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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 577 records · Page 32

Tailored Bioblendstocks With Low Environmental Impact To Optimize MCCI Engines

The prohect goal is to develop and demonstrate a microalgae bio-blendstock with greater than 60% greenhouse gas reduction potential relative to petroleum diesel, that can reduce sooting propensity, increase cetane number and improve engine thermal efficiency relative to a baseline diesel engine operating on conventional fuel.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Tailored Bioblendstocks with Low Environmental Impact to Optimize MCCI Engines (Final Technical Report)

The overall objective of the project is to develop and demonstrate a microalgae bio-blendstock with greater than 60% greenhouse gas reduction potential relative to petroleum diesel, that can reduce sooting propensity, increase cetane number and improve engine thermal efficiency relative to a baseline diesel engine operating on conventional fuel. Overall, the project achieved the proposed objectives including producing the final tangible deliverable. A sample of algal bioblendstock was analyzed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) staff and partners at Yale University. In addition, the work outlined in this report provides substantial new knowledge on the subjects of algae cultivation, algae conversion to biocrude, biocrude upgrading and combustion optimization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Tailoring Carbide Dispersed Steels: A Path to Increased Strength and Hydrogen Tolerance

The use of transition metal carbides is reported for use as a hydrogen trapping mechanism for ferritic and austenitic steel materials. The program combined computational modeling and simulations to guide experiments towards candidate metal carbide traps, both for interfacial and interior trapping. It was found that interfacial trapping is less effective than interior trapping, with the group IVB transition metal carbides being the most effect internal traps with a loss of carbon. The sub-stoichiometric rocksalt structure accommodate the hydrogen atoms in its octahedral interstices. Using percolation theory, carbon loss of approximately 25% or more was sufficient to ensure an interconnected network of vacancies for such trapping from the surface to the internal sites within the carbide. Using this as a guide, the program developed a means to provide a uniform dispersion of ZrC nanoparticles with either Fe or 304L micron-scale powders which was then consolidated by direct current sintering. Electrolytic hydrogen diffusivity studies confirmed the reduction of hydrogen diffusion in the matrix with increasing ZrC content, which was a linear response over the sample range studied (0.01 to 1.0 wt.%). The consolidated material was micro-tensile tested in either a non-hydrogen or hydrogen charge condition and compared to a control with no carbides. Additions up to 0.05 wt.% ZrC increased the yield strength with no loss in ductility in either the non-hydrogen or hydrogen tested condition. ZrC concentrations above this amount further increased the yield strength at the expense of ductility. While these samples had a lower absolute ductility value prior to failure, the relative change in ductility between the non-hydrogen and hydrogen charge states was less for the carbides than that of the control. Metal-rich ZrC nanoparticles were fabricated through a conformal coating process yielding ZrC0.66 particles that were then incorporated into a metal matrix. Notch fatigue testing in a hydrogen environment was conducted where the number of cycles to failure was found to be less in the control than that of the carbide addition. However, the spread in experimental data and the number of samples tested limits a conclusive outcome based on defects noticed in the gauge section of all the powder processed samples. The collective outcomes of this report provide further insight into the mechanisms by which carbides act as hydrogen traps; a means to process such carbides through powder metallurgy; and their associated mechanical performance in either a non-hydrogen or hydrogen-charged condition.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction: controlling adsorbate affinity to tailor reaction products

Every year, Haber-Bosch nitrogen fixation to form ammonia releases immense volumes of CO2. At the same time, nitrate contamination from untreated wastewater threatens human health across the US. Development of circular processes to efficiently upgrade waste nitrate for reuse is critical to sustainably address this growing environmental hazard. Electrochemical reduction of nitrate operates at ambient temperatures and pressures, and can leverage distributed renewable energy sources and water as a hydrogen source for ammonia production. However, current catalysts lack electron efficiency in reducing nitrate versus water, lack selectivity in forming ammonia as a product, or rely on expensive rare metals, making widespread implementation unfeasible. To overcome these limitations, this proposal seeks a mechanistic understanding of nitrate electrochemical reduction on earth abundant metals and their alloys, with the goal of identifying active-site properties that improve both Faradaic efficiency and product selectivity. This insight will extend to other electrocatalytic reductive process that compete with water reduction.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Near-net shaping of high-density, complex, spatially-tailored ceramics for extreme environments

The purpose of this subcontract is for LLNL to collaborate with the Subcontractor (UCSB) in the areas of binder jet additive manufacturing (BJAM), hot pressing (HP), finite element modeling (FEM), and multi-material sintering studies. LLNL wants to further develop its hot pressing, AM, and modeling capabilities through LLNL’s Early Career Faculty Program. This work will focus on developing a method to hot press complex-shaped ceramic parts through the co-deposition of a structural/functional ceramic and sacrificial mold material in one assembly via multi-material binder jet printing. The method aims to produce dense, near-net shaped parts with applications relevant to a wide variety of fields including aerospace, defense, and energy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Integration of thermally anisotropic building envelopes with TES and advanced controls to tailor HVAC loads

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are the primary energy consumers in buildings to meet heating or cooling energy demands. The building envelope can play an active role in reducing this demand and associated costs by collecting thermal energy naturally available, such as diurnal temperature swings, solar irradiance, and night sky radiation cooling, to offset heating and cooling loads.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Feasibility of Isotopically Tailored Low Activation Materials

Materials employed in future fusion reactors and advanced fission reactors are susceptible to activation and transmutation due to fast neutron flux, which drives the need for Low Activation Materials for survivability, maintenance, and long-term disposal considerations. This paper investigates the feasibility of using ORNL’s planned enrichment technologies to produce isotopically enriched or depleted materials for use in future reactor construction. We focus on identifying isotopes of interest and performing estimates of the required scale of enrichment to impact future design and operation.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗