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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 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Feasible Actuator Range Modifier (FARM), a Tool Aiding the Solution of Unit Dispatch Problems for Advanced Energy Systems

Integrated energy systems (IESs) seek to minimize power generating costs in future power grids through the coupling of different energy technologies. To accommodate fluctuations in load demand due to the penetration of renewable energy sources, flexible operation capabilities must be fully exploited, and even power plants that are traditionally considered as base-load units need to be operated according to unconventional paradigms. Thermomechanical loads induced by frequent power adjustments can accelerate the wear and tear. If a unit is flexibly operated without respecting limits on materials, the risk of failures of expensive components will eventually increase, nullifying the additional profits ensured by flexible operation. In addition to the bounds on power variations (explicit constraints),the solution of the unit dispatch problem needs to meet the limits on the variation of key process variables, including temperature, pressure and flow rate (implicit constraints).The FARM (Feasible Actuator Range Modifier) module was developed to enable existing optimization algorithms to identify solutions to the unit dispatch problem that are both economically favorable and technologically sustainable. Thanks to the iterative dispatcher–validator scheme, FARM permits addressing all the imposed constraints without excessively increasing the computational costs. In this work, the algorithms constituting the module are described, and the performance was assessed by solving the unit dispatch problem for an IES composed of three units, i.e., balance of plant, gas turbine, and high-temperature steam electrolysis. Finally, the FARM module provides dedicated tools for visualizing the response of the constrained variables of interest during operational transients and a tool aiding the operator at making decisions. These techniques might represent the first step towards the deployment of an ecological interface design (EID) for IES units.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Slicing Solutions for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

Both commercial and research applications of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) have seen considerable growth in the additive manufacturing of metallic components. However, there remains a clear lack of a unified paradigm for toolpath generation when slicing parts for WAAM deposition. Existing toolpath generation options typically lack the appropriate features to account for all complexities of the WAAM process. This manuscript explores the key slicing challenges specific to toolpaths for WAAM geometry and pairs each consideration with multiple solutions to mitigate most negative effects on completed components. These challenges must be addressed to minimize voids, prevent bead collapse, and ensure deposited components accurately approximate the desired geometry. Slicing considerations are grouped into four general categories: geometric, process, thermal, and productivity. Geometric considerations are addressed with overhang compensation, corner-sharpening, and toolpath-smoothing features. Process considerations are addressed with start point configuration and controls for the bead lengths and end points. Thermal and productivity considerations are addressed with island optimization, multi-material printing, and connected insets. Finally, tools for the post-processing of generated G-code are explored. Overall, these solutions represent a critical set of slicing features used to improve generated toolpaths and the quality of the components deposited with those toolpaths.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Separation of Radionuclides from a Rare Earth-Containing Solution by Zeolite Adsorption

The increasing industrial demand for rare earths requires new or alternative sources to be found. Within this context, there have been studies validating the technical feasibility of coal and coal byproducts as alternative sources for rare earth elements. Nonetheless, radioactive materials, such as thorium and uranium, are frequently seen in the rare earths’ mineralization, and causes environmental and health concerns. Consequently, there exists an urgent need to remove these radionuclides in order to produce high purity rare earths to diversify the supply chain, as well as maintain an environmentally-favorable extraction process for the surroundings. In this study, an experimental design was generated to examine the effect of zeolite particle size, feed solution pH, zeolite amount, and contact time of solid and aqueous phases on the removal of thorium and uranium from the solution. The best separation performance was achieved using 2.50 g of 12-µm zeolite sample at a pH value of 3 with a contact time of 2 h. Under these conditions, the adsorption recovery of rare earths, thorium, and uranium into the solid phase was found to be 20.43 wt%, 99.20 wt%, and 89.60 wt%, respectively. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm was determined to be the best-fit model, and the adsorption mechanism of rare earths and thorium was identified as multilayer physisorption. Further, the separation efficiency was assessed using the response surface methodology based on the development of a statistically significant model.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effects of Charged Solute-Solvent Interaction on Reservoir Temperature during Subsurface CO2 Injection

A short-term side-effect of CO2 injection is a developing low-pH front that forms ahead of the bulk water injectant, due to differences in solute diffusivity. Observations of downhole well temperature show a reduction in aqueous-phase temperature with the arrival of a low-pH front, followed by a gradual rise in temperature upon the arrival of a high concentration of bicarbonate ion. In this work, we model aqueous-phase transient heat advection and diffusion, with the volumetric energy generation rate computed from solute-solvent interaction using the Helgeson–Kirkham–Flowers (HKF) model, which is based on the Born Solvation model, for computing specific molar heat capacity and the enthalpy of charged electrolytes. A computed injectant water temperature profile is shown to agree with the actual bottom hole sampled temperature acquired from sensors. The modeling of aqueous-phase temperature during subsurface injection simulation is important for the accurate modeling of mineral dissolution and precipitation because forward dissolution rates are governed by a temperature-dependent Arrhenius model.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigation of the 176 Yb Interference Correction during Determination of the 176 Hf/ 177 Hf Ratio by Laser Ablation and Solution Analysis on the Neoma MC-ICP-MS

We utilized the Neoma™, a recently released MC-ICP-MS platform offered by ThermoFisher Scientific, to assess the behavior of the Lu-Yb-Hf system during laser ablation analyses of various zircon standards as well as solution-based analyses of the JMC-475 Hf standard doped with varying quantities of Yb and Lu. The primary goal of this work was to characterize the behavior of the Yb interference correction on the Neoma™ platform since this is one of the biggest issues in the Hf isotope analysis community and because the Neoma™ platform will supplant the Neptune™ series instrument. During laser ablation analysis, we found that the overall data quality scales proportionally with the total Hf signal intensity, with higher signal analyses producing extremely accurate (within 1 ε Hf unit) and precise (sub ε Hf unit within-run standard errors) data. At low Yb signals (<0.1 V 173 Yb), we were not able to produce an accurate internal Yb mass bias factor. However, utilizing an empirical approach allows for the application of session-specific relationships between the Yb and Hf mass bias factors, determined by analysis of standards of varying Yb content, to produce accurate ε Hf values from zircons with higher Yb/Hf ratios even where the total Hf signal intensity is relatively low. Similar behavior was observed in the solution analyses. Lastly, while the behavior of the Yb interference correction on the Neoma™ platform appears comparable to the Neptune™ series MC-ICP-MS, further work will help refine the understanding of the controls on mass bias behavior, oxide formation, session-to-session stability, etc.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Kinetics of Aragonite Formation from Solution via Amorphous Calcium Carbonate

Magnesium doped Amorphous Calcium Carbonate was synthesised from precursor solutions containing varying amounts of calcium, magnesium, H2O and D2O. The Mg/Ca ratio in the resultant Amorphous Calcium Carbonate was found to vary linearly with the Mg/Ca ratio in the precursor solution. All samples crystallised as aragonite. No Mg was found in the final aragonite crystals. Changes in the Mg to Ca ratio were found to only marginally effect nucleation rates but strongly effect crystal growth rates. These results are consistent with a dissolution-reprecipitation model for aragonite formation via an Amorphous Calcium Carbonate intermediate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

MagAO Observations of the Binary Microlens OGLE-2014-BLG-1050 Prefer the Higher-mass Solution

We report adaptive optics (AO) follow-up imaging of OGLE-2014-BLG-1050, which is the second binary microlensing event with space-based parallax measurements. The degeneracy in microlens parallax π {sub E} led to two sets of solutions, either a ∼ (0.9, 0.35)M {sub ⊙} binary at ∼3.5 kpc or a ∼(0.2, 0.07)M {sub ⊙} binary at ∼1.1 kpc. We measure the flux blended with the microlensed source by conducting Magellan AO observations, and find that the blending is consistent with the predicted lens flux from the higher-mass solution. From the combination of the AO flux measurement together with previous lensing constraints, it is estimated that the lens system consists of a 1.05{sub −0.07}{sup +0.08} M{sub ⊙} primary and a 0.38{sub −0.06}{sup +0.07}M{sub ⊙} secondary at 3.43{sub −0.21}{sup +0.19} kpc.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Cosmogenic nuclide and solute flux data from central Cuban rivers emphasize the importance of both physical and chemical mass loss from tropical landscapes

We use 25 new measurements of in situ produced cosmogenic 26 Al and 10 Be in river sand, paired with estimates of dissolved load flux in river water, to characterize the processes and pace of landscape change in central Cuba. Long-term erosion rates inferred from 10 Be concentrations in quartz extracted from central Cuban river sand range from 3.4–189 Mg km –2 yr –1 (mean 59, median 45). Dissolved loads (10–176 Mg km –2 yr –1 ; mean 92, median 97), calculated from stream solute concentrations and modeled runoff, exceed measured cosmogenic- 10 Be-derived erosion rates in 18 of 23 basins. This disparity mandates that in this environment landscape-scale mass loss is not fully represented by the cosmogenic nuclide measurements. The 26 Al / 10 Be ratios are lower than expected for steadystate exposure or erosion in 16 of 24 samples. Depressed 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios occur in many of the basins that have the greatest disparity between dissolved loads (high) and erosion rates inferred from cosmogenic nuclide concentrations (low). Depressed 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios are consistent with the presence of a deep, mixed, regolith layer providing extended storage times on slopes and/or burial and extended storage during fluvial transport. River water chemical analyses indicate that many basins with lower 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios and high 10 Be concentrations are underlain at least in part by evaporitic rocks that rapidly dissolve. Our data show that when assessing mass loss in humid tropical landscapes, accounting for the contribution of rock dissolution at depth is particularly important. In such warm, wet climates, mineral dissolution can occur many meters below the surface, beyond the penetration depth of most cosmic rays and thus the production of most cosmogenic nuclides. Our data suggest the importance of estimating solute fluxes and measuring paired cosmogenic nuclides to better understand the processes and rates of mass transfer at a basin scale.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Learning Optimal Solutions for Extremely Fast AC Optimal Power Flow: Preprint

We develop, in this paper, a machine learning approach to optimize the real-time operation of electric power grids. In particular, we learn feasible solutions to the AC optimal power flow (OPF) problem with negligible optimality gaps. The AC OPF problem aims at identifying optimal operational conditions of the power grids that minimize power losses and/or generation costs. Due to the computational challenges with solving this nonconvex problem, many efforts have focused on linearizing or approximating the problem in order to solve the AC OPF on faster timescales. However, many of these approximations can be fairly poor representations of the actual system state and still require solving an optimization problem, which can be time consuming for large networks. In this work, we learn a mapping between the system loading and optimal generation values, enabling us to find near-optimal and feasible AC OPF solutions. This allows us to bypass solving the traditionally nonconvex AC OPF problem, resulting in a significant decrease in computational burden for grid operators.

machine learning↗
DOE OSTI2020

Amidoxime-functionalized materials and their use in extracting metal ions from liquid solutions

A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Lipophilic guanidinium compounds for removal of oxyanions from aqueous solutions

Methods for removing an oxyanion from an aqueous source containing said oxyanion, comprising contacting said aqueous source with an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution containing an oxyanion extractant compound dissolved in an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solvent to result in formation of an oxyanion salt of said extractant compound and extraction of said oxyanion salt into said aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution, wherein said extraction results in an extraction affinity (D) of said oxyanion of at least 1, wherein D is the concentration ratio of said oxyanion in the organic phase divided by the concentration of said oxyanion in the aqueous phase; wherein said extractant compound has the following composition: wherein at least one of R1-R10 is or contains a hydrocarbon (R) group containing at least 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 carbon atoms.

Williams, Neil John↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optimal Sizing of Resilience Solutions for the U.S. Army Reserve

Power or water outages in buildings threaten the ability of the military to support surrounding communities during natural disasters. Outages can last for days, weeks or months. Typical solutions include very expensive batteries and onsite generation that are sized based on historical power needs. The U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) has teamed up with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to develop a simulation framework that optimizes future power needs to reduce the cost of resilience solutions. The approach starts with the building. Power needs during an emergency event are simulated at the building end-use level, then loads are reduced through the selection of life cycle cost-effective building-level technology improvements. These new optimized loads are then fed into a microgrid sizing tool that dynamically constructs many different combinations of solar photovoltaic, battery storage, and generator resources to meet the load for hundreds of statistically generated outage scenarios. Six site assessments completed by USAR and PNNL in 2019 have resulted in a 1-14% reduction in overall investment when optimizing the buildings first before determining the generation requirements. This approach helps the Army secure critical missions and provide a 14 day-minimum supply of necessary energy and water in the most efficient manner.

buidlings, efficiency, resilience, FEDS, MCOR↗
DOE OSTI2022

Microgrid Training Session 5: Alternative Solutions to Microgrids

This presentation is the second session of a microgrid training series for the Air Force. Microgrids have advantages over other solutions; however, microgrids have their own costs in terms of finance and operations. This session will help attendees identify alternative solutions to specific issues.

Air Force↗
DOE OSTI2022

Module-OT: A Turnkey Solution for Securing Energy Systems

The Modular Security Apparatus for Managing Distributed Cryptography for Command-and-Control Messages on Operational Technology Networks (Module-OT) is a flexible and lightweight solution for grid-edge devices focusing on end-to-end security. It is a bump- in- the-wire solution acting as a secure conduit for data between devices or systems across a network. It improves the cybersecurity posture of DER systems by providing authentication, authorization, and data integrity to secure DER communications. Additionally, it performs key management, provides data security through whitelisting Internet Protocol addresses and ports, blocks unauthorized connections, controls user access, and allows serial or Ethernet connections for added flexibility. The core software is portable to various Linux-based operating systems and is developed to be customized by the developer and researcher communities. Module-OT has been validated in the lab, has been demonstrated at a 500-KW PV-plus-storage site, and has been proven ready to secure operational technology devices. Its core functionality meets current standards, including validation procedures of the NIST Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program (CAVP) and the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 140-2). Because of its capability to provide an accessible and affordable option for stepping up security across modern energy systems, Module-OT can serve as an effective technological option to standardize cybersecurity moving forward.

cryptography↗
DOE OSTI2021

Seeding picoscale solutions for social macro goals: complex thinking in projects for vulnerable communities

This chapter presents lessons learned from two experiences of implementing sociopoliticalsustainability strategies to achieve environmental and economic sustainability.The projects were carried out in rural communities in Guinea-Bissau andJamaica, which are both vulnerable to climate change. Each experience, developedfrom a systemic perspective and under two frameworks (the water–food–energynexus and ‘Appropriate Technology’), is described in four phases (problemcharacterization, solution design, solution pre-evaluation, and implementation),with the significant findings made by the team in terms of challenges, rewards, andessential conditions for development. Both deal with environment-friendly solutionsthat solve the problems of water and energy provision. Based on complex thinking,the experiences are analyzed from the social inclusion, participation, empowerment,and learning theory viewpoints. Finally, the insights gained by the team arehighlighted: communication requirements, the level of dependency of industrializedsolutions, budget constraints, training, testing, and planning recommendations, thediversity of interaction with the communities, and partners’ skills. As a result, futureactions can exploit these experiences and contribute to the success of subsequentprojects.

Pereira Pinto, Joao↗
DOE OSTI2022

Amidoxime-functionalized materials and their use in extracting metal ions from liquid solutions

A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

Janke, Christopher J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Solution target for cyclotron production of radiometals

Methods of producing and isolating 68Ga, 89Zr, 64Cu, 63Zn, 86Y, 61Cu, 99mTc, 45Ti, 13N, 52Mn, or 44Sc and solution targets for use in the methods are disclosed. The methods of producing 68Ga, 89Zr, 64Cu, 63Zn, 86Y, 61Cu, 99mTc, 45Ti, 13N, 52Mn, or 44Sc include irradiating a closed target system with a proton beam. The system can include a solution target. The methods of producing isolated 68Ga, 89Zr, 64Cu, 63Zn, 86Y, 61Cu, 99mTc, 45Ti, 52Mn, or 44Sc further include isolating 68Ga, 89Zr, 64Cu, 63Zn, 86Y, 61Cu, 99mTc, 45Ti, 52Mn, or 44Sc by ion exchange chromatography. An example target includes a target body including a target cavity for receiving the target material; a housing defining a passageway for directing a particle beam at the target cavity; a target window for covering an opening of the target cavity; and a coolant gas flow path disposed in the passageway upstream of the target window.

DeGrado, Timothy R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

An Alternative to Solution Experiments for Nuclear Data Validation: Reflection and Interaction of Juxtaposed Uranium (RAIJU) Experiment Design

The need for solution experiments was thoroughly discussed at the recent NCERC (National Criticality Experiments Research Center) Futures Meeting in September 2022 for multiple applications including criticality safety, training, and nuclear data. However, this capability does not exist anywhere in the United States. NCERC, located at the Nevada National Security Site and operated by LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) is the only general-purpose critical experiments laboratory in the United States. However, solution experiments are not authorized at NCERC, and obtaining that authorization would be too time consuming and costly to happen in the foreseeable future. An alternative is needed – an experimental configuration with the homogeneity of liquid experiments, but without being a liquid. This project, Reflection and Interaction of Juxtaposed Uranium (RAIJU) will fill the gap in capability within LANL, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the international community and will support current and future nuclear material processing needs.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗