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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 721 records · Page 40
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Ensuring electromagnetic compatibility in grid-connected power converters: Challenges, standards, and compliance strategies

In today's rapidly advancing world, electronic devices and systems are fundamental to a wide range of industries, including renewable energy and global telecommunications infrastructure. However, as these devices become more complex and widespread, the risk of electromagnetic interference (EMI) also increases, underscoring the importance of stringent Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requirements for maintaining system integrity. This paper addresses the specific challenges associated with grid-connected power converters (GCPCs), which are critical in integrating renewable energy into existing power grids. It explores the complexities of EMI in the context of GCPCs, particularly given the recent emergence of tailored EMC standards for these systems. The paper also highlights the shortcomings of applying generic or unrelated standards to GCPCs, often leading to inadequate compliance and testing protocols. Through a detailed analysis of existing standards and recent advancements in product-specific EMC requirements, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape, offering guidance to stakeholders on navigating the intricate EMC compliance landscape, with a focus on methodologies, testing procedures, and the evolving regulatory environment for GCPCs.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

A systematic approach to resolve high impedance of multifunctional energy storage composites

Previous work has proposed and characterized the structural and electrical performance of Multifunctional Energy Storage Composite (MESC) structures: structural elements with embedded lithium-ion batteries which were developed by the Structures and Composite Laboratory (SACL) at Stanford University. This work conducts a comprehensive parametric study over the design variables in the manufacturing process to determine the root cause of increased DC impedance compared to commercial pouch cell batteries. Several MESC samples were assembled under various controlled environmental temperatures and pressures. The samples underwent Hybrid Peak Pulse Characterization (HPPC) to approximate the DC impedance as a function of state of charge (SOC). Failure limits of the battery with respect to assembly temperature and pressure were tested, and an MESC manufacturing simulation model was constructed in Abaqus to validate the manufacturing limits. Samples assembled without enough temperature or pressure failed due to a lack of structural integrity or hermetic seal. Conversely, samples which underwent elevated temperatures and pressures resulted in high DC impedance due to nonuniform electrolyte wetting. This work resolves the primary concern of MESC by achieving comparable DC impedance to commercial pouch cells of the same chemistry and testing procedure.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress in development of characterization capabilities to evaluate candidate materials for direct air capture applications

As part of U.S. national efforts to combat the detrimental effect of global climate change, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was recently tasked to support efforts in direct air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide research and deployment. In order to develop test procedures, materials, and documentary standards, key characterization methods relevant to DAC materials have been investigated and used to identify desirable properties for a potential Standard Reference Material (SRM). Select amine-supported materials that previously showed potential for DAC applications have been characterized using commonly available laboratory methods. Further insights into the adsorption characteristics have been gained from developing and applying more specialized characterization tools ideal for probing low concentrations of carbon dioxide. A broad suite of capabilities that examine relevant properties under appropriate conditions gives the most profound insights into a material's specific performance. We advocate for even more specialized capabilities to be developed and standardized to quantitatively monitor the interactions of CO 2 with molecular species in complex and often disordered systems to advance DAC and support carbon dioxide reduction (CDR) in general.

carbon dioxide↗
DOE OSTI2023

Process-structure-property considerations for wire-based directed energy deposition of Ti-6Al-4V

Directed energy deposition (DED) is an attractive additive manufacturing (AM) process for large structural components. The rapid solidification and layer-by-layer process associated with DED results in non-ideal microstructures, such as large grains with strong crystallographic textures. These non-ideal microstructures can lead to severe anisotropy in the mechanical properties. Despite these challenges, DED has been identified as a potential solution for the manufacturing of near net shape Ti-6Al-4V preforms, replacing lost casting and forging capabilities. Two popular wire-based directed energy deposition (W-DED) processes were considered for the manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V with assessments on their respective metallurgical and mechanical properties, as compared to a conventionally processed material. The two W-DED processes explored were wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM). High throughput inspection and tensile testing procedures were utilized to generate statistically relevant data sets related to each process and sample orientation. The 2 AM technologies produced material with remarkably different microstructures and mechanical properties. Importantly, results revealed key differences in strength and ductility for the two disparate processes which were found to be related to differences in the metallurgical properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bayesian Optimization of Catalysis with In-Context Learning

Large language models (LLMs) can perform accurate classification with zero or few examples through in-context learning (ICL), allowing the model to observe query-relevant examples at inference time and eliminating the need for additional weight updates to generalize beyond its original training data. We extend this capability to regression with uncertainty estimation using frozen LLMs (e.g., GPT-4o, Gemini), enabling Bayesian optimization (BO) in natural language without explicit model training or feature engineering. We apply this to materials discovery by representing materials as synthesis and testing procedures for use in natural language prompts. This Bayesian, design-first approach prioritizes optimization toward target material properties before detailed characterization, in contrast to conventional experimental workflows that often emphasize characterization of suboptimal materials. On benchmarks like aqueous solubility and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM), BO-ICL matches or outperforms Gaussian processes. In live experiments on the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction, BO-ICL identifies multimetallic catalysts that approach equilibrium CO yield within 6 and 10 iterations from a pool of 3,700 and 360,000 candidates, respectively. Our method redefines materials representation and accelerates discovery, with broad applications across catalysis, materials science, and AI.

Calibration↗
DOE OSTI2024

ATLAS-MAP: An Automated Test Station for Gated Electronic Transport Measurements

The diversification of electronic materials in devices provides a strong incentive for methods to rapidly correlate device performance with fabrication decisions. In this work, we present a low-cost automated test station for gated electronic transport measurements of field-effect transistors. Utilizing open-source PyMeasure libraries for transparent instrument control, the “ATLAS-MAP” system serves as a customizable interface between sourcemeters and samples under test and is programmed to conduct transfer curve and van der Pauw methods with static and sweeping gate voltages. Zinc oxide transistors of variable thickness (5, 10, and 20 nm) and channel size (50 μm to 3 mm, of equal length and width) were fabricated to validate the design. Standardization of testing procedures and raw data formatting enabled automated data analysis. A detailed list of parts and code files for the system are provided.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding the Stability of Manganese Chromium Antimonate Electrocatalysts through Multimodal In Situ and Operando Measurements

Herein, we utilize an on-line electrochemical flow cell coupled with an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to characterize the impact of composition and reactant gas on the multielement dissolution of Mn(-Cr)-Sb-O electrocatalysts. Compared to Mn 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 oxides, we find that the antimonate framework stabilizes Mn at OER potentials and Cr at both ORR and OER potentials. Furthermore, dissolution of Mn and Cr from Mn(-Cr)-Sb-O is found to be driven by ORR reaction rate, with minimal dissolution under N 2 . We observe preferential dissolution of Cr totaling 13% over 10 minutes at 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 V vs RHE, with only 1.5% loss of Mn, indicating an enrichment of Mn at the surface of the particles. Despite this asymmetric dissolution, in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) showed no measurable changes in the Mn K-edge at comparable potentials. This lack of change could suggest that modification to the Mn oxidation state in the surface layer is too small or that layer is too thin to be measured with the bulk XAS measurement. Lastly, on-line ICP-MS was used to assess the effects of applied potential, scan rate, and current of Mn-Cr-Sb-O during cyclic voltammetry and accelerated stress tests. With this deeper understanding of the interplay between oxygen reduction and dissolution, testing procedures were identified to maximize both activity and stability. This work highlights the use of multi-modal in situ characterization techniques in tandem to build a more complete model of stability and develop protocols for optimizing catalyst performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

A measured energy use, solar production, and building air leakage dataset for a zero energy commercial building

This paper provides an open dataset of measured energy use, solar energy production, and building air leakage data from a 328 m 2 (3,531 ft 2 ) all-electric, zero energy commercial building in Virginia, USA. Over two years of energy use data were collected at 1-hour intervals using circuit-level energy monitors. Over six years of solar energy production data were measured at 1-hour resolution by 56 microinverters (presented as daily and monthly data in this dataset). The building air leakage data was measured post-construction per ASTM-E779 Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate by Fan Pressurization and the United States Army Corps (USACE) Building Enclosure Testing procedure; both pressurization and depressurization results are provided. The architectural and engineering (AE) documents are provided to aid researchers and practitioners in reliable modeling of building performance. The paper describes the data collection methods, cleaning, and convergence with weather data. This dataset can be employed to predict, benchmark, and calibrate operational outcomes in zero energy commercial buildings.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quantitative spatiotemporal mapping of thermal runaway propagation rates in lithium-ion cells using cross-correlated Gabor filtering

Abuse testing of lithium-ion batteries is widely performed in order to develop new safety standards and strategies. However, testing methodologies are not standardised across the research community, especially with failure mechanisms being inherently difficult to reproduce. High-speed X-ray radiography is proven to be a valuable tool to capture events occurring during cell failure, but the observations made remain largely qualitative. We have therefore developed a robust image processing toolbox that can quantify, for the first time, the rate of propagation of battery failure mechanisms revealed by high-speed X-ray radiography. Using Gabor filter, the toolbox selectively tracks the electrode structure at the onset of failure. This facilitated the estimation of the displacement of electrodes undergoing abuse via nail penetration, and also the tracking of objects, such as the nail, as it propagates through a cell. Further, by cross-correlating the Gabor signals, we have produced practical, illustrative spatiotemporal maps of the failure events. From these, we can quantify the propagation rates of electrode displacement prior to the onset of thermal runaway. The highest recorded acceleration (≈514 mm s -2 ) was when a nail penetrated a cell radially (perpendicular to the electrodes) as opposed to axially (parallel to the electrodes). The initiation of thermal runaway was also resolved in combination with electrode displacement, which occurred at a lower acceleration (≈108 mm s -2 ). Our assistive toolbox can also be used to study other types of failure mechanisms, extracting otherwise unattainable kinetic data. Ultimately, this tool can be used to not only validate existing theoretical mechanical models, but also standardise battery failure testing procedures.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Production and tests of the ADDC for the Micromegas detector of the ATLAS New Small Wheel

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will perform a series of upgrades to allow luminosity increases during the next physics runs expected from 2022 on. These will also significantly increase the trigger rates of all the detectors. As part of the ATLAS Phase-I upgrade, the current Small Wheel muon detectors will be replaced with state-of-the-art New Small Wheel (NSW) detectors to cope with the increased luminosity of the LHC. The Address in Real Time Data Driver Card (ADDC) is designed to transmit the trigger data from the resistive Micro-Mesh Gaseous Structure (Micromegas) detectors of the NSW. The ART ASIC on the ADDC is a customdesigned chip to receive theAddress in Real Time (ART) signals from theVMMfront-end ASIC and perform hit-selection processing. The processed trigger data is then sent to the Trigger Processor (TP) through optical links. A total of 512 ADDCs will be installed on the detector close to the front-end boards. Therefore, those cards must be able to work properly in a high radiation and magnetic field environment. Furthermore, after four rounds of prototyping, the ADDC production was launched in January of 2019. 600 ADDC boards have been produced and tested with an automated test stand. This test setup can simulate the front-end signals and provide "Level-1 Data Driver Card" (L1DDC) functions as well as part of the TP functions. Thus, the ADDC functionality and stability can be verified without the remaining NSW electronics. This paper describes the ADDC hardware prototype development, radiation and integration testing, and the ADDC automated production test procedure.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Performance of the wavelength-shifting fiber upgrade for the Mu2e cosmic-ray veto detector

The Cosmic-Ray Veto detector for the muon-to-electron conversion experiment at Fermilab consists of four plastic scintillating counter layers read out by silicon photo-multipliers through embedded wavelength-shifting fibers. In order to increase the light yield in the most critical regions of the Cosmic-Ray Veto detector for improved background rejection, a 1.8 mm diameter fiber is being used in many of the detector's critical modules instead of the previously planned 1.4 mm diameter fiber. This paper reports the testing procedure and light properties of thirty-four 1.8 mm fiber spools, with measurements performed using a custom-built scanner. We compare these new results with previously published data from the 1.4 mm diameter fiber used for regions of the cosmic-ray veto where the increased light yield is not required. In addition, measurements of fiber aging were performed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

The scintillator surface detector of the Pierre Auger observatory

Data collected so far by the Pierre Auger Observatory have enabled major advances in ultra-high energy cosmic ray physics and demonstrated that improved determination of masses of primary cosmic-ray particles, preferably on an event-by-event basis, is necessary for understanding their origin and nature. Improvement in primary mass measurements was the main motivation for the upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory, called AugerPrime. As part of this upgrade, scintillator detectors are added to the existing water-Cherenkov surface detector stations. By making use of the differences in detector response to the electromagnetic particles and muons between scintillator and water-Cherenkov detectors, the electromagnetic and muonic components of cosmic-ray air showers can be disentangled. Since the muonic component is sensitive to the primary mass, such combination of detectors provides a powerful way to improve primary mass composition measurements over the original Auger surface detector design. In this paper, the so-called Scintillator Surface Detectors are discussed, including their design characteristics, production process, testing procedure and deployment in the field.

Detector design and construction technologies and ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Reproducing the 'Framing' by a Sequential Stress Test

The 'Framing' (local discoloration along cell edges) was induced by a simple sequential accelerated stress test (consisting of hygrothermal- and UV-stressors) applied to the PV modules with high OTR (oxygen transmission rate) backsheet, irrespective of the inclusion of UV-absorber in poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) encapsulant. UV-fluorescence imaging of the PV modules suggests that the spatially-inhomogeneous degradation of EVA material under UV-irradiating conditions is correlated to this 'Framing' indicating an underlying common mechanism. These findings would contribute to the development of test procedures to broadly mimic the actual failures observed in fielded PV.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

In-Situ Luminescence Imaging of Perovskite Solar Cells Demonstrates Increasing Spatial Nonuniformity Upon Light-Soaking Degradation

In this work we investigate degradation rates of triplecation mixed-halide perovskite p-i-n solar cells. We present an accelerated stress testing procedure using periodic blue light-soaking at elevated temperatures until devices reach ~80% of their initial efficiency. We track light-induced degradation via in-situ: photoluminescence (PL), current-voltage (I-V) curves, and transient photovoltage. Devices underwent 165 hours of light bias at 65degrees C. Results suggest that spatial uniformity in PL intensity decreases as device degradation increases. This investigation lays the groundwork to address the current gap in understanding the interplay between device performance and the evolution of macroscopic features in perovskite solar cells. Thus, we believe spatial characterization techniques will play a crucial role in the commercialization of perovskite solar cells.

imaging↗
DOE OSTI2022

COVID-19 Exposure Assessment Tool (CEAT): Exposure quantification based on ventilation, infection prevalence, group characteristics, and behavior

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Exposure Assessment Tool (CEAT) allows users to compare respiratory relative risk to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for various scenarios, providing understanding of how combinations of protective measures affect risk. CEAT incorporates mechanistic, stochastic, and epidemiological factors including the (i) emission rate of virus, (ii) viral aerosol degradation and removal, (iii) duration of activity/exposure, (iv) inhalation rates, (v) ventilation rates (indoors/outdoors), (vi) volume of indoor space, (vii) filtration, (viii) mask use and effectiveness, (ix) distance between people (taking into account both near-field and far-field effects of proximity), (x) group size, (xi) current infection rates by variant, (xii) prevalence of infection and immunity in the community, (xiii) vaccination rates, and (xiv) implementation of COVID-19 testing procedures. CEAT applied to published studies of COVID-19 transmission events demonstrates the model’s accuracy. We also show how health and safety professionals at NASA Ames Research Center used CEAT to manage potential risks posed by SARS-CoV-2 exposures.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

LCLS-II-HE Vertical Acceptance Testing Plans

LCLS-II-HE has performance requirements similar to but generally more demanding than those of LCLS-II, with an operating gradient of 21 MV/m (up from 16 MV/m in LCLS-II) and tighter restrictions on field emission and multipacting. In this paper, we outline the requirements for the 1.3 GHz cavities and the plans for qualification of these cavities by vertical test. We discuss lessons learned from LCLS-II and highlight the changes implemented in the vertical test procedure for the new project.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of Ionic Liquid-Additized, GF-5/6 Compatible Low-Viscosity Oils for Automotive Engine and Rear Axle Lubrication for 4% Improved Fuel Economy

This joint project among ORNL, GM, and DRO successfully developed ionic liquid-additized low viscosity lubricants, SAE 0W-12 and 70W-80, for both IC engine and rear axle lubrication, respectively, and demonstrated combined vehicle fuel economy improvement (FEI). Phosphonium-alkylphosphate ILs have been found to be the most effective among the candidates in protecting surface damage from both sliding wear and rolling contact fatigue, and optimal IL concentrations have been determined. The IL’s impact on three-way catalyst seems to be significantly less adverse than the conventional ZDDP. Oil formulations were optimized for both energy efficiency and wear protection. Tribological bench testing of the IL-additized low-viscosity oils showed at least 40% lower boundary friction, more than 60% lower elastohydrodynamic friction, and greater than 50% less wear compared with commercial baselines. IL-additized lubricants have demonstrated FEI by 9.9% in engine dynamometer tests under extreme conditions and 6.9% increased power output in gear rig tests. Prototype IL-additized engine oil and rear axle fluid exhibited combined FEI of 1.39% and 3.24% benchmarked against the state-of-the-art baselines in vehicle testing of fresh oils under the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) city cycle and Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule (HWFET), respectively. Used oil analysis suggested that the IL-additized low-viscosity oils produced less wear than the commercial baselines. The gained fundamental understanding and demonstrated FEI in this work pave the way for future development and implementation of the ionic liquid technology.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Irradiation of 20L LEU Uranyl Sulfate Solution for Production of Mo-99

Argonne National Laboratory, with support from the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Material Management and Minimization, is assisting SHINE Medical Technologies in the development of accelerator-driven production of 99 Mo using low-enriched uranium (LEU). Technetium-99m ( 99m Tc), a daughter of 99 Mo, is a workhorse of nuclear medicine, used in approximately 40,000 medical testing procedures each day just in the U.S.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗