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DOE OSTI2026

LDRD FY25 Program Overview

As Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program enters its fifth decade of leading-edge research and development, its impact and importance have never been stronger. The program continues to advance strategic investments in pioneering science, technology, and engineering, ensuring LLNL will be ready to deliver on our mission as it evolves over the coming decades. Investing in LDRD research, and the people who perform this critical work, gives LLNL the ability to sustain our role as a leader in the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration enterprise. The LDRD program enables high-risk, high-payoff research that anticipates emerging threats and future mission needs. By nurturing the ingenuity of the Lab’s greatest asset, its people, LDRD funding advances not only our research but also grows and nurtures our workforce: engaging future innovators with student mentoring, challenging postdoctoral researchers to apply their skills to support national security, and strengthening the leadership skills of early career staff. This annual report documents how LDRD investments advance LLNL’s science, technology, and engineering across our mission space. To assess LDRD’s impact we track both short and long-term metrics such as peer-reviewed publications, number of students, or professional fellows. In addition to reviewing these metrics, I encourage you to delve deeper into the breadth of science and technology that illustrate the strategic value of this research portfolio. For instance, a recent exploratory research project used advanced manufacturing to construct miniaturized three-dimensional ion traps for a quantum computer with reduced quantum error rates to enable applications that address national security missions and support basic science. Another project has delved into studying detonation by examining deflagration to enhance the safety and security of the nuclear weapons stockpile. LDRD researchers are also deploying AI agents on two of the world’s most powerful supercomputers to automate and accelerate inertial confinement fusion experiments. Other teams are delivering more accurate optical constants to enable improved validation for aluminum to advance atomic and molecular physics models. LDRD-driven discoveries of how metals deform under extreme conditions strengthen our ability to model and design materials for demanding national security environments. National security challenges are increasingly complex and continuously evolving. LDRD focuses our most innovative science and technology on these challenges, ensuring the Laboratory is developing creative, forward-leaning solutions for our nation and the world. The following pages feature highlights of published scientific advances, patents, and honors that stem from LDRD investments. As you read this report, I hope you will understand how these investments position the Laboratory, and our partners, to meet the demands of the decades ahead.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quasi-instantaneous materials processing technology via high-intensity electrical nano pulsing

Abstract Despite many efforts, the outcomes obtained with field-assisted processing of materials still rely on long-term coupling with other electroless processes. This conceals the efficacy and the intrinsic contributions of electric current. A new device utilizing electrical nano pulsing (ENP) has been designed and constructed to bring quasi-instantaneous modifications to the micro- and nano-structure in materials. Featuring ultra-high intensity (~ 10 11 A/m 2 ) and ultra-short duration (< 1 μs), the ENP technology activates non-equilibrium structural evolutions at nanometer spatial scale and nanosecond temporal scale. Several examples are provided to demonstrate its utility far outpacing any conventional materials processing technology. The ENP technology gives a practical tool for exploring the intrinsic mechanism of electric-field effects and a pathway towards the rapid industrial manufacturing of materials with unique properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

New-Generation Carbon-Capture Ionic Liquids Regulated by Metal-Ion Coordination

Development of efficient carbon capture-and-release technologies with minimal energy input is a long-term challenge in mitigating CO 2 emissions, especially via CO 2 chemisorption driven by engineered chemical bond construction. Herein, taking advantage of the structural diversity of ionic liquids (ILs) in tuning their physical and chemical properties, precise reaction energy regulation of CO 2 chemisorption was demonstrated deploying metal-ion-amino-based ionic liquids (MAILs) as absorbents. The coordination ability of different metal sites (Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Mg) to amines was harnessed to achieve fine-tuning on stability constants of the metal ion-amine complexes, acting as the corresponding cations in the construction of diverse ILs coupled with CO 2 -philic anions. The as-afforded MAILs exhibited efficient and controllable CO 2 release behavior with great reduction in energy input and minimal sacrifice on CO 2 uptake capacity. This coordination-regulated approach offers new prospects for the development of ILs-based systems and beyond towards energy-efficient carbon capture technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Retrofitting Holcim Ste. Genevieve Cement Plant with CO2 Capture Plant Using Air Liquide Cryocap™ FG Technology

The global cement manufacturing industry is a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. The International Energy Agency's "Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario" identifies CCS as a major strategy for meeting that goal. This project is among the first attempts to transfer capture technology developed at coal-fired power plants to the cement industry. The main objective of the project is to execute and complete a front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for commercial-scale, carbon capture projects that separates 95% of the total CO2 emissions at the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement manufacturing facility using Air Liquide’s Pressure Swing Adsorption system (PSA) assisted Cryocap™ technology. The Holcim Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Missouri, US, boasts one of the largest single cement production lines in the world, with a capacity of approximately 12,000 t/day. The plant currently uses traditional fuels, namely coal and petcoke. The captured CO2 will be pipeline and geological storage grade. The industrial host site emits approximately 3.0 million tonne CO2/yr. Air Liquide’s Cryocap™ technology has been developed over the last 18+ years for CO2 capture applications. It has been shown to be applicable to a variety of industrial applications (e.g., steel, cement, SMR, Fluidized Catalytic Crackers (FCCs)). Cryocap™ FG consists of a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) unit coupled with a Cryogenic System. The PSA pre-concentrates the CO2 from the flue gas, while the cryogenic unit enables the CO2 purity to be increased to the desired level. The project team is led by the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The tasks include: complete FEED study for retrofitting the industrial facility with a carbon capture system to support developing a detailed cost estimate; business case analysis outlining the anticipated revenue and credits if projects was built and operated; technoeconomic analysis (TEA) outlining how capture system achieves DOE capture goals; and life cycle (LCA) analysis demonstrating zero net carbon emissions. The FEED study was successfully completed. This includes completing the process basis of design; preliminary engineering; outside battery limits (OSBL) detailed engineering including a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) wastewater treatment system; inside battery limits (ISBL) detailed engineering [1]. An overall project capital cost estimate within a -20%/+30% accuracy was developed. The major contributors to the Total Plant Cost (TPC), by system, are the costs associated with the Outside Battery Limit (OSBL) section of the plant which includes a new river water intake structure and a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system. By cost category, the major contributors to the TPC are equipment and subcontractor costs, followed closely by engineering, construction management, home office and contractor fees. The TEA has been created to reflect the findings of the project. It analyzes the economic performance of the Cryocap™ technology by reviewing the estimated capital costs, operating cost, and revenue. The Cost of Capture (COC) associated with the Cryocap™ technology for 95% CO2 capture, when considering NETL 2018 economic assumptions (42/58 debt/equity ratio, 5.15% interest on debt and 1.42% return on equity in real dollars) and 2022 economic assumptions (42/58 debt/equity ratio, 8.82% interest on debt and 4.90% return on equity in real dollars) was found to be much lower than that for the DOE-NETL’s base-line cases. The highest contributors to the COC are annualized capital expenditures (CAPEX) and electricity consumption which can be offset by using lower cost renewable sources. The LCA was conducted using OpenLCA which is an open-source software that is recommended by NETL. The database utilized for this study was a modified version of TRACI 2.1 (developed by the US. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory and modified by NETL). The Cryocap™ FG technology does not consume fuels in significant quantities and does not utilize specialized chemical solvents subject to decomposition, such as those utilized in amine-based carbon capture systems. The Cryocap™ FG technology mainly utilizes electricity as its energy input; hence, its calculated emissions are mainly associated with the generation of electricity offsite and are dependent on the energy matrix of the grid at the time of project implementation. The water consumption impact of the Cryocap™ FG is mostly for makeup of the water lost by evaporation in the cooling tower; however, the carbon capture plant will be equipped with a ZLD system to avoid effluent streams and minimize water consumption. The successful construction and operation of this plant based on this study results will provide a means to demonstrate an economically attractive and transformational capture technology that can be used to retrofit existing plants and be deployed at new plants.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2020

DOE Hanford Tank Side Cesium Removal System (TSCR) Update: Fabrication and Factory Acceptance Testing - 20300

The Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) System is a modular, quickly-deployable, and passively safe system for efficiently removing solids and cesium from alkaline liquid waste raffinate created by fuel processing on the Hanford site. This paper provides an overview of the project with particular emphasis on completion of fabrication and factory acceptance testing (FAT). All TSCR System components are inside three enclosures known as the Process Enclosure, Ancillary Enclosure, and Control Enclosure. The Process Enclosure is seismic design category II (SDC-II) and built to withstand the rigors of transportation and lifting, high winds, volcanic ash fall, and heavy precipitation (snow) over a temperature range of -25 to 115 deg. F. The Process Enclosure and Control Enclosure were fabricated in AVANTech's Columbia, SC facility, while the Ancillary Enclosure was fabricated in AVANTech's Richland, WA facility. The design and preliminary documented safety analysis were completed in December 2019, with all work being performed in accordance with ASME NQA-1 quality assurance requirements. The Process Enclosure, Ion Exchange Columns (IXCs), and several other TSCR components have a nuclear safety function and are designated as safety significant structures, systems, and components (SS-SSCs). The NQA-1 Commercial Grade Dedication (CGD) process was used to identify critical characteristics in order to accept materials and items used for fabrication of several safety significant TSCR components. This paper also addresses unique aspects and challenges of implementing CGD in DOE facilities and systems. After fabrication and preliminary testing, the Process and Control Enclosures were shipped to AVANTech's Richland facility where the complete TSCR System was setup and connected in a represented layout and configuration that will be used on the Hanford site. Test tanks and pumps were put in place and connected to the TSCR Process Enclosure in a manner that mimicked interfacing Double Shell Tanks in the 241-AP Tank Farm. The TSCR System was then tested/operated under conditions equivalent to those planned for onsite operation. Testing was separated into five separate phases as defined below: - Phase 1: Confirmation of TSCR System readiness for the FAT; - Phase 2: Verification of TSCR System operation under standard conditions; - Phase 3: Demonstration of TSCR System operation under non-standard conditions; - Phase 4: Demonstration of ion exchange media removal from an IXC; and - Phase 5: Completion of TSCR System lift plans and site mobilization. The Hanford Tank Operations Contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), participated in all phases of testing. Testing at AVANTech's Richland Facility allowed WRPS personnel to familiarize themselves with TSCR operations in a radiologically clean facility prior to onsite mobilization. Engineering and operations personnel gained valuable experience that allowed them to better refine onsite operational protocols and procedures - including handling and movement of IXCs with a forklift. This paper describes the technologies used by the TSCR System as well as how these technologies are deployed and operated to advance the Hanford mission of safely, efficiently, and effectively treating tank waste. It also provides detailed information on fabrication and FAT, including operational data from simulated tank waste runs. A project schedule for WRPS' planned construction acceptance testing, operational acceptance testing, and actual tank waste treatment is provided. This presentation should be of great interest to parties responsible for the design, testing, and mobilization of modular NQA-1 technologies for the treatment of raffinate and similar liquid wastes containing high concentrations of radioactive cesium. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Wall Upgrades for Energy Retrofits: A Techno-Economic Study

Homes built before 1992, when the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program was established, represent approximately 68% of the residential building stock in the country. Up to 43% of these homes have little to no insulation in the walls and have very high air leakage rates of 10 or more air changes per hour at 50 pascals of pressure (ACH50). These issues can represent a substantial portion of unnecessary money spent on utility bills for homeowners, especially in the colder climates. There is a significant need for cost-effective, reliable retrofit methods for these homes that include air, moisture, and vapor controls which are considered best practices for high-performance new home construction. Well-tested and documented wall retrofit systems can help to achieve substantial energy savings and also improve durability, comfort, health, and resilience. In 2018, DOE’s Building Technologies Office awarded Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota funding to complete a 3-year project to compare a range of residential wall retrofit systems that prioritized affordability, durability and energy savings potential. In addition to these core criteria, the ease-of-construction and the wide-scale applicability of the solutions also were considered. In this project, the research team identified, constructed, tested, simulated, and analyzed the feasibility and economics of 16 wall retrofit assemblies (14 test configurations and two baseline configurations).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

Challenge-driven printing strategies toward high-performance solid-state lithium batteries

Solid-state lithium batteries (SSLBs) are promising candidates for replacing traditional liquid-based Li-ion batteries and revolutionizing battery systems for electric vehicles and portable devices. However, longstanding issues such as form factors, interfacial contact resistance, balance between ion conductivity and mechanical strength, and manufacturing processability limit their applications. In this review we present how advanced printing technologies can help to mitigate typical problems in main components of SSLBs and improve device performance. Here we first introduce the common printing techniques for energy storage devices, then focus on the issues and corresponding printing strategies for anodes, cathodes, and solid-state electrolytes to guide the construction of energy-dense, free-form SSLBs. The features and effects of the printed structures are emphasized, as well. We conclude by discussing the problems associated with printing technologies and the potential research directions for printed solid-state batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Investigation of Defect Physics for Efficient, Durable and Ubiquitous Perovskite Solar Modules (Final Technical Report)

Organometal halide perovskite solar cells have experienced eye-catching improvements in its recent few years. It serves as one of the most promising candidates to replace the currently widely used silicon-based solar modules. To implement its final step to the real application, functional longevity becomes the dernier continent to conquer. As a polycrystalline material, defect plays critical role in the efficiency and stability of the perovskite solar cells. Thus, the investigation of the defect physics of the perovskite layer is indispensable in this research field. However, hard evidence and a consensus are still lacking in terms of the specific nature of the defects and their effects on performance and hysteresis, and perhaps even more importantly, there is absence of fundamental understanding of the correlations between the defects and long-term operational stability of the device. A more fundamental understanding of the nature of defects in perovskite materials is of paramount importance to progress their efficiency and durability. In this work we propose in-depth studies of correlations of defects with performance and stability of perovskite solar cells. Our project aimed 1) to investigate the defects physics in perovskite solar cells, and 2) to develop a comprehensive understanding and physical model of defects and its influence on performance and stability of perovskite solar cells. With the support from program manager, Peter Lobaccaro, and the Solar Energy Technologies Office of U.S. Department of Energy, the project ends with impact achievements. Our research results have systematically provided strategies to analyze the influences of constructive molecular configurations to the charged defects in the perovskite lattices and developed in-depth understanding of chemical additive approach to improve the perovskite solar cell performance and stability. As history has shown us, control over defect properties of semiconductor materials is the key to achieving high performance and low cost devices. Therefore, the potential impact of unlocking the understanding and manipulation of defects in perovskites is great, enabling this technology to realize SETO goals. The research project is highly productive with 18 published papers in three years in top-level journals such as Science, Nature, Nature Materials, Nature Communications, Journal of American Chemistry Society, Joule, Advanced Materials, and Nano Letters. These works have drawn great attention nationwide with notable total citations over 700 times from 2020 to 2022.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact Report: Quantum Systems Accelerator

The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is a U.S. National Quantum Information Science Research Center established in August 2020 and funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. QSA is composed of 15 partner institutions— universities and national laboratories—bringing together pioneers of many of today’s unique quantum information science (QIS) and engineering capabilities. Led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia Labs) as the lead partner, 250+ QSA researchers are catalyzing U.S. leadership in a fast-growing field that seeks solutions to the Nation’s and the world’s most pressing problems by harnessing the laws of quantum mechanics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Turbo‐charging crop improvement: harnessing multiplex editing for polygenic trait engineering and beyond

Multiplex CRISPR editing has emerged as a transformative platform for plant genome engineering, enabling the simultaneous targeting of multiple genes, regulatory elements, or chromosomal regions. This approach is effective for dissecting gene family functions, addressing genetic redundancy, engineering polygenic traits, and accelerating trait stacking and de novo domestication. Its applications now extend beyond standard gene knockouts to include epigenetic and transcriptional regulation, chromosomal engineering, and transgene‐free editing. These capabilities are advancing crop improvement not only in annual species but also in more complex systems such as polyploids, undomesticated wild relatives, and species with long generation times. At the same time, multiplex editing presents technical challenges, including complex construct design and the need for robust, scalable mutation detection. We discuss current toolkits and recent innovations in vector architecture, such as promoter and scaffold engineering, that streamline workflows and enhance editing efficiency. High‐throughput sequencing technologies, including long‐read platforms, are improving the resolution of complex editing outcomes such as structural rearrangements—often missed by standard genotyping—when targeting repetitive or tandemly spaced loci. To fully realize the potential of multiplex genome engineering, there is growing demand for user‐friendly, synthetic biology‐compatible, and scalable computational workflows for gRNA design, construct assembly, and mutation analysis. Experimentally validated inducible or tissue‐specific promoters are also highly desirable for achieving spatiotemporal control. As these tools continue to evolve, multiplex CRISPR editing is poised to become a foundational technology of next‐generation crop improvement to address challenges in agriculture, sustainability, and climate resilience.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Functional and Operating Requirements for the Microreactor Agile Non-Nuclear Experimental Test Bed (MAGNET)

Microreactors, or small, transportable reactors with a capacity of < 20 MWTH, are sought to provide heat and power for myriad applications in remote areas, military installations, emergency operations, humanitarian missions and disaster relief zones as illustrated in Figure 1. These small, transportable reactor designs, while offering many advantages, are largely untested and unproven. System and component testing is needed to demonstrate to regulators that these designs are safe and to convince customers that the systems are robust, reliable, and efficient. The microreactor agile non-nuclear experimental test bed (MAGNET) is being constructed at Idaho National Laboratory to assist with the development, demonstration, and validation of microreactor components and systems. MAGNET will support technology maturation to reduce uncertainty and risk relative to the operation and deployment of this unique class of systems. Stakeholders for this test bed include microreactor developers, energy users, and regulators. Regulators will be engaged early in the design and testing to expedite regulatory approval and licensing. Within MAGNET, systems and components can be safely tested, providing valuable information on operating regimes, failure modes, and thresholds. Since there are various types of microreactors being proposed, which can be classified according to their core cooling method, heat-pipes, gas-cooled (pebble bed or prismatic), molten salt, light water, or light water, the goal is to provide a test bed that is broadly applicable to multiple microreactor concepts. Each reactor type poses a different set of design and operational challenges and performance claims stated by commercial vendors have not been independently verified through rigorous testing. The initial set of tests to be performed in MAGNET are targeted towards demonstrating the feasibility and performance of heat-pipe cooled reactors, since this concept is unique to very small nuclear reactors. However, the testbed will be constructed to accommodate other designs in addition to heat-pipe cooled reactors.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Current and Future Technological Issues Challenges for Nuclear Graphite Components

Historical and current data requirements for component qualification, as-manufactured graphite material properties, Irradiated & degraded material issues, code rules – Construction & Operation, status of current ASME code rules, progress in design rules, degradation, construction vs. operation, what should we be planning, and new technical areas getting started.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bench-Scale Testing of a High Efficiency, Ultra-Compact Process for Pre-Combustion CO 2 Capture (Final Report)

The overarching objective of this bench-scale study is to field-validate the technical feasibility of a membrane- and adsorption-enhanced water gas shift (WGS) reaction process that employs a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane reactor (MR) followed by an adsorption reactor (AR) for pre-combustion CO 2 capture while demonstrating progress towards achievement of the overall performance goals of CO 2 capture with 95% CO 2 purity at a cost of electricity (COE) of 30% less than the baseline capture approaches. The main goal of this bench-scale project is to advance the proposed MR-AR transformative CO 2 capture technology to a sufficient maturity level so that our present industrial partners (M&PT and Worley) can potentially adapt the technology for further small pilot-scale testing. The project began at TRL 4, as the system prototype had already been validated in the laboratory on simulated syngas (as part of project DE-FE0026423). The project ended at TRL 5, via scaling-up of the prototype system and testing it on actual syngas at a host site (CAER at the University of Kentucky (UKy)). The project was carried-out in two different phases: In Phase I (during BP1 of the project), the team designed, constructed, and assembled the bench-scale experimental MR-AR system, prepared the membranes, adsorbents, and catalysts, tested the bench-scale unit with simulated syngas to validate functionality, and prepared a preliminary TEA of the technology. In Phase II (during BP2 of the project), the team installed the unit at the test site at the UKy site and completed all utility connections and hookups, field-tested the novel MR-AR process in the bench-scale system using real syngas, collected and analyzed experimental data, and completed a detailed TEA of the technology. A key aim of the project was to identify and address the technical and process risks and to generate information to advance the technology to the next stage of development. All project milestones and success criteria were met. Specifically, the team: (i) designed, constructed and assembled a bench scale system that handled 1 – 5 scfm syngas and tested its functionality with simulated syngas; (ii) prepared high performance CMS membrane tubes (ID: 3.5 mm, OD: 5.7 mm, 30” long) that meet the target H 2 permeance ( > 1 m 3 /(m 2 .hr.bar) or (> 370.3 GPU)) and a target H 2 /CO selectivity >80 at the relevant temperature (up to 300oC) and pressure conditions (up to 25 bar) with a <10% decline in performance over each 250 hr. testing period (iii) procured commercial sour-shift catalyst in sufficient quantity and prepared up to 10 kg of pelletized adsorbent for use at relevant conditions (250oC 2.5wt.% and target sorbent attrition rate < 0.2; (iv) installed the bench-scale unit at the test site (UKy) and tested the MR-AR technology using real syngas for over 250 hr. for both static and flow experiments; (v) updated the TEA analysis based on bench-scale data and met CO 2 capture goals of 95% CO 2 purity at a cost of electricity 30% less than baseline capture approaches. The CMS membranes, HTC adsorbents and catalysts employed all exhibited very robust and stable performance during the long-term run (over a >250 hr live syngas run). Furthermore, the proposed MR-AR IGCC system achieved a LCOE with a N 2 sale price of $\$$ 30/ton, with N 2 compression (no N 2 compression) of 101.2 $\$$/MWh (95.3 $\$$/MWh), which represents a 29.8% (33.9%) LCOE reduction in the baseline IGCC with carbon capture of 144.2 $\$$/MWh. The proposed MR-AR IGCC delivers a CO 2 capture cost of 44.8 $\$$/tonne (39.9 $\$$/tonne) vs 98.1 $\$$/tonne of the baseline capture case and a net power production of 586 MWe (623 MWe) vs 556 MWe of the baseline capture case.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Findings on subtask 3.3 – applicability of automated brine chemistry determinations for treatment and recovery processes through facility automation/modularization: engineering design study

Under the Energy & Environmental Research Center’s (EERC’s) ~$\$$22 million Phase II Brine Extraction and Storage Test (BEST) Program, a multimillion-dollar brine treatment technology test bed facility was established in western North Dakota to provide a platform for evaluating developing technologies and approaches for brine treatment and volume reduction. The initial facility, and associated research effort, was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with in-kind contributions provided by several industry participants and the state of North Dakota. Since its opening, the Brine Technology Test Facility (BTTF) has supported performance evaluations of desalination technologies capable of treating high-salinity produced water (PW) and enabled data collection for multiple approaches of PW management and critical material recovery. As part of the decommissioning process for the original project, facility ownership and liability were transferred to Select Water, which is providing the EERC with a continuing site access option for state or federal research and/or commercial technology development. This report documents the findings from a design study conducted by the EERC and the engineering firm that was originally contracted to design and construct the facility (Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC [AE2S]) that evaluated the current status of BTTF and its systems and developed a retrofit design to increase the facility’s capabilities through automation and modularization of its PW treatment infrastructure. The proposed retrofit will provide DOE and industry with an expanded range of conditioned PW that can be produced at the facility for evaluating fit-for-purpose water treatment technologies, online instrumentation for brine chemistry determination, and systems that recover critical materials like lithium and magnesium. The current facility consists of an 9600-square-foot facility that includes a 40-foot by 65-foot Class 1, Division 2-rated demonstration area and associated control rooms and lab-ready space capable of sourcing oil and gas PW and wastewater from industrial sources or tailoring brine compositions up to 300,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS) and supplying them at rates up to 25 gpm for extended-duration technology demonstrations. The colocation of the facility with Select Water’s water management facilities allows for access and unloading of more than 10,000 bbl/day of trucked water delivered to site and associated access to on-site Class I and Class II brine disposal wells and nearby hazardous waste landfills operated and/or contracted by Select Water to dispose of concentrate and/or effluents associated with the testing.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigations in the tape-to-tape contact resistance and contact composition in superconducting CORC ® wires

Conductor on Round Core (CORC®) wires and cables, constructed from multiple layers of helically wound REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7–δ tapes, are a promising cable technology for high field magnet applications. An important feature of high-temperature superconductor cables is the ability to share current between conductors, allowing current to bypass drops in I c and minimizing the risk of hot spot formation, which could lead to potential burnout in the superconductor. In contrast to stacked-tape cables, which have continuous contact between tapes, in CORC® the transfer points occur at discrete tape crossovers. The tape-to-tape contact resistance, R c , plays a critical role in the current sharing capabilities and current distribution in cables. For the work reported here, special CORC® wires were manufactured using different winding parameters to investigate variations in R c . Variations comprised inclusion of a lubricant, different lubricant conductivity, inclusion of pre-tinning, and heating briefly to melt the solder. Cables were first tested as straight lengths, followed by bending to a 10 cm diameter. In straight cables R c values ranged from 1 to over 1000 μΩ cm 2 , depending on cabling parameters, with the highest values being found for cables made by the present 'standard' process. Bending the cables to a 10 cm diameter decreased R c by a factor 2–5. Tinning with PbSn decreased R c by three orders of magnitude compared to standard CORC® wires, and heat treating wires with tinned conductor resulted in only a small further decrease in R c . Based on the measured R c at an electric field of 1 μV cm –1 the resulting current transfer length between layers can range from a few millimeters to a tens of centimeters. Examination of contacts with a laser confocal microscope showed plastic deformation of the copper at the edges of the contact overlap area, apparently caused by thicker plating at tape edges digging into the copper of neighboring layers. These images reveal that only a fraction of the total contact surface may actually be touching when there is nothing to compensate for height differential. Images of the PbSn coated tapes indicated that application of solder produces a much more uniform contact surface and higher contact area. Furthermore, imaging of CORC® cross-sections confirmed that in the non-tinned cables there are many regions where tapes are not in contact, while in contrast the PbSn cable shows significantly more contact between the tapes. These different imaging techniques reveal that tape surface morphology is a significant parameter in determining R c .

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

HFTS-1 Natural Joint Data and Engineering Summary

This report provides an analysis of engineering and geologic data collected from the Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site #1 (HTSF-1) project in the southern Midland Basin, Reagan County, Texas. The site is being studied as part of the Science-informed Machine Learning for Accelerating Real-Time Decisions in Subsurface Applications (SMART) Initiative at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The data collected is intended to provide a basis of understanding of the site and to construct simulation models. This report provides a summary analysis of the engineering and geologic data collected from the project to provide a basis of understanding of the site and to construct simulation models. The report examines various possible correlations in engineering properties based on natural fracture data from the program, which consisted of 11 horizontal wells, one vertical well, and one slant well. The horizontal wells are in two horizons: 1) Upper and 2) Middle Wolfcamp formations. Program data include: fracture frequency and fracture orientation data from four core runs in a slant well; fracture spacing and orientation from a vertical pilot well; laboratory triaxial testing and mineralogical determinations; and porosity results from magnetic resonance analyses from various wells, together with observations based on the data collection. In addition, available references were reviewed on the site for additional insights. As the focus of the report is on the natural system, hydraulic fracture data from the site were not examined in detail in this report. Data variability is the chief observation in examination of the database. Fracture frequency in the slant well can range from sections with values as high as five fractures per ft to sections up to 100+ ft in length with no natural observed fractures. Fracture spacing across is typically less than 10 ft, but can range up to hundreds of feet. Apparent fracturing shows the trends in two predominate orientations, E-SW and WNW-ESE, but minor variations exist. The rock units vary across the site from siliceous mudstones to calcareous mudstones, showing a general layering with depth. The laboratory properties such as strength and modulus show no apparent trend with depth, but appear to correlate with rock mineralogy with high strength and modulus values where calcium content is high. In addition, an attempt to examine variability and mineralogy on a larger scale was made using a color-coded system based on gamma ray measurements. A staged colored approach was adopted, presuming that lower gamma ray values indicate higher value of calcium content (blue scale) and that higher gamma ray values indicate higher clay mineral content (orange scale). As provided in report appendices, the system correlated well with visual examination of the slant core and the petrofabric analyses of the vertical pilot well. The results showed large variability in mineral content along the horizontal plane across the site. The change in mineral content was also rapid, on a scale less than that of the average hydraulic fracture stage length of about 180 ft.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Review and construction of interatomic potentials for molecular dynamics studies of hydrogen embrittlement in Fe─C based steels

Abstract Reducing hydrogen embrittlement in the low‐cost Fe─C based steels have the potential to significantly impact the development of hydrogen energy technologies. Molecular dynamics studies of hydrogen interactions with Fe─C steels provide fundamental information about the behavior of hydrogen at microstructural length scales, although such studies have not been performed due to the lack of an Fe─C─H ternary interatomic potential. In this work, the literature on interatomic potentials related to the Fe─C─H systems are reviewed with the aim of constructing an Fe─C─H potential from the published binary potentials. We found that Fe─C, Fe─H, and C─H bond order potentials exist and can be combined to construct an Fe─C─H ternary potential. Therefore, we constructed two such Fe─C─H potentials and demonstrate that these ternary potentials can reasonably capture hydrogen effects on deformation characteristics and deformation mechanisms for a variety of microstructural variations of the Fe─C steels, including martensite that results from γ to α phase transformation, and pearlite that results from the eutectic formation of the Fe 3 C cementite compound.

Zhou, Xiaowang↗
DOE OSTI2024

Coal-derived electrically conductive asphalt pavements for snow/ice melting: From laboratory to field

Timely removal of ice and snow from roads is critical to safe, fast, and uninterrupted transportation networks in cold regions. Constructing electrically conductive asphalt pavements to melt the ice and snow on the roads through resistive eating is an emerging alternative technology to traditional snow/ice removal approaches such as utilizing snowplow machines and deicing chemicals. Carbon-based fibers and fillers including carbon fiber and graphite have been widely reported to make electrically conductive hot mix asphalt mixtures for pavement snow/ice-melting applications. This study aimed to develop and demonstrate a novel type of electrically conductive asphalt pavements for snow/ice-melting, which utilizes electrically conductive cold mix asphalt (CMA) mixtures incorporating coal-derived carbon-based coke aggregate as resistive heating elements. Both laboratory experiments and field tests were conducted to investigate the electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of such electrically conductive asphalt mixtures and pavements. The laboratory experiment results indicated that the electrically conductive CMA mixtures incorporating coke aggregate had sufficiently high electrical conductivity and satisfactory mechanical performance and the pavement prototype slab utilizing a thin layer of such CMA mixtures could successfully raise the pavement surface temperatures to 8.3–11.7 °C rom a low temperature of –5 °C with an input power density of 473 W/m 2 . The field test results showed that the full-scale coal-derived electrically conductive asphalt pavements were able to increase the pavement surface temperatures when electricity was applied, but the magnitude of temperature increase was highly dependent on the power density. Furthermore, it is promising to use coke aggregate to construct coal-derived electrically conductive asphalt pavements for snow/ice melting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗