system.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrically‐Driven Metal‐Insulator Transitions Emerging from Localizing Current Density and Temperature

Negative differential resistance (NDR) is a key electronic response enabling two‐terminal artificial neurons that can be achieved through different physical phenomena, including phase‐homogeneous current density and temperature (electro‐thermal) localizations and spatially‐localized metal‐insulator phase transitions (MITs). These two effects have been observed to occur sequentially in select electrically‐biased transition metal oxides. However, it is unknown why and under what conditions localizing behaviors precede MITs, particularly as a function of device length scale. To this end, the interplay between phase‐homogeneous electro‐thermal localizations and MITs is investigated in a 3D multiphysics simulation of a lateral thin film device, using the material properties of the prototype MIT material VO 2 . These findings demonstrate that the MIT is nucleated through dynamically localizing current density and temperature. A critical device width (≈0.7 µm in this study) is identified, below which both the electrically‐induced electro‐thermal and phase inhomogeneities cease to appear. It is demonstrated that the formation of spatial inhomogeneities directly relates to device dimensions, and demonstrate the decoupling of NDR from the MIT through device scaling relationships. These results provide insight into the material phenomena underlying the material's electrical responses, clarifying conditions under which spatial inhomogeneities form in electrically‐biased MIT materials.

artificial neuron↗
DOE OSTI2025

Opportunities for Integrating Electric and Gas Planning

Growing demand for electricity in buildings is creating new opportunities and challenges for electric and natural gas planning. To date, electric and gas planning processes have largely been siloed, and only a few jurisdictions have started to examine how these two processes could be linked together. The report explores the current state of electric and gas system planning, and the benefits and challenges of integrating these planning processes. We frame the characteristics of an integrated electric and gas distribution planning process and identify indicators of progress toward the characteristics.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electric Field Effects on Water and Ion Structure and Diffusion at the Orthoclase (001)–Water Interface

Understanding the electrochemical properties of mineral–water interfaces tends to rely upon electrical double layer (EDL) models, but these models are based on the assumption that electrostatic equilibrium is constantly maintained. In reality, interfacial reactions, ion diffusion, and their electrochemical signatures are based in nonequilibrium conditions of locally or globally imbalanced electrical fields where current EDL models have limited purview. In this work, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the orthoclase (001) surface in contact with a 1 M NaCl aqueous solution under various electric fields, to explore the interplay between EDL structure and dynamics when perturbed by electric fields of different direction and strength, by confinement, and by different distributions of structural surface charge. The simulations showed that confinement between two opposing (001) surfaces led to the development of an induced field when the applied field was perpendicular to the surfaces and, as a result, to ionic diffusion coefficients that were independent of electric field strength. In contrast, when the applied field was parallel to the surfaces, confinement resulted in ionic diffusion coefficients that were more strongly dependent on the magnitude of the electric field than in bulk water. Differences in the density and distribution of aluminol groups on the two surfaces had a significant impact on how the interfacial structure and dynamics varied in the presence of an electric field. Notably, these differences resulted in an electro-osmotic flow with opposite directions at the two surfaces under parallel applied electric field. Overall, the MD simulations highlighted the importance of considering atomic-level structure and heterogeneities when developing models of the electrochemical properties of mineral–water interfaces.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Copper–Carbon Nanotube Composites Enabled by Electrospinning for Advanced Conductors

The power losses associated with the electrical resistance of copper (Cu) have generated considerable interest in the development of advanced conductors that incorporate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the Cu matrix—ultraconductive Cu (UCC) composites—to increase energy efficiency in various industrial and residential applications, ranging from electric power transmission and rotating machinery to electronic devices. To meet this demand, we describe an electrospinning-based polymer nanofiber templating strategy for the fabrication of UCC composites with electrical and mechanical performance exceeding that of Cu. Our approach involves electrospinning of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based solutions containing CNTs into aligned PVP/CNT nanofibers onto Cu foil substrates, followed by vacuum-assisted thermal removal of organic solvent/polymer from the CNT matrix to achieve a uniformly distributed CNT layer on the Cu surface. Following additional Cu deposition, the Cu–CNT–Cu composites demonstrated similar electrical conductivity, higher current carrying capacity, and improved mechanical properties compared with those obtained from reference Cu. Importantly, after the heat treatment, Raman analysis of the CNT network displayed an increased metallic character that supports the enhanced electrical properties of the UCC composites. Thus, we believe that these performance characteristics together with the commercial viability of the present approach could open new possibilities in designing advanced conductors for a broad range of electrical systems and industrial applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Wavelength conversion through plasmon-coupled surface states

Surface states generally degrade semiconductor device performance by raising the charge injection barrier height, introducing localized trap states, inducing surface leakage current, and altering the electric potential. We show that the giant built-in electric field created by the surface states can be harnessed to enable passive wavelength conversion without utilizing any nonlinear optical phenomena. Photo-excited surface plasmons are coupled to the surface states to generate an electron gas, which is routed to a nanoantenna array through the giant electric field created by the surface states. The induced current on the nanoantennas, which contains mixing product of different optical frequency components, generates radiation at the beat frequencies of the incident photons. We utilize the functionalities of plasmon-coupled surface states to demonstrate passive wavelength conversion of nanojoule optical pulses at a 1550 nm center wavelength to terahertz regime with efficiencies that exceed nonlinear optical methods by 4-orders of magnitude.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Breakdown front dynamics of streamer-like discharge in electron-charged polymethyl methacrylate

We present the results of an experimental study of fast breakdown in electron-charged polymethyl methacrylate. We irradiate bulk polymethyl methacrylate disks with diameters up to one meter at different implanted charge densities and measure the discharge current during the forced electrical breakdown of the material. We infer the breakdown dynamics from these current waveforms, including the velocity and time dependence of the electric field driving the breakdown, and compare these results with the physical electrical tree patterns left behind in the material. We find that the dynamics and physical characteristics of the breakdown channels in electron-irradiated solids depart from typical expectations of electrical treeing behavior in solid materials. Thus, we interpret these results as an expression of streamer discharges in dense gases motivated by the existence of trapped gases in the solid due to radiation damage. We show that the dynamics of the breakdown channels in the electron-charged solid dielectric material is well described by applying standard streamer physics to this physical system. The results show that the dynamics of breakdown channels in solid dielectric material is a promising avenue to further understand streamer discharges in different media under extreme conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Operation and Control of Electric Vehicle Charger with Enhanced Dynamic Performance Under Non-Ideal Grid Voltage Condition

This paper presents a three-phase electric vehicle charger connected to the grid, featuring multiple boost converters on the DC side, specifically designed to ensure smooth, oscillation-free power transfer during unsymmetrical voltage sags. Precise control mechanisms are implemented on the boost converter side to regulate both voltage and current on the electric vehicle side, thereby maintaining optimal charging conditions. The control architecture for both the grid-connected and boost converter components is based on the Lyapunov energy function, which is employed to achieve superior dynamic performance and stability. The system's robustness and reliability are demonstrated through its ability to maintain stable operation and efficient power transfer despite fluctuations in grid conditions. Furthermore, the implementation of Lyapunov-based control ensures rapid response and minimal energy loss, enhancing the overall efficiency of the system. To validate the effectiveness of this approach, a comprehensive model of the system was developed and tested using MATLAB/Simulink, with detailed computer simulations conducted across various significant case studies.

DC-DC boost converter↗
DOE OSTI2026

Fleet Hydrogen Basics

Hydrogen is one transportation fuel option public and private heavy-duty vehicle fleets can consider. Heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles provide the performance benefits of electric drivetrains (e.g., high instantaneous torque for heavy loads and performance improvements at high altitudes and on steep grades) and can contribute to air quality improvements in high-traffic areas. For some regions and duty cycles, hydrogen could be a better fit for heavy-duty fleets than current battery-electric options because of the increased range and faster fueling times.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effects of fiber dosage, loading orientation and stress on frequency response of enhanced Carbon Nano-Fiber Aggregates

Nanomaterial additives have been broadly used in cement and concrete-based sensors to measure the stress and strain in the structure. Most of the studies focused on measuring the resistivity of sensors with Direct Current (DC) or relatively low-frequency. Here in this work, the impedance responses of enhanced Carbon Nano-Fiber Aggregates (CNFAs) at different frequencies are rigorously studied and utilized as a tool for real-time structural health monitoring (SHM). The CNFA impedance measurements at different measurement frequencies provide an extra dimension (frequency dimension) to allow the characterization of different phenomena and multimodal measurements simultaneously. First, a comprehensive physical model is established to understand the frequency responses of the CNFA impedance. Second, COMSOL Multiphysics is used to simulate the frequency responses of the CNFA impedance, which provides more insights into the electric field and current density distribution. The impedance of CNFAs decreased with the increased dosage of carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Third, experimental studies are reported in detail. The electrical impedance variation (EZV) of the CNFA in parallel orientation is 151% higher than that of perpendicular orientation at the frequency of 2612 Hz and uniaxial compression stress of 4.65 MPa. The strain-EZV curve obtained from the response spectrum is linear for frequencies ranging from 98 Hz to 463.9 kHz. The strain-EZV curve for 5625 Hz has a linear fit with the gauge factor of 147.78. At 1000 Hz, the CNFA exhibited a repeatable behavior up to 9.35 MPa and detection limit up to the stress of 18.62 MPa.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dynamic Heat Flow and Current Distribution Analysis in the Bottom Anode of an Electric Arc Furnace Using Fiber-Optic Sensors

A reliable method for monitoring bottom anode wear during DC Electric Arc Furnace (DC-EAF) operation is of critical importance for safe and efficient steel production. Underestimation of bottom wear poses a serious safety risk that must be avoided, while overestimation of bottom wear also poses challenges, as premature anode replacement is expensive and affects EAF productivity. Previously, we demonstrated that fiber-optic sensors can be successfully deployed to create a spatially distributed temperature map to monitor the health of the anode. The present work explores the heat flow and current density distribution in bottom anode pins to predict bottom wear, steel penetration events, and monitor refractory erosion. Small dynamic variations in pin temperature induced by joule heating during arcing also provide a means to observe local current flows in each pin. When mapped, these measurements provide a real-time view of the non-uniform and dynamic current flow in the bottom anode during EAF operation that can affect bottom wear.

Bottom Anode↗
DOE OSTI2022

Battery500 Consortium: Development of High Capacity Cathodes and Robust Solid Electrolytes

As the world have witnessed the tremendous development in portable electronic devices as well as electric vehicles, the current generation lithium-ion battery is unlikely to satisfy the bourgeon of market and the demand of the customers. A next generation battery, with cell energy density higher than 500 Wh kg -1 , needs to be developed to meet the growth of the industry. With its high theoretical capacity (3,860 mAh g -1 , or 2,061 mAh cm -3 ) and low electrochemical potential (–3.04 V versus the standard hydrogen electrode), lithium metal has been regarded as the ideal candidate for the next generation battery anode. In fact, Lithium metal anode is irreplaceable for Lithium-Sulfur chemistry. However, the continuous formation of inactive Li, which eventually leads the loss of reversible capacity of the cell, has prevented lithium metal to be used as anode in commercial rechargeable cells. The ultimate goal of the project is to propose a pathway to enable Li metal battery for stable cycling at 99.9% of Coulombic efficiency with energy density higher than 500 Wh kg -1 . A variety of advanced characterization tools, electrolyte systems, 3D current collectors and failure analysis methodologies have been developed throughout the project during the past 5 years. The UCSD effort is carried out by the groups of Ping Liu and Shirley Meng.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dual Impacts of Space Heating Electrification and Climate Change Increase Uncertainties in Peak Load Behavior and Grid Capacity Requirements in Texas

Around 60% of households in Texas currently rely on electricity for space heating. As decarbonization efforts increase, non‐electrified households could adopt electric heat pumps, significantly increasing peak (highest) electricity demand in winter. Simultaneously, anthropogenic climate change is expected to increase temperatures, the potential for summer heat waves, and associated electricity demand for cooling. Uncertainty regarding the timing and magnitude of these concurrent changes raises questions about how they will jointly affect the seasonality of peak demand, firm capacity requirements, and grid reliability. This study investigates the net effects of residential space heating electrification and climate change on long‐term demand patterns and load shedding potential, using climate change projections, a predictive load model, and a direct current optimal power flow (DCOPF) model of the Texas grid. Results show that full electrification of residential space heating by replacing existing fossil fuel use with higher efficiency heat pumps could significantly improve reliability under hotter futures. Less efficient heat pumps may result in more severe winter peaking events and increased reliability risks. As heating electrification intensifies, system planners will need to balance the potential for greater resource adequacy risk caused by shifts in seasonal peaking behavior alongside the benefits (improved efficiency and reductions in emissions).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enriching Cations Using Electric Field Gradients Generated by Bipolar Electrodes in the Absence of Buffer

We discuss that ionic current gradients and corresponding electric field gradients formed at bipolar electrodes are useful for enriching cations up to ~350-fold at specific locations in microfluidic devices. The enrichment mechanism is determined by collecting current data, measuring solution conductivity, and by performing pH indicator experiments. These data reveal the dynamic nature of the enrichment mechanism. Specifically, they show the complex relationship between the ionic current gradients formed at the bipolar electrode and the extent of cation enrichment. Finally, we demonstrate cation enrichment is possible in buffer-free solutions containing up to 50.0 mM KCl. This finding is significant because it broadens the range of solutions in which membrane-free, electrochemical separations using bipolar electrodes can be performed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quench Propagation on Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) Tape

Rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) high-temperature superconductors can carry high currents with zero electrical resistance, enabling applications in high-field magnets, energy systems, and fusion devices. However, the localized losses of superconductivity called a quench pose a severe risk due to REBCO’s mechanical brittleness and slow quench propagation, hence complicating early detection. This work investigates quench propagation and thermal response through controlled experiments. A segmented REBCO tape soldered on a PCB with multiple voltage taps and temperature sensors was submerged in liquid nitrogen at 77 K. In the first test, current ramping produced a quench near 360 A, consistent with theoretical current limits but resulted in a local burn. In the second test, a heater-induced quench at 300 A propagated bidirectionally with measured velocities ranging from 164–226 mm/s. These measurements provide critical parameters for improving REBCO quench detection and protection system design with accounts for REBCO's limited bendability.

Ju, Han [NIU, DeKalb]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quench Propagation On Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) Tape

Rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) high-temperature superconductors can carry high currents with zero electrical resistance, enabling applications in high-field magnets, energy systems, and fusion devices. However, localized losses of superconductivity, known as quenches, pose a severe risk due to REBCO’s mechanical brittleness and slow quench propagation, complicating early detection. This work investigates quench propagation and thermal response through controlled experiments. A segmented REBCO tape soldered onto a printed circuit board (PCB) with multiple voltage taps and temperature sensors was submerged in liquid nitrogen at 77 K. In the first test, current ramping produced a quench near 360 A, consistent with theoretical current limits, but resulted in local burnout. In the second test, a heater-induced quench at 300 A propagated bidirectionally with velocities ranging from 164–226 mm/s. These results provide critical parameters for improving REBCO quench detection and protection system design while accounting for REBCO’s limited bendability.

Ju, Han [Northern Illinois U.]↗