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At least 667 records · Page 37

Geological and Geotechnical Site Investigation for the Design of a CO 2 Rich Flue Gas Direct Injection and Storage Facility

With international efforts to limit anthropogenic carbon in the atmosphere, various CO 2 sequestration methods have been studied by various facilities worldwide. Basalt rock in general has been referred to as potential host material for mineral carbonation by various authors, without much regard for compositional variations due to depositional environment, subsequent metamorphism, or hydrothermal alteration. Since mineral carbonation relies on the presence of certain magnesium, calcium, or iron silicates, it is necessary to study the texture, mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry of specific basalts before implying potential for mineral carbonation. The development of a methodology for the characterization of basalts with respect to their susceptibility for mineral carbonation is proposed to be developed as part of this research. The methodology will be developed based on whole rock data, petrography and microprobe analyses for samples from the Caledonia Mine in Michigan, which is the site for a proposed small-scale demonstration project on mineral carbonation in basalt. Samples from the Keweenaw Peninsula will be used to determine general compositional trends using whole rock data and petrography. Basalts in the Keweenaw Peninsula have been subjected to zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies metamorphism with concurrent native copper deposition. Alteration was likely due to the circulation of CO 2 -rich fluids at slightly elevated temperatures and pressures, which is the process that is attempted to be duplicated by mineral carbonation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Advanced Rooftop Control (ARC) Retrofit: Field-Test Results

The multi-year research study was initiated to find solutions to improve packaged equipment operating efficiency in the field. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office (BTO) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) conducted this research, development and demonstration (RD&D) study. Packaged equipment with constant speed supply fans is designed to provide ventilation at the design rate at all times when the fan is operating as required by building code. Although there are a number of hours during the day when a building may not be fully occupied or the need for ventilation is lower than designed, the ventilation rate cannot be adjusted easily with a constant speed fan. Therefore, modulating the supply fan in conjunction with demand controlled ventilation (DCV) will not only reduce the coil energy but also reduce the fan energy. The objective of this multi-year research, development and demonstration project was to determine the magnitude of energy savings achievable by retrofitting existing packaged rooftop air conditioners with advanced control strategies not ordinarily used for packaged units. First, through detailed simulation analysis, it was shown that significant energy (between 24% and 35%) and cost savings (38%) from fan, cooling and heating energy consumption could be realized when packaged air conditioning units with gas furnaces are retrofitted with advanced control packages (combining multi-speed fan control, integrated economizer controls and DCV). The simulation analysis also showed significant savings for heat pumps (between 20% and 60%). The simulation analysis was followed by an extensive field test of a retrofittable advanced rooftop unit (RTU) controller.

Katipamula, Srinivas↗

Florida Hydrogen Initiative (FHI) (Final Report)

The Florida Hydrogen Initiative (FHI) was a research, development and demonstration (RD&D) hydrogen and fuel cell program funded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The FHI program objectives were to develop Florida’s hydrogen and fuel cell infrastructure and to assist DOE in its hydrogen and fuel cell activities by creating partnerships for demonstration projects, sponsoring research and development programs, facilitating technology transfer between the public and private sectors, developing industry support and establishing unique hydrogen/fuel cell university-level education programs. The FHI program funded 12 RD&D projects. Each project was issued a sub-contract with specific tasks, deliverables and budget. The results of these projects are presented in this final report. In this Executive Summary, a one paragraph description is given for each of the 12 projects conducted with FHI support. The 12 projects are presented in numerical order by task (Task 1 to Task 14). These include five projects (Tasks 1, 5, 7, 10 and 13) in the hydrogen technology areas, five (Tasks 2, 8, 9, 11 and 14) fuel cell related activities and two covering education and public understanding and information exchange (Task 3 and 12). Note that Tasks 4 and 6 were administrative tasks.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 13: Energy Performance Techniques and Technologies: Preserving Historic Homes

This guide is a resource to help contractors renovate historic houses, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. The best practices described in this document are based on the results of research and demonstration projects conducted by Building America’s research teams. Building America brings together the nation’s leading building scientists with over 300 production builders to develop, test, and apply innovative, energy-efficient construction practices. The guide is available for download from the DOE Building America website www.buildingamerica.gov.

Building America↗

Crystal Settling, Redox, and High Temperature Properties of ORP HLW and LAW Glasses (Final Report)

The radioactive tank waste treatment programs at the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) have featured joule heated ceramic melter technology for the vitrification of high level waste (HLW). The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) employs this same basic technology not only for the vitrification of HLW streams but also for the vitrification of Low Activity Waste (LAW) streams. Because of the much greater throughput rates required of the WTP as compared to the vitrification facilities at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) or the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), the WTP employs advanced joule heated melters with forced mixing of the glass pool (bubblers) to improve heat and mass transport and increase melting rates.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Final Scientific/Technical Report

Led by James Madison University, Valley 25x?25 promotes using a diverse energy portfolio to achieve the goal of 25 percent renewable energy by 2025, including renewables like wind, biomass, solar, and geothermal. A primary emphasis is energy efficiency, which offers the best opportunities to decrease the use and impact of non-renewable energy sources. Endorsed by the national 25x?25 organization, Valley 25x?25 serves as an East Coast Demonstration Project, and as such, partners with regional businesses, local and state governments, institutions of higher education, and K-12 schools to explore how Valley resources can contribute to the development of innovative energy solutions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Development of Post-Installation Monitoring Capabilities

The development of approaches to harness marine and hydrokinetic energy at large-scale is predicated on the compatibility of these generation technologies with the marine environment. At present, aspects of this compatibility are uncertain. Demonstration projects provide an opportunity to address these uncertainties in a way that moves the entire industry forward. However, the monitoring capabilities to realize these advances are often under-developed in comparison to the marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies being studied. Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County has proposed to deploy two 6-meter diameter tidal turbines manufactured by OpenHydro in northern Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, Washington. The goal of this deployment is to provide information about the environmental, technical, and economic performance of such turbines that can advance the development of larger-scale tidal energy projects, both in the United States and internationally. The objective of this particular project was to develop environmental monitoring plans in collaboration with resource agencies, while simultaneously advancing the capabilities of monitoring technologies to the point that they could be realistically implemented as part of these plans. In this, the District was joined by researchers at the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center at the University of Washington, Sea Mammal Research Unit, LLC, H.T. Harvey & Associates, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

EVALUATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DWPF HIGHER CAPACITY CANISTER

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is considering the option to increase canister glass capacity by reducing the wall thickness of the current production canister. This design has been designated as the DWPF Higher Capacity Canister (HCC). A significant decrease in the number of canisters processed during the life of the facility would be achieved if the HCC were implemented leading to a reduced overall reduction in life cycle costs. Prior to implementation of the change, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested to conduct an evaluation of the potential impacts. The specific areas of interest included loading and deformation of the canister during the filling process. Additionally, the effect of the reduced wall thickness on corrosion and material compatibility needed to be addressed. Finally the integrity of the canister during decontamination and other handling steps needed to be determined. The initial request regarding canister fabrication was later addressed in an alternate study. A preliminary review of canister requirements and previous testing was conducted prior to determining the testing approach. Thermal and stress models were developed to predict the forces on the canister during the pouring and cooling process. The thermal model shows the HCC increasing and decreasing in temperature at a slightly faster rate than the original. The HCC is shown to have a 3°F ΔT between the internal and outer surfaces versus a 5°F ΔT for the original design. The stress model indicates strain values ranging from 1.9% to 2.9% for the standard canister and 2.5% to 3.1% for the HCC. These values are dependent on the glass level relative to the thickness transition between the top head and the canister wall. This information, along with field readings, was used to set up environmental test conditions for corrosion studies. Small 304-L canisters were filled with glass and subjected to accelerated environmental testing for 3 months. No evidence of stress corrosion cracking was indicated on either the canisters or U-bend coupons. Calculations and finite element modeling were used to determine forces over a range of handling conditions along with possible forces during decontamination. While expected reductions in some physical characteristics were found in the HCC, none were found to be significant when compared to the required values necessary to perform its intended function. Based on this study and a review of successful testing of thinner canisters at West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), the mechanical properties obtained with the thinner wall do not significantly undermine the ability of the canister to perform its intended function.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

A New Campus Built on Efficiency - UC Merced

The University of California (UC), Merced partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit two existing buildings to reduce energy consumption by at least 30% as part of DOE’s Commercial Buildings Partnerships (CBP) Program.1 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) provided technical expertise in support of this DOE program. This case study reports expected savings from proposed design recommendations for the campus, which are subject to change in final construction. It is estimated that UC Merced will achieve the 30% reduction in the two participating buildings, the central plant and the Science & Engineering (S&E) building. The savings from retrofits of those buildings represent about 17% of whole-campus energy use. In addition, the energy saved by the CBP retrofits supports a broader goal, UC Merced’s “Triple Zero” commitment to zero net energy, zero landfill waste, and zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Although the campus has already made progress toward that goal with its efficient building construction and operation, opportunities for deeper savings remain, as the CBP project demonstrates.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Smart Grid Information Clearinghouse (SGIC)

Since the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was enacted, there has been a large number of websites that discusses smart grid and relevant information, including those from government, academia, industry, private sector and regulatory. These websites collect information independently. Therefore, smart grid information was quite scattered and dispersed. The objective of this work was to develop, populate, manage and maintain the public Smart Grid Information Clearinghouse (SGIC) web portal. The information in the SGIC website is comprehensive that includes smart grid information, research & development, demonstration projects, technical standards, costs & benefit analyses, business cases, legislation, policy & regulation, and other information on lesson learned and best practices. The content in the SGIC website is logically grouped to allow easily browse, search and sort. In addition to providing the browse and search feature, the SGIC web portal also allow users to share their smart grid information with others though our online content submission platform. The Clearinghouse web portal, therefore, serves as the first stop shop for smart grid information that collects smart grid information in a non-bias, non-promotional manner and can provide a missing link from information sources to end users and better serve users’ needs. The web portal is available at www.sgiclearinghouse.org. This report summarizes the work performed during the course of the project (September 2009 – August 2014). Section 2.0 lists SGIC Advisory Committee and User Group members. Section 3.0 discusses SGIC information architecture and web-based database application functionalities. Section 4.0 summarizes SGIC features and functionalities, including its search, browse and sort capabilities, web portal social networking, online content submission platform and security measures implemented. Section 5.0 discusses SGIC web portal contents, including smart grid 101, smart grid projects, deployment experience (i.e., use cases, lessons learned, cost-benefit analyses and business cases), in-depth information (i.e., standards, technology, cyber security, legislation, education and training and demand response), as well as international information. Section 6.0 summarizes SGIC statistics from the launch of the portal on July 07, 2010 to August 31, 2014. Section 7.0 summarizes publicly available information as a result of this work.

Rahman, Saifur↗

Vehicle Lightweighting: 40% and 45% Weight Savings Analysis: Technical Cost Modeling for Vehicle Lightweighting

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, Materials area commissioned a study to model and assess manufacturing economics of alternative design and production strategies for a series of lightweight vehicle concepts. The strategic targets were a 40% and a 45% mass reduction relative to a standard North American midsize passenger sedan at an effective cost of $3.42 per pound (lb) saved. The baseline vehicle was an average of several available vehicles in this class. Mass and cost breakdowns from several sources were used, including original equipment manufacturers’ (OEMs’) input through U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office programs and public presentations, A2Mac1 LLC’s teardown information, Lotus Engineering Limited and FEV, Inc. breakdowns in their respective lightweighting studies, and IBIS Associates, Inc.’s decades of experience in automotive lightweighting and materials substitution analyses. Information on lightweighting strategies in this analysis came from these same sources and the ongoing U.S. Department of Energy-funded Vehma International of America, Inc. /Ford Motor Company Multi-Material Lightweight Prototype Vehicle Demonstration Project, the Aluminum Association Transportation Group, and many United States Council for Automotive Research’s/United States Automotive Materials Partnership LLC lightweight materials programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Introducing Enabling Computational Tools to the Climate Sciences: Multi-Resolution Climate Modeling with Adaptive Cubed-Sphere Grids

The research investigates and advances strategies how to bridge the scale discrepancies between local, regional and global phenomena in climate models without the prohibitive computational costs of global cloud-resolving simulations. In particular, the research explores new frontiers in computational geoscience by introducing high-order Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) techniques into climate research. AMR and statically-adapted variable-resolution approaches represent an emerging trend for atmospheric models and are likely to become the new norm in future-generation weather and climate models. The research advances the understanding of multi-scale interactions in the climate system and showcases a pathway how to model these interactions effectively with advanced computational tools, like the Chombo AMR library developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The research is interdisciplinary and combines applied mathematics, scientific computing and the atmospheric sciences. In this research project, a hierarchy of high-order atmospheric models on cubed-sphere computational grids have been developed that serve as an algorithmic prototype for the finite-volume solution-adaptive Chombo-AMR approach. The foci of the investigations have lied on the characteristics of both static mesh adaptations and dynamically-adaptive grids that can capture flow fields of interest like tropical cyclones. Six research themes have been chosen. These are (1) the introduction of adaptive mesh refinement techniques into the climate sciences, (2) advanced algorithms for nonhydrostatic atmospheric dynamical cores, (3) an assessment of the interplay between resolved-scale dynamical motions and subgrid-scale physical parameterizations, (4) evaluation techniques for atmospheric model hierarchies, (5) the comparison of AMR refinement strategies and (6) tropical cyclone studies with a focus on multi-scale interactions and variable-resolution modeling. The results of this research project demonstrate significant advances in all six research areas. The major conclusions are that statically-adaptive variable-resolution modeling is currently becoming mature in the climate sciences, and that AMR holds outstanding promise for future-generation weather and climate models on high-performance computing architectures.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

THMC Modeling of EGS Reservoirs -- Continuum through Discontinuum Representations. Capturing Reservoir Stimulation, Evolution and Induced Seismicity

This work has investigated the roles of effective stress induced by changes in fluid pressure, temperature and chemistry in contributing to the evolution of permeability and induced seismicity in geothermal reservoirs. This work has developed continuum models [1] to represent the progress or seismicity during both stimulation [2] and production [3]. These methods have been used to resolve anomalous observations of induced seismicity at the Newberry Volcano demonstration project [4] through the application of modeling and experimentation. Later work then focuses on the occurrence of late stage seismicity induced by thermal stresses [5] including the codifying of the timing and severity of such responses [6]. Furthermore, mechanistic linkages between observed seismicity and the evolution of permeability have been developed using data from the Newberry project [7] and benchmarked against field injection experiments. Finally, discontinuum models [8] incorporating the roles of discrete fracture networks have been applied to represent stimulation and then thermal recovery for new arrangements of geothermal wells incorporating the development of flow manifolds [9] in order to increase thermal output and longevity in EGS systems.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Imaging Brunelleschi's cupola wall using muon scattering radiography

This PowerPoint presentation describes the cupola's structure and current reinforcements, reasoning behind why muon radiography would be helpful. A demonstration project is described where a similar wall was constructed to illustrate the potential benefits to Italian authorities; Requirements and a potential plan were created and collaboration to make it happen was deemed to be possible among LANL, Toshiba, the Parma and Florence Universities and the Opera del Duomo,

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Geothermal Power and Interconnection: The Economics of Getting to Market

This report provides a baseline description of the transmission issues affecting geothermal technologies. It is intended for geothermal experts in either the private or public sector who are less familiar with how the electricity system operates beyond the geothermal plant. The report begins with a comprehensive overview of the grid, how it is planned, how it is used, and how it is paid for. The report then overlays onto this "big picture" three types of geothermal technologies: conventional hydrothermal systems; emerging technologies such as enhanced engineered geothermal systems (EGS) and geopressured geothermal; and geothermal co-production with existing oil and gas wells. Each category of geothermal technology has its own set of interconnection issues, and these are examined separately for each. The report draws conclusions about each technology’s market affinities as defined by factors related to transmission and distribution infrastructure. It finishes with an assessment of selected markets with known geothermal potential, identifying those that offer the best prospects for near-term commercial development and for demonstration projects.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Demonstration of LED Retrofit Lamps at the Smithsonian Art Museum, Washington, DC

In the fall of 2010, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory contacted Scott Rosenfeld, Lighting Designer for the Smithsonian American Art Museum, to see if the Museum would be willing to participate in a GATEWAY demonstration project in which light-emitting diode (LED) replacement lamps would be used in exhibit space. At that time, the museum industry was concerned about increased damage potential from LEDs and other energy efficient lighting sources that produce a discontinuous spectrum. The Museum agreed to participate, based on a review of the existing literature conducted by Steven Weintraub of Art Preservation Services for the American Institute of Conservation, and subsequent testing of solid-state lighting sources on light sensitive materials performed by Jim Druzik of the Getty Conservation Institute. Thus began the process, which lasted more than a year, of procuring lamp samples and performance data, testing them in the museum workshop, temporarily installing the lamps in one gallery for feedback, and ultimately replacing all traditional incandescent lamps in one gallery of modernist art at the American Art Museum and partially replacing lamps in two galleries of the Museum’s Renwick Gallery. This report describes the selection and testing process, technology challenges, perceptions, economics, energy use, and mixed results of using LED replacement lamps in art galleries housing national treasures.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Multi-material Preforming of Structural Composites

Fiber-reinforced composites offer significant weight reduction potential, with glass fiber composites already widely adopted. Carbon fiber composites deliver the greatest performance benefits, but their high cost has inhibited widespread adoption. This project demonstrates that hybrid carbon-glass solutions can realize most of the benefits of carbon fiber composites at much lower cost. ORNL and Owens Corning Reinforcements along with program participants at the ORISE collaborated to demonstrate methods for produce hybrid composites along with techniques to predict performance and economic tradeoffs. These predictions were then verified in testing coupons and more complex demonstration articles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Gigashot Optical Laser Demonstrator

The Gigashot Optical Laser Demonstrator (GOLD) project has demonstrated a novel optical amplifier for high energy pulsed lasers operating at high repetition rates. The amplifier stores enough pump energy to support >10 J of laser output, and employs conduction cooling for thermal management to avoid the need for expensive and bulky high-pressure helium subsystems. A prototype amplifier was fabricated, pumped with diode light at 885 nm, and characterized. Experimental results show that the amplifier provides sufficient small-signal gain and sufficiently low wavefront and birefringence impairments to prove useful in laser systems, at repetition rates up to 60 Hz.

42 ENGINEERING↗