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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 73 records · Page 4

Investigation of Process Emissions during Thermal Cutting of Clad Metals from the Nuclear Sector - 20183

Typically, reactor pressure vessels as well as steam generators comprising low alloyed steel with a cladding of stainless steel. Recently the permissible values for Cr (VI) in the air of the working areas have been reduced in Germany from 100 μg/m{sup 3} to 1 μg/m{sup 3} air. This results in the danger that even with low-alloy steel with claddings these limit values would be exceeded when using flame cutting technologies. In order to ensure compliance with the permissible limit values, exhaust gas systems with gas cleaning measures are provided. The process emission test shall replace the assumptions required for the design of these systems with measured values. NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH (NUKEM) has chosen autogenous flame cutting as an example of a thermal cutting system for process emission testing, as there are no proven values in the literature for the Cr (VI) and NiOx emissions produced. The autogenous flame cutting can be used for a variety of cutting tasks within decommissioning projects. In order to simulate the material to be cut, mock ups were generated and cut from information about the material specification for the reactor pressure vessel from existing nuclear power plants including possible claddings. The cutting length needed for analysis in the test will be maximum 100 mm. The airborne emissions from the thermal cutting process will be captured and analyzed as follows: - Dust emission: The generated particles will be collected by a hood equipped with strong suction device and suitable filter elements. The resulting filter is gravimetrically measured before and after the tests. - Particle Size Distribution: The airborne particle size distribution measurement will result in figures for the size and number of particles arising from the thermal cutting process. - Gas Analysis: The gas analysis enables the determination of e.g. CO{sub 2}, CO, O{sub 3}, NO, NO{sub 2}. - Cr (VI) and NiOx Analysis: For the Cr (VI) and NiOx analysis, samples of the filter residue will be taken. As a result Cr (VI) in relation to total Cr as well as the Ni content will be determined by ICP-optically emission spectroscopy and put in relation to the total dust amount. The process emissions test itself as well as the necessary gas analyses and spectroscopic analyses were carried out at the Institute of Materials Science (IW) of Leibniz Universitaet Hannover (LUH). The results of the process emission tests are used to confirm the design of the gas cleaning systems. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Metric DBSCAN

SAND2025-11725O Metric DBSCAN is an implementation of the popular DBSCAN clustering algorithm that works in general metric spaces. DBSCAN is a clustering algorithm, a fundamental building block in machine learning. It takes a set of objects and, given some notion of distance, identifies coherent groups of objects. With Metric DBSCAN, users can provide an arbitrary function to compute distance. Nearly all existing implementations of DBSCAN restrict distance to one of a few formulations. Metric DBScan accomplishes this cleanly and efficiently. The Python source code is on Github. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Dalbey, Keith↗

The experimental clean combustor program - Description and status

The experimental clean combustor program is a contract effort with primary objectives including the generation and demonstration of technology for development of advanced commercial CTOL aircraft engines with lower exhaust emissions than current aircraft, and the demonstration of this technology in full scale engines in 1976. The program is being conducted in three phases. These consist of screening of low pollutant combustors, refinement of the best combustors, and engine demonstration of the best combustors. Pollution goals are emission index values of 20 and 4 for carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons respectively at engine idle conditions, and an oxides of nitrogen emission index level of 10 at engine takeoff conditions. Pollution reduction approaches which are being investigated include multiple burning zone combustors, investigations of improved fuel distribution, and preparation and the staging of combustor airflow.

Niedzwiecki, R. W.↗

Results of the NASA/General Electric Experimental Clean Combustor Program

The NASA/General Electric Experimental Clean Combustor Program is a multi-year, major contract effort. Primary program objectives are the generation of technology for development of advanced commercial CTOL engines with lower exhaust emissions than current aircraft and, demonstrations of this technology in a full-scale CF6-50C engine in 1976. This paper describes pollution and performance goals, Phase I and II test results and Phase III hardware, pollution sampling techniques and test plans. Pollution results are presented in emission index and Environmental Protection Agency 1979 Standard Parameters (EPAP). Best results were obtained with a double annular combustor concept. This concept, which incorporates multistage burning, produced EPAP values extrapolated to CF6-50C engine conditions for CO, HC, and NOx of 3.3, 0.3 and 4.5, respectively. These represent respective CO, HC and NOx percentage reductions of 69, 93 and 42%, compared to current CF6-50 engine values. The combustor also met development engine performance requirements.

Gleason, C. C.↗

Design of an unmanned lunar cargo lander that reconfigures into a shelter for a habitation module or disassembles into parts useful to a permanent manned lunar base

NASA plans to establish a permanent manned lunar base by the first decade of the twenty-first century. It is extremely expensive to transport material from earth to the moon. Therefore, expense would be reduced if the vehicle that lands cargo on the moon could itself meet some of the material needs of establishing the lunar base. The design of a multi-functional lander that is entirely useful to the base after landing is described. Alternate designs of the overall lander configuration and possible uses of the lander and its components after landing are contained. The design solution is a lander employing the Saddlebagged Fuel Tank Configuration. After landing, its structure will be converted into a habitation module shelter that supports a protective layer of regolith. The fuel tanks will be cleaned and used as storage tanks for the lunar base. The engines and instrumentation will be saved as stock parts. Recommendations for further research and technology development to enhance future lander designs are given.

Davanay, Lisa↗

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) Over The Wing (OTW) design report

The design, fabrication, and testing of two experimental high bypass geared turbofan engines and propulsion systems for short haul passenger aircraft are described. The propulsion technology required for future externally blown flap aircraft with engines located both under the wing and over the wing is demonstrated. Composite structures and digital engine controls are among the topics included.

Source record↗

Wind Energy Accomplishments and Year-End Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2022

Four decades ago, construction was just beginning on experimental turbines at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). Today, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) facility is the centerpiece of the laboratory's Flatirons Campus, a world-class hub for renewable energy research. The nation's shift to 100% clean electricity by 2035 will require a mix of renewable energy sources and strategies - and together, wind and solar energy could account for 60% to 80% of that clean energy resource. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, NREL scientists, engineers, and analysts contributed to these visionary goals through their wind energy research. As wind innovations push into new areas, NREL continues to play a vital role in advancing technology and addressing deployment barriers in pursuit of more efficient, reliable, and predictable wind energy systems. FY 2022 wind research and development explored the potential for dramatic growth in land-based systems, the launch of the nation's first commercial-scale offshore installations, and transmission infrastructure buildout. Land-based wind energy is one of the most cost-effective electricity supply options - but utility-scale deployment will require up to 10 times the current number of turbines. An NREL plan addressed this need to accelerate U.S. wind technology rollout at distributed and utility scales. Another project conducted by NREL and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) helps position the nation's first major offshore wind corridor for success. The WETO-funded Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study is evaluating options for balancing electricity supply and demand, while supporting resilience of the grid and marine industries. WETO, NREL, and other partners are working to enable the enormous supply chain and workforce changes the U.S. wind energy industry will need to meet net-zero-carbon-emissions targets. As part of a seminal series of DOE-funded supply chain studies, NREL analysts reported on the trade-offs involved in manufacturing large volumes of wind technologies, while addressing cost, workforce, and logistics issues. All of this research is supported by NREL's outstanding research teams, tools, data, and facilities. A WETO-funded international wind energy field campaign, the American WAKE experimeNt (AWAKEN), has brought together experts from NREL, PNNL, and Sandia National Laboratories to create the world's most comprehensive set of high-resolution data on wind energy atmospheric phenomenon. This study could lead to more accurate predictions of losses from turbine-to-turbine wake interactions, eventually helping wind plants capture more energy and operators save millions of dollars. In addition, NREL researchers developed testing, modeling, and analysis tools to improve the security of power grids by identifying wind power plant dynamic stability problems. A new Stochastic Soaring Raptor Simulator (SSRS) protects golden eagles from turbine encounters by predicting flight paths. This report provides more detail on these top achievements and other accomplishments made by NREL and its partners during FY 2022 (between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022).

accomplishments↗

Biomimicry in Clean Energy Futures: Workshop Report

On July 25, 2023, PNNL hosted a workshop to explore the potential for biomimicry – looking to nature and biology for solutions to human engineering challenges – to support clean energy futures and associated research. Participants represented a range of technical expertise ranging from ecological modeling to cyber-security. Workshop supporting material featured a literature review of biomimetic approaches in all renewable energy technologies and inspired from all kingdoms of life. Participants noted clear contrasts between natural design strategies and clean energy deployment and the electric grid. They also agreed that biomimicry offered a rich area of research potential but lacked definitive benefits or results in commercialization phases.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

A Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach for Effective Decision Support of Modern Energy Systems Depicted with Clean Hydrogen Production

A holistic approach to decision-making in modern energy systems is vital due to their increase in complexity and interconnectedness. However, decision makers often rely on narrowly-focused strategies, such as economic assessments, for energy system strategy selection. The approach in this paper helps considers various factors such as economic viability, technological feasibility, environmental impact, and social acceptance. By integrating these diverse elements, decision makers can identify more economically feasible, sustainable, and resilient energy strategies. While existing focused approaches are valuable since they provide clear metrics of a potential solution (e.g., an economic measure of profitability), they do not offer the much needed system-as-a-whole understanding. This lack of understanding often leads to selecting suboptimal or unfeasible solutions, which is often discovered much later in the process when a change may not be possible. This paper presents a novel evaluation framework to support holistic decision-making in energy systems. The framework is based on a systems thinking approach, applied through systems engineering principles and model-based systems engineering tools, coupled with a multicriteria decision analysis approach. The systems engineering approach guides the development of feasible solutions for novel energy systems, and the multicriteria decision analysis is used for a systematic evaluation of available strategies and objective selection of the best solution. The proposed framework enables holistic, multidisciplinary, and objective evaluations of solutions and strategies for energy systems, clearly demonstrates the pros and cons of available options, and supports knowledge collection and retention to be used for a different scenario or context. The framework is demonstrated in case study evaluation solutions for a novel energy system of clean hydrogen generation.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) Under-The-Wing (UTW) composite nacelle

The detail design of the under the wing experimental composite nacelle components is summarized. Analysis of an inlet, fan bypass duct doors, core cowl doors, and variable fan nozzle are given. The required technology to meet propulsion system performance, weight, and operational characteristics is discussed. The materials, design, and fabrication technology for quiet propulsion systems which will yield installed thrust to weight ratios greater than 3.5 to 1 are described.

Johnston, E. A.↗

HawaiiCoast_GT Code Generation

SAND2024-01823O The HawaiiCoast_GT dataset validates anomaly detection algorithms on marine vessel tracks. The software also curates the dataset by extracting, filtering, cleaning, correlating, and computing. The codebase demonstrates the overarching methodology for deriving datasets like HawaiiCoast_GT. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Henriksen, Amelia↗

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE). Under-The-Wing (UTW) engine boilerplate nacelle test report, volume 1

The design and testing of high bypass geared turbofan engines with nacelles forming the propulsion systems for short haul passenger aircraft are considered. The test results demonstrate the technology required for externally blown flap aircraft for introduction into passenger service in the 1980's. The equipment tested is described along with the test facility and instrumentation. A chronological history of the test and a summary of results are given.

Source record↗

Unconventional desalination: The use of cyclone separators in HDH desalination to achieve zero liquid discharge

Research in water desalination technologies is constantly growing to meet global demands for freshwater. Though acting to meet these demands, the rapid growth and spread of desalination technologies poses environmental issues due to the increasing brine concentrates that are ultimately discharged back to nature. This article presents a cyclone separator to transform a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) cycle to a dual-product cycle to produce freshwater and solid salt crystals for highly saline streams. A desalination cycle equipped with a cyclone separator is used to treat water with 3.5%–81% salinity. The separation efficiency is well above 99% and can produce potable water from hyper saline feed in a once-through process. Further, the cyclone separator performance was tested under different conditions including humidity ratios, relative humidities, and feed stream's salinities. The cyclone separator is self-cleaning and overcomes salt scaling. This behavior is a direct function of the walls' temperature and the carrier air dew point. Self-cleaning capability allows the cyclone separator to treat feed water of extreme salinities (up to 810,000ppm) down to freshwater salinity with zero liquid discharge. The cyclone separator was utilized in a novel HDH desalination technology to treat different salinities. The product was freshwater of salinity <500ppm.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Clean catalytic combustor program

A combustor program was conducted to evolve and to identify the technology needed for, and to establish the credibility of, using combustors with catalytic reactors in modern high-pressure-ratio aircraft turbine engines. Two selected catalytic combustor concepts were designed, fabricated, and evaluated. The combustors were sized for use in the NASA/General Electric Energy Efficient Engine (E3). One of the combustor designs was a basic parallel-staged double-annular combustor. The second design was also a parallel-staged combustor but employed reverse flow cannular catalytic reactors. Subcomponent tests of fuel injection systems and of catalytic reactors for use in the combustion system were also conducted. Very low-level pollutant emissions and excellent combustor performance were achieved. However, it was obvious from these tests that extensive development of fuel/air preparation systems and considerable advancement in the steady-state operating temperature capability of catalytic reactor materials will be required prior to the consideration of catalytic combustion systems for use in high-pressure-ratio aircraft turbine engines.

Ekstedt, E. E.↗

Investigation of Exoskeletal Engine Propulsion System Concept

An innovative approach to gas turbine design involves mounting compressor and turbine blades to an outer rotating shell. Designated the exoskeletal engine, compression (preferable to tension for high-temperature ceramic materials, generally) becomes the dominant blade force. Exoskeletal engine feasibility lies in the structural and mechanical design (as opposed to cycle or aerothermodynamic design), so this study focused on the development and assessment of a structural-mechanical exoskeletal concept using the Rolls-Royce AE3007 regional airliner all-axial turbofan as a baseline. The effort was further limited to the definition of an exoskeletal high-pressure spool concept, where the major structural and thermal challenges are represented. The mass of the high-pressure spool was calculated and compared with the mass of AE3007 engine components. It was found that the exoskeletal engine rotating components can be significantly lighter than the rotating components of a conventional engine. However, bearing technology development is required, since the mass of existing bearing systems would exceed rotating machinery mass savings. It is recommended that once bearing technology is sufficiently advanced, a "clean sheet" preliminary design of an exoskeletal system be accomplished to better quantify the potential for the exoskeletal concept to deliver benefits in mass, structural efficiency, and cycle design flexibility.

Roche, Joseph M.↗

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) preliminary under the wing flight propulsion system analysis report

The preliminary design and installation of high bypass, geared turbofan engine with a composite nacelle forming the propulsion system for a short haul passenger aircraft are described. The technology required for externally blown flap aircraft with under the wing (UTW) propulsion system installations for introduction into passenger service in the mid 1980's is included. The design, fabrication, and testing of this UTW experimental engine containing the required technology items for low noise, fuel economy, with composite structure for reduced weight and digital engine control are provided.

Howard, D. F.↗