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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Seasonality regulates the structure and biogeochemical impact of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities across environmentally divergent neotropical dry forests

Abstract Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbioses support forest functioning globally, yet both the structure and function of ECM fungal communities in seasonally dry neotropical forests (SDTFs), known for extreme heterogeneity in vegetation and edaphic properties, remain under characterized. Here, we evaluated the relative influences of seasonal versus spatial variation in ECM fungal community structure in soils from four environmentally divergent SDTFs. We also assessed the importance of biotic and abiotic drivers of SDTF ECM fungal community structure at regional scales, as well as ECM impacts on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. ECM fungal frequency, relative abundance and richness all increased in the wet season, but spatial rather than seasonal effects explained more variation in community composition. Across the four SDTFs investigated, differences in tree communities drove ECM fungal community turnover more than geographic distances, site abiotic conditions or soil chemistry. Although soil moisture and ECM tree basal area were stronger predictors of soil biogeochemistry, incorporating ECM fungal community composition and relative abundance added explanatory power to models of soil C and N cycling in the wet season. Synthesis : Our results highlight the importance of seasonality and plant community composition in shaping different aspects of SDTF ECM fungal community structure and diversity as well as the potential for both the plant and fungal components of ECM symbioses to impact soil functioning across heterogenous SDTFs. Furthermore, our findings suggest that alterations in SDTF plant community composition due to climate or land‐use change will have important consequences for ECM fungal diversity and associated effects on soil biogeochemical cycling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

IN-SERVICE INSPECTION OF EXTENDED DRY STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, PART I: CRAWLER TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

This paper describes development and demonstration of remote crawling systems to support periodic examinations of interim dry storage system (DSS) canisters for spent nuclear fuel in the USA. Specifically, this work relates to robotic crawler developments for “canister” based DSS systems which form the majority population of DSSs, in the USA, for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. Consideration of potential degradation of the welded stainless-steel canister in these systems is required for continued usage in the period of extended operation (PEO) beyond their initial licensed or certified terms. Challenges associated with performing the periodic examinations are associated with physical access to the canister surface which is constrained due to narrow annulus spaces between the canister and the overpack, tortuous entry pathways, and high temperatures and radiation doses that can be damaging to materials and electronics. Motivations for performing periodic examinations and developing robotic crawlers for performing those examinations remotely will be presented and several activities to demonstrate robotic crawlers for different DSS systems are summarized.

nondestructive examination (NDE), Dry Cask Storage↗
DOE OSTI2021

INSERVICE INSPECTION OF EXTENDED DRY STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, PART II: NDE/SENSOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND CODIFICATION

This paper describes development and demonstration of nondestructive examination (NDE) technologies to support periodic examinations of interim dry cask storage system (DCSS) canisters for spent nuclear fuel in the USA to verify continued safe operation and that the canister confinement is intact and performing its intended safety function. Specifically, this work relates to NDE technology development for “canister” based DCSS systems which form the majority population of DCSSs, in the USA, for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. Consideration of potential degradation of the welded stainless-steel canister in these systems is required for continued usage in the period of extended operation (PEO) beyond the initial license or certified term. Physical access to the canister surface is constrained due to narrow annulus spaces between the canister and the overpack, tortuous entry pathways, and high temperatures and radiation doses that can be damaging to materials and electronics related to inspections. Several activities to demonstrate NDE technologies for the inspections of different DCSS systems are summarized.

nondestructive examination (NDE), Dry Cask Storage↗
DOE OSTI2020

Direct Dry Cooling System Spreadsheet Model for sCO 2

The attached cost and performance spreadsheet model is for a direct dry cooling system, one of four cooling system models developed for use in optimizing indirectly-heated supercritical CO 2 (sCO 2 ) power cycles. Running the model requires that the user has REFPROP version 9 or below installed, as well as the Microsoft Excel REFPROP Add-In. Upon opening, use Excel’s Edit Links feature to link to the user’s installed REFPROP.xla or REFPROP.xlam file. For the spreadsheet model compatible with REFPROP version 10 and above, contact Nathan Weiland at nathan.weiland@netl.doe.gov. Technical documentation for the model can be found here: https://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analysis/details?id=3199.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Indirect Dry Cooling System Spreadsheet Model for sCO2

The attached cost and performance spreadsheet model is for an indirect dry cooling system, one of four cooling system models developed for use in optimizing indirectly-heated supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles. Running the model requires that the user has REFPROP version 9 or below installed, as well as the Microsoft Excel REFPROP Add-In. Upon opening, use Excel’s Edit Links feature to link to the user’s installed REFPROP.xla or REFPROP.xlam file. For the spreadsheet model compatible with REFPROP version 10 and above, contact Nathan Weiland at nathan.weiland@netl.doe.gov. Technical documentation for the model can be found here: https://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analysis/details?id=3199.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Commercial-scale Carbon Storage Complex Feasibility Study at Dry Fork Station, Wyoming

This report summarizes the results of the technical and nontechnical feasibility study (“Phase II”) conducted as part of the “Commercial-Scale Carbon Storage Complex Feasibility Study at Dry Fork Station, Wyoming” project (“Wyoming CarbonSAFE”), which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (“NETL”) Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (“CarbonSAFE”) Initiative. This report concludes that the Wyoming CarbonSAFE project is feasible based upon analyses of numerous technical and non-technical criteria in Phase II.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Cold Spray for Mitigation and Repair of Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Storage Canisters

The purpose of this work is to investigate the use of cold spray for repair and mitigation of chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) in dry cask storage system (DCSS) canisters to ensure their integrity far beyond their original license period. This report provides a viability analysis of cold spray for repair and mitigation of CISCC in DCSS canisters to extend canister life.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2026

Wyoming CarbonSAFE Phase III: Site Characterization and Permitting Commercial-Scale Carbon Storage Complex Feasibility Study at Dry Fork Station, Wyoming

This report presents the findings of the technical and non-technical site characterization and permitting activities (“Phase III”) conducted under the Wyoming CarbonSAFE: Accelerating CCUS Commercialization and Deployment at Dry Fork Power Station (DFS) and the Wyoming Integrated Test Center project (“Wyoming CarbonSAFE”). Wyoming CarbonSAFE is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (“CarbonSAFE”) Initiative. The results of Phase III demonstrate that the Wyoming CarbonSAFE project - referred to as the Northern Powder River Basin Carbon Sequestration Hub (NPRB-CSH) - meets the technical, regulatory, and commercial feasibility requirements necessary to advance toward commercial development and construction. The activities completed under this project Phase make the NPRB-CSH one of the region’s most commercially ready carbon storage sites. Completion of this Phase included the finalization of all site surface and subsurface characterization activities, completion and testing of two Class VI standard wells, 10 draft Class VI permits-to construct to address the future needs of a storage complex, finalized NEPA assessments, transportation and capture FEED studies, and a full commercialization strategy with economic modeling, operation and site closure strategies. The NPRB-CSH meets all requirements to progress to a CarbonSAFE Phase IV program or advance to full commercial operations under the development of a business partner.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of a High-Efficiency Hybrid Dry Cooler System for sCO 2 Power Cycles in CSP Applications

This project addressed a major gap in supercritical CO 2 (sCO 2 ) power cycle research by focusing on the pre-cooler, a component that had received little attention despite its significant impact on cycle efficiency and plant economics. The team developed a compact dry cooler using brazed/diffusion-bonded microchannel passages paired with formed air-side fins, advancing the technology from TRL-2 toward commercial readiness. Compared to conventional fin-tube coolers, the design cuts installation footprint by roughly half for 10+ MWth systems while achieving better heat transfer and lower approach temperatures, translating into a projected LCOE reduction from 6.04 ¢/kWh to between 5.85 and 5.94 ¢/kWh. While fabrication of an aluminum MW-scale prototype revealed brazing and sealing challenges at larger scales, lessons learned informed a subsequent 1 MWth unit that was successfully built and delivered for integration into Sandia's Gen3 Particle Pilot Plant, advancing the technology to TRL-7 with a path toward TRL-8 pending successful testing.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sentinel protist taxa of the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes, Antarctica: a review

High-latitude meromictic lakes such as those in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) harbor aquatic ecosystems dominated by the microbial loop. Within this habitat, which is limited year-round by light and nutrients, protists, or single celled eukaryotes, play outsized roles in the food web as the dominant primary producers and the apex predators. Thus, the MDV lake ecosystem represents an ideal system to study the role of sentinel protist taxa in carbon and nutrient cycling. The perennially ice-covered lakes are part of the McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research (McM LTER; mcmlter.org) established in 1993. In this review we will highlight the diversity and trophic roles of the MDV lake protist community and compare environmental factors driving spatiotemporal patterns in key protist taxa in two lakes within the McM LTER, Lakes Bonney and Fryxell. We will then discuss lessons learned from manipulated experiments on the impact of current and future climate-driven environmental change on sensitive protist taxa. Last, we will integrate knowledge gained from 25 years of lab-controlled experiments on key photosynthetic protists to extend our understanding of the function of these extremophiles within the MDV aquatic food webs. Our research group has studied the distribution and function of the MDV microbial community for nearly two decades, training the next generation of scientists to tackle future problems of these globally significant microbes. This review article will also highlight early career scientists who have contributed to this body of work and represent the future of scientific understanding in the Anthropocene.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗