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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Formation of tunable diamond micro- and nanopillars for field effect enhancement applications

Here, we developed a process for the fabrication of tunable single crystal diamond micro- and nanopillars, with tip widths ranging from 40 to 460 nm, densities ranging from 0.5 to 53.5 pillars/μm 2 , and heights greater than 4.5 μm. A self-assembled Au nanodot ensemble etch mask was formed from an annealed Au thin film. The nanodot diameter and density can be tuned using the initial film thickness. The pillars were etched from the nanodot mask using an RIE O 2 plasma, which has infinite selectivity for the diamond when applied at low RF powers (50 W). Finally, the pillars can be sharpened to ~40 nm tip widths by annealing in air at 650 °C. These pillars can be used for applications such as field effect enhancement of diamond photocathode devices, enhancement of optical emission from N-V centers, and antireflective coatings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Maximizing the Proppant Carrying and Viscoelastic Properties of the Bakken Hypersaline-Produced Water with High-Viscosity Friction Reducers for Sustainable Applications

Summary The development and production of unconventional reservoirs, such as the Bakken Formation, have become a resolved mystery for operators in North America since the arrival and advancement of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies. As a result, unconventional reservoir assets became the central focus of the oil and gas industry at the state, national, and global levels. The produced water from these activities in the Bakken Formation have high salt contents (110,000–350,000 ppm) total dissolve solids (TDS) and can pose significant challenges to the environment if not treated. Deep injection into disposal wells is the routine method used to get rid of the Bakken produced water. However, there have been some concerns that unrestrained injections, in addition to polluting the groundwater, could potentially lead to seismic activities either at the time of injection or in the near future. To diminish the environmental impacts that may be associated with induced seismicity, including the reduction of the costs of water acquisition, the produced water can be treated and reused in the hydraulic fracturing processes. Also, the treated water could be used for irrigation purposes, for power generation, and coal mining operations. The issues of waste water and residual oil high in TDS are challenges yet to be effectively addressed despite preceding research and studies on advancing produced water technologies. The goal of this study is to explore all applicable ways by which the produced water from the Bakken Formation can serve as a replacement base fluid for use with polymers like the high-viscosity friction reducers (HVFRs) to create hydraulic fracturing fluids that can be stable with reservoir conditions and also be able to minimize environmental impacts and cost of operations. Experimental investigations using the high-salinity produced water from the Bakken Formation with HVFRs were carried out. The studies included a base case that served as a bench mark for comparing the effectiveness of the other scenarios. The results indicate that the Bakken hyper-saline produced water can withstand effect of heavy metals, salinity, hardness and remain stable through different shear rates (66–330 s−1) when treated with higher dosages [4–8 gal/1,000 gal (gpt)] of HVFRs. Filtration and dilution were the only methods used on the Bakken Formation produced wate for this research

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multiphysics Coupling Methods for Molten Salt Reactor Modeling and Simulation in VERA

New multiphysics coupling capabilities for molten salt reactor (MSR) analysis have been developed in the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA). This development consisted of two main efforts. First, a generic species transport module was added in the CTF code, which is the thermal-hydraulics (TH) code for VERA. This module uses the velocity fields for which CTF solves during the TH calculation to transport species through the core and around the primary loop. Additionally, a gas sparging model has been added to CTF to model the movement of certain species, namely, fission products such as xenon gas, to transport between the molten salt and gas bubbles present in the salt. The second effort in this development was coupling this capability to VERA’s neutron transport code MPACT. This effort focused on coupling the detailed TH transport models in CTF to MPACT to account for feedback effects in the neutron transport calculations. Finally, the thermochemistry code Thermochimica has also been coupled to VERA. Thermochimica performs pointwise calculations for chemical potential and Gibbs free energy and determines what phases are produced by the temperature, pressure, and elemental concentrations at different locations in the primary loop. These capabilities are demonstrated using a model of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). Furthermore, this reactor operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s, providing sources of experimental data that were used to develop the model. Various combinations of species were modeled using VERA’s new multiphysics coupling capabilities. Species distributions and reactivity effects behaved as expected for the MSRE model, demonstrating that the coupling is behaving correctly and causing appropriate feedback. The results of these calculations show the potential for VERA to be used for a wide variety of MSR analyses.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electrochemical Imaging of Interfaces in Energy Storage via Scanning Probe Methods: Techniques, Applications, and Prospects

Developing a deeper understanding of dynamic chemical, electronic, and morphological changes at interfaces is key to solving practical issues in electrochemical energy storage systems (EESSs). To unravel this complexity, an assortment of tools with distinct capabilities and spatiotemporal resolutions have been used to creatively visualize interfacial processes as they occur. This review highlights how electrochemical scanning probe techniques (ESPTs) such as electrochemical atomic force microscopy, scanning electrochemical microscopy, scanning ion conductance microscopy, and scanning electrochemical cell microscopy are uniquely positioned to address these challenges in EESSs. We describe the operating principles of ESPTs, focusing on the inspection of interfacial structure and chemical processes involved in Li-ion batteries and beyond. We discuss current examples, performance limitations, and complementary ESPTs. Finally, we discuss prospects for imaging improvements and deep learning for automation. We foresee that ESPTs will play an enabling role in advancing EESSs as we transition to renewable energies.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Automated Threat Recognition For Aviation Security Applications

We have developed a framework for automated threat recognition (ATR) of explosive threat materials for both single-energy and dual-energy X-ray CT systems. Under this framework, two different types of ATR have been developed. The first type of ATR employs supervised machine learning with statistical characterization of target materials for threat identification training. The reliance only on statistical characterization information for threat training uniquely enables this style of ATR to adapt quickly to evolving threats. The second type of ATR employs deep learning through convolutional neural networks. Convolutional neural networks are attractive due to their human-like capacity for learning and strong ability to identify trends and patterns. Although this method is more powerful than the first type, it requires large amounts of training data and therefore is less agile. Each ATR performs threat characterization at the voxel neighborhood level. This approach avoids the use of threat shape as a detection criterion, which is prohibited by DHS and TSA guidelines.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Residual Stress Measurements of Cr-coated Cladding

Accident-tolerant fuel concepts for light-water reactor applications have been developed and tested in diverse research programs around the world. Industry teams have developed coated cladding concepts using different coating application methods, such as physical vapor deposition and coldspraying. Recently, variations in thickness and application method were investigated, and their effects on the microstructure and mechanical properties were reported. The results suggest an increase in performance in an unirradiated state, however, it remains unclear what phenomenon drove this performance. One explanation to this performance is associated with the coating process imparting a residual stress. Residual stress analysis was performed on coatings produced with various process parameters to understand how a thin layer of Cr impacts the mechanical properties after coating application and after simulated operating conditions. The gathered information is intended to address safety concerns or support margin identification related to accident-tolerant fuels and to support subsequent modeling and simulation efforts.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Developing Technology Performance Level Assessments for Early-Stage Wave Energy Converter Technologies: Preprint

The advantage of using Technology Performance Level (TPL) in conjunction with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessments in guiding technology development trajectories to successful outcomes in less time, at less overall cost, and with less encountered risk has been well articulated in the literature. In partnership with industry and international collaborators, a TPL assessment methodology for grid-connected applications has been developed through the application of the systems engineering approach. Metrics under seven different categories have been developed, weighted based on their relative relevance, and combined to yield a composite score. The methodology has been implemented in a spreadsheet tool plus a web application specifically aimed at assessing early stage (TRL 1-3) concepts. The target use cases are (a) technology developers improving their design, to find fatal flaws early, to get feedback on current design, to identify areas of improvement that will yield the highest return on investment, (b) reviewers assessing technologies in competitions or for making funding decisions, (c) investor or project developer doing due diligence, (d) policy makers landscaping the technology domain for formulating R&D strategy. The methodology and the tools are undergoing continuous improvement based on the experience and lessons learnt from applying it to internal and external marine energy technology development projects. The methodology is also being adapted for assessing WECs servicing markets outside the continental grid - broadly categorized as Powering the Blue Economy (PBE) applications. Such applications have vastly different functional requirements entailing a modification of the methodology to account for their higher risk tolerance, reduced price sensitivities, lower power needs, different permitting protocols, etc. This paper presents the latest status of the TPL assessment methodology and tools, describes its adaptation to select PBE markets, and explores its extension to other domains where it could provide a comprehensive and holistic measure of a nascent or disruptive technology's technoeconomic performance potential.

metrics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Developing Technology Performance Level Assessments for Early-Stage Wave Energy Converter Technologies

The advantage of using Technology Performance Level (TPL) in conjunction with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessments in guiding technology development trajectories to successful outcomes in less time, at less overall cost, and with less encountered risk has been well articulated in the literature. In partnership with industry and international collaborators, a TPL assessment methodology for grid-connected applications has been developed through the application of the systems engineering approach. Metrics under seven different categories have been developed, weighted based on their relative relevance, and combined to yield a composite score. The methodology has been implemented in a spreadsheet tool plus a web application specifically aimed at assessing early stage (TRL 1-3) concepts. The target use cases are (a) technology developers improving their design, to find fatal flaws early, to get feedback on current design, to identify areas of improvement that will yield the highest return on investment, (b) reviewers assessing technologies in competitions or for making funding decisions, (c) investor or project developer doing due diligence, (d) policy makers landscaping the technology domain for formulating R&D strategy. The methodology and the tools are undergoing continuous improvement based on the experience and lessons learnt from applying it to internal and external marine energy technology development projects. The methodology is also being adapted for assessing WECs servicing markets outside the continental grid - broadly categorized as Powering the Blue Economy (PBE) applications. Such applications have vastly different functional requirements entailing a modification of the methodology to account for their higher risk tolerance, reduced price sensitivities, lower power needs, different permitting protocols, etc. This paper presents the latest status of the TPL assessment methodology and tools, describes its adaptation to select PBE markets, and explores its extension to other domains where it could provide a comprehensive and holistic measure of a nascent or disruptive technology's technoeconomic performance potential.

metrics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Grizzly Development for Light Water Reactor and Advanced Reactor Applications in Fiscal Year 2021

This report summarizes work performed during Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Engineering Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program for the Structural Materials and Chemistry Technical Area in the work package entitled “MS-21IN050106 - Structural Materials - INL.” This effort mainly focused on development and application of capabilities for engineering-scale analysis of nuclear reactor structural components in the Grizzly and BlackBear codes. These efforts include performance improvements and application of models for high-temperature component response, cluster dynamics modeling of precipitation in light water reactor pressure vessel steel, engineering-scale capability development in the areas of concrete simulation and reactor pressure vessel analysis, and preparation for and conducting an independent assessment of the adherence of these codes to software quality standards.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development of Metal Boride/Carbide Precursors for MOCVD Applications

This report describes the proposed efforts for a three-year (CY23-25) program to develop refractory metal boride/carbide precursors for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) applications. Reported are the CY24 results on the thermal processing of bis-cyclopentadienyl dialkyl and tetra-alkyl precursors to obtain metal carbide products. Precursors evaluated are commercially available. Materials were processed within in a custom-built MOCVD system at 1000 ⁰C, as well as in a hot isostatic press (HIP) at temperatures of 1000 ⁰C or 1650 ⁰C at pressures of 5000 psi. The products were identified as metal carbide, metal oxide, or a mixture of carbide and oxide phases depending on the starting material and process used. Density functional theory calculations were performed to determine the decomposition mechanism and to inform how ligand choice led to the products.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design considerations for high entropy alloys in advanced nuclear applications

The demanding operating environments of advanced nuclear reactors require the development of new nuclear materials that can withstand their increased physical, chemical, thermal, and radiation-related challenges. High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have shown often-impressive mechanical, thermomechanical, and corrosion-resistant properties, and offer a massive, unexplored compositional space which allows for the targeted development of application-specific materials. Furthermore, although still in a nascent stage, research has shown that HEAs may exhibit unique irradiation tolerance, including reduced defect production and resistance to irradiation-induced swelling and hardening. The mechanisms behind this increased tolerance are not yet well-understood, although the HEA-specific attributes of a complex energy landscape, reduced thermal conductivity, and shift in defect migration energies and pathways provide promising explanations. Here this work assesses the current and future challenges faced by structural nuclear materials, identifying the specific applications in which HEAs may provide a competitive advantage compared to industry-standard materials with the aid of Ashby material selection maps. Considerations are provided for the design of future nuclear HEAs, including calculations of nuclear-relevant properties to assist in the initial down-selection of elements depending on application requirements (e.g., low neutron capture for in-core applications), narrowing the existing compositional space of HEAs to a manageable scope.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quantum Computing Strategy 2026

Quantum computing (QC) is a rapidly maturing technology with the potential for revolutionary impacts on stockpile stewardship science and national security. Recent developments in fault-tolerant architectures have compressed vendor roadmaps, and predictions of a production-ready quantum computer by the mid-2030s are becoming increasingly credible. This strategy provides a roadmap for integrating QC into the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program by investing in four strategic focus areas: 1. Develop Capabilities in Mission-Relevant Quantum Applications: ASC will prioritize developing quantum-ready applications in mission areas that have shown significant promise for quantum advantage, including simulations of materials in extreme environments, nuclear dynamics, solving linear and nonlinear partial differential equations, and uncertainty quantification. These applications directly support stockpile stewardship science and modernization objectives. 2. Conduct R&D in Algorithms, Software, and Hardware: Sustained research into quantum algorithms, robust software tools, and quantum hardware is essential. ASC will develop efficient quantum algorithms; invest in quantum compilers, debuggers, and performance tools; and explore specialized quantum hardware tailored to NNSA’s unique requirements. 3. Engage with Vendors and Partners: Early and active collaboration with commercial quantum hardware vendors and academic partners is critical. Through testbeds, co-design agreements, and quantum demonstration facilities, ASC will influence hardware design, gain early access to emerging technologies, and ensure that quantum platforms evolve to meet mission needs. 4. Build Knowledge, Experience, and Workforce: Expanding and upskilling the quantum-trained workforce is essential to long-term success. This includes hiring, internal training, university outreach, and postdoctoral support to ensure ASC maintains the expertise required to operate, program, and integrate quantum systems as they become available. While quantum computing will never replace classical computing, it has the potential to solve certain problems with speed and accuracy that would be unachievable using any conceivable classical high-performance computing (HPC) system. By investing strategically in QC, ASC will help propel the emergent QC industry, maintain U.S. technological leadership, ensure mission readiness, and position itself to rapidly adopt quantum technologies as they mature.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Performance improvements of the windowed multipole formalism using a rational fraction approximation of the Faddeeva function

The windowed multipole (WMP) formalism was introduced as a way to calculate Doppler broadened cross sections on the fly during Monte Carlo simulations. While more arithmetic is needed compared to point-wise cross section look-ups, performance remained competitive from the large memory reductions and sequential data access. The single most expensive function call in a depleted fuel assembly problem using WMP comes from the evaluation of the Faddeeva function, which previously relied on a highly accurate, highly-branching algorithm. This paper explores the use of rational fraction approximations tailored to the domain interest of reactor physics applications and the development of lower accuracy approximations sufficient for our application. The rational approximations were implemented and tested in OpenMC on an infinite medium problem to stress the cross section calculation routine and a PWR assembly problem. In both cases, the rational approximation nearly eliminated the ∼ 20% penalty previously observed when comparing to point-wise libraries. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Developing High-Resolution Constrained Variational Analysis of Vertical Velocity and Advective Tendencies within the Range of ARM Scanning Radars at the SGP

Research progress has been made in two areas. One is about the incorporation of the ARM variationally constrained objective analysis method into the WRF GSI data assimilation system. The other is the development of high resolution ARM data and its applications. Specially, we developed a new data assimilation algorithm by adding dynamical constraints to the WRF GSI data assimilation system using hybrid ensemble variational system to derive 3-D fields of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics over the ARM SGP sites. We also developed 4x4 km high-resolution constrained variational analysis data over the SGP during the PECAN and made them available to the community. Details are in the attached report.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Neuromorphic Computing for Scientific Applications

Neuromorphic computing technology continues to make strides in the development of new algorithms, devices, and materials. In addition, applications have begun to emerge where neuromorphic computing shows promising results. However, numerous barriers to further development and application remain. In this work, we identify several science areas where neuromorphic computing can either make an immediate impact (within 1 to 3 years) or the societal impact would be extremely high if the technological barriers can be addressed. We identify both opportunities and hurdles to the development of neuromorphic computing technology for these areas. Finally, we discuss future directions that need to be addressed to expand both the development and application of neuromorphic computing.

Patton, Robert↗
DOE OSTI2022

WBS 2.2.1.402 - Wave-SPARC: Systematic Process & Analysis for Reaching Commercialization

Wave-SPARC is empowering the marine energy community with the tools necessary to achieve a significant improvement in techno-economic performance of wave generated grid power. A detailed systems engineering approach simultaneously balances around 100 cost and performance drivers (functional requirements and capabilities) of wave energy converters (WECs). Publicly accessible technology innovation and assessment methods and tools (new to the wave energy sector) have been delivered. They guide technology development trajectories to successful outcomes in less time, at less overall cost, and with less encountered risk. Through the use of these methods and tools along with proven structured inventive techniques the project continues to deliver high potential novel wave energy technology concepts for validation and subsequent development by industry. The intended outcomes are: (1) Invention, assessment, identification, verification and validation of novel and high techno-economic-potential WEC technology concepts to deliver high-confidence "seeds" for subsequent industrial development to full commercial application and economic viability (2) Development and delivery of WEC technology innovation and assessment methodologies and tools and provision of these as services and for free use by industry and the entire sector (3) International collaboration for global best practice alignment of assessment and innovation methods.

innovation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Applied Research and Development to Support Open Water Testing at PacWave – Task 5: Development of additively manufactured, functionally graded, corrosion resistant clads for wave energy applications

In this task, we focused on developing corrosion-resistant claddings for wave energy applications. Wave energy systems are exposed to saline conditions, which are corrosive to many metallic structural materials (e.g., carbon steel). Corrosion-resistant (stainless) steels are typically alloyed with >18% chromium (Cr) and >8% nickel (Ni), which dramatically raises material costs and can hinder the development of wave energy systems; thus, coatings are a necessary corrosion protection method for most. Non-metallic coatings (paint, epoxy) have shorter service lives, limited resistance to mechanical stress and wear, plus additional costs of inspection and eventual replacement. Therefore, overlay stainless steel (SS) claddings have a cost-effective use case for protecting components from corrosion, particularly for those that may be subject to mechanical stress / wear and with long service lives.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗