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At least 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Modeling Electro-Optic Frequency Comb Generation as a Pump Source for Quantum Communications

The Quantum Communications group at NASA GRC is focused on developing technologies and system architectures to enable future space-based quantum networks. High-repetition rate pulsed pump lasers are needed because the signal on the quantum channel cannot be amplified, hence entanglement generation rates can only be increased through high-rate pumping. Additionally, tunability in center frequency, pulse width, and repetition rate allows for a wider parameter space over which to optimize quantum channel frequency conversion efficiency, joint spectral engineering, and channel synchronization for high-fidelity entanglement swapping –a necessary stepping-stone towards quantum repeater development. One of the most flexible methods for high-repetition rate pulse generation is through spectral shaping–generating a frequency comb from a continuous-wave(CW)laser using electro-optic modulators (EOMs). As a result, this project focuses on analytically modeling and simulating the effects various EOMs such as phase and intensity modulators have on a CW source. Generating a tunable frequency comb as the pump source allows us to conveniently fine-tune the central frequency, repetition rate, and the spectral shape of our source to match the strict optimal parameters for any given entanglement source considered in the future. These models and simulations are to be used for comparison purposes for future experiments as well as for providing the Quantum Communications group a convenient tool to understand the effects of manipulating various parameters have on the outgoing frequency comb.

Electro-optic modulator↗
NASA NTRS2026

A Review of Pump Package Assembly Anomalies and Demonstration to Gain Motor Controller Replacement Capability

The International Space Station (ISS) generates heat within the US modules from systems used to operate the station, maintain crew health, and conduct science experiments in the orbiting laboratory. The Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) collects this heat in water loops and transfers it to the external ammonia system for rejection to space. The ITCS uses six Pump Package Assemblies (PPA) as the motive force to circulate the water within the Lab, Node 2, and Node 3 (Node 1 is parasitic to the Lab and Node 3 ITCS loops). In the life of ISS, 3 PPAs have had to be replaced and 2 PPAs are currently showing signs of degradation. The first PPA to fail in 2003 was due to early coolant chemistry issues; the remaining pump failures and current pump degradations are determined to be related to the Pump/Fan Motor Controller (PFMC), with their individual signatures all being unique to this point. The PFMC of one of the failed PPAs was returned and testing confirmed its sub-components to be the root cause of the PPA failure. Due to the relative size and weight of the standalone PFMC in comparison to the integrated assembly, it is desired, from a launch and on-orbit stowage perspective, to replace the PFMC component of the degraded PPA instead of the entire PPA. The PPA was not designed for this capability, so on the ground demonstrations are planned using crew tools to show that the PFMC can be replaced on-orbit while maintaining full functionality. This paper will focus on the signatures of the two most recent PPA failures and the two PPAs showing signs of degradation, in addition to presenting the findings from the PFMC demonstration effort.

Aaron Rodriguez↗
NASA NTRS2026

A Review of Pump Package Assembly Anomalies and Demonstration to Gain Motor Controller Replacement Capability

The International Space Station (ISS) generates heat within the US modules from systems used to operate the station, maintain crew health, and conduct science experiments in the orbiting laboratory. The Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) collects this heat in water loops and transfers it to the external ammonia system for rejection to space. The ITCS uses six Pump Package Assemblies (PPA) as the motive force to circulate the water within the Lab, Node 2, and Node 3 (Node 1 is parasitic to the Lab and Node 3 ITCS loops). In the life of ISS, 3 PPAs have had to be replaced and 2 PPAs are currently showing signs of degradation. The first PPA to fail in 2003 was due to early coolant chemistry issues; the remaining pump failures and current pump degradations are determined to be related to the Pump/Fan Motor Controller (PFMC), with their individual signatures all being unique to this point. The PFMC of one of the failed PPAs was returned and testing confirmed its sub-components to be the root cause of the PPA failure. Due to the relative size and weight of the standalone PFMC in comparison to the integrated assembly, it is desired, from a launch and on-orbit stowage perspective, to replace the PFMC component of the degraded PPA instead of the entire PPA. The PPA was not designed for this capability, so on the ground demonstrations are planned using crew tools to show that the PFMC can be replaced on-orbit while maintaining full functionality. This paper will focus on the signatures of the two most recent PPA failures and the two PPAs showing signs of degradation, in addition to presenting the findings from the PFMC demonstration effort.

Aaron Rodriguez↗
DOE OSTI2020

Systems and devices for pumping and controlling high temperature fluids

The disclosed technology includes pumps, pipes, valves, seals, and systems for pumping and controlling high temperature fluids, such as liquid tin, at temperatures of between 1000-3000° C. The systems and device may be partially or entirely constructed using brittle materials, such as ceramics, that are capable of withstanding extreme heat without significantly degrading, and may be secured using components made of refractory metals, such as tungsten. The systems and devices may utilize static and dynamic seals made from brittle materials, such as graphite, to enable the high temperature operation of such pumps, pipes, valves, and systems without leakage.

Henry, Asegun↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultrafast, multiphoton-pump, multiphoton-probe spectroscopy

Methods for pump-probe spectroscopy are provided. In an embodiment, such a method comprises directing pump light having a frequency ωpump at a location in a sample to excite a transition between two quantum states of a target entity in the sample, directing probe light at the location to generate a coherent output signal having a frequency ωoutput and a wavevector koutput, and detecting the output signal as the probe light is scanned over a range of frequencies. In the method, either the transition excited by the pump light is a multiphoton transition corresponding to a frequency difference of n*ωpump, wherein n≥2; or the probe light is a set of m coherent light pulses, each coherent light pulse having a frequency ωm and a wavevector km, wherein m≥2; or both. Systems for carrying out the methods are also provided.

Morrow, Darien James↗
DOE OSTI2021

Residential Split Heat Pump Using Low GWP Refrigerants

Conventional refrigerants, e.g. R-410A have high global warming potentials (GWP) > 1800. They are being phased out to protect the environment. The candidates to replace R-410A include R-32, R-452B, R-454B and R-466A for heat pump applications. These candidates are intended for drop-in replacement, i.e. having minimum modifications on existing systems. The paper investigates the low GWP refrigerants drop-in application via system simulations using a well-regarded, hardware-based heat pump model. A baseline heat pump having all fin-and-tube heat exchangers and a two-speed compressor was used. Cross-comparisons were made under rated conditions of ambient temperatures, compressor speeds, indoor air flow rates, respectively for cooling and heating operations. The seasonal performance indices, i.e. SEER and HSPF are presented.

Shen, Bo↗
DOE OSTI2021

Residential Cold-Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge

Cold-climate heat pumps (CCHPs) provide both space heating and cooling for homes, and incorporate advanced features that allow for improved heating capacity and efficiency at cold weather conditions compared with traditional heat pumps. To advance the adoption of CCHP technologies, DOE is launching the Cold-Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge as part of the Initiative for Better Energy, Emissions, and Equity (E3 Initiative).

Space conditioning, water heating, HVAC, competiti↗
DOE OSTI2022

Performance analysis of novel thermal storage integrated heat pump system in a residential building at the hot climate for demand flexibility

A novel thermal energy storage integrated heat pump system was proposed to reshape the electricity load profile of residential buildings while maintaining thermal comfort. High-fidelity computer simulations are needed for evaluating the feasibility of the proposed system. This study investigates the annual performance of the proposed system through Modelica-based system simulations. A rule-based control strategy was developed to shift the electric demand of a typical single-family house in Atlanta, GA from peak to off-peak hours to utilize the Time-of-Use electricity rate to lower the energy costs for conditioning the building. For comparison, a conventional air-source heat pump system serving the same building was also developed. Simulation results indicate that the proposed system is capable of shifting around 90% of the building's electricity consumption for meeting the thermal demand from peak to off-peak hours on a daily basis. In addition, the annual power consumption and operating cost for running the HVAC system can be reduced by 6% and 34%, respectively, compared with the conventional air-source heat pump.

Shi, Liang↗
DOE OSTI2022

Model-based Co-Simulation of Heat Pump Water Heater with Phase Change Materials Thermal Energy Storage

The study analysis the behavior of a new developed heat pump water heater technology which integrates a phase change materials storage with a standard heat pump water heater to maximize the performance parameters of the Unified Energy Factor (UEF) and First Hour Rating (FHR). A model-based control development co-simulation platform is developed to include equipment models, such as heat pump, standard water tank, phase change materials storage tank, and integrate them with control model to support controls design, analysis, verification, and validation. Simulation results are compared with lab test results to validate the accuracy of developed co-simulation platform

Sun, Jian↗
DOE OSTI2022

Initial Design and Experimental Results of a Novel Near-Isothermal Compressor for Heat Pump Applications

In efforts to increase the efficiency of residential and commercial air conditioners and heat pumps, it is found that the compressor has the highest electrical energy usage of the system. Therefore, it is appropriate to try to increase the efficiency of this component to reduce its energy usage. Another challenge with heat pump design is that some compressor types have drawbacks that make modulation difficult. To answer these challenges, we are developing an isothermal liquid compressor. The compressor uses propylene glycol to compress carbon dioxide. In the compression chamber the propylene glycol can enter either from the bottom to create a liquid piston for compression or it can enter through a spray nozzle at the top of the chamber. In the latter case, heat transfer from the gas to be compressed to the liquid droplets is high. This allows near isothermal operation of the compressor, which increases the efficiency by 17% to 30%, compared to adiabatic compression. In addition, the isothermal liquid compressor enables very efficient and simple part load modulation.Experimental results demonstrating the operation of the liquid compressor are presented. Initial data demonstrated a temperature rise of 7 K at pressure ratios of almost 4. For comparison at the same initial pressure, temperature, and pressure ratio, adiabatic compression would result in a temperature increase of approximately 70 K. Plotting data on a P-h diagram demonstrates that the compression started at superheated state and ended in supercritical state. Testing was later performed with repeated compressions in the superheated region of the P-h diagram at liquid flow rates of 2 x 10-3 m3/min and 2 x 10-3 m3/min to understand the limitations of the prototype for use with an actual heat pump system. This work demonstrated a novel cycle on a T-s diagram. Results from this work will be used to develop a second-generation prototype where more rapid cycling is possible.

Kowalski, Steve↗
DOE OSTI2022

Counter pumping a large mode area fiber laser

A fiber optic assembly includes: a gain fiber configured to output signal light; a first taper configured to expand the signal light output by the gain fiber; and a reversing prism configured to receive counter-pumping light and output the counter-pumping light into the first taper. The first taper is further configured to direct the counter-pumping light towards the gain fiber.

Sipes, Jr., Donald Lee↗
DOE OSTI2023

Representing the Future Role of Hydropower and Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) in Electricity Planning Tools

Existing tools for long-term electric sector planning struggle to represent hydropower's nuanced site-specific technical and operating characteristics, which depend on technical specifications as well as water management practices and regulations. As a result, long-term planning models and tools insufficiently characterize hydropower value and incentives, and they cannot fully represent the role hydropower can play in a future electricity system that could include a high penetration of variable wind and solar generation, battery storage, and other low-carbon technologies. This presentation demonstrates the culmination of a multi-year effort to enhance hydropower representations in electricity planning models at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) HydroWIRES Initiative. New modeling techniques are demonstrated using the NREL Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS), an open-access electric sector capacity expansion model used extensively in a wide range of technology deployment and integration analysis, including the 2016 USDOE Hydropower Vision. ReEDS uses a least-cost optimization approach to understand investment and operation of electricity generation, storage, and transmission technologies under future scenarios of electricity technology innovation, demand, policy, and other sectoral drivers. ReEDS was modified to better represent value and opportunities for both pumped storage hydropower (PSH) and hydropower systems without pumping. We incorporated a new national closed-loop PSH resource and cost assessment to explore new PSH deployment opportunities and added plant-level data to better represent the existing PSH fleet. New upgrade pathways enable opportunities for enhanced hydropower flexibility by adding pumps, upgrading dispatchability, increasing capacity, or increasing energy availability. The model was also modified to better represent the value of long-duration energy storage beyond diurnal time scales, allowing both hydropower and PSH to better balance energy supply and demand variations in high-renewable systems. These new features are demonstrated under reference and high-renewable futures and a range of sensitivity scenarios to understand which hydropower and PSH deployment and upgrade opportunities are the most attractive. These scenarios indicate potential for new closed-loop PSH deployment and for hydropower flexibility improvements to have important impacts on long-term electricity system emissions and economic outcomes. Increasing flexibility of the existing hydropower fleet can reduce the need to invest in new flexible grid technologies and help achieve decarbonization goals. Systems with sufficient energy storage could also be valuable for balancing seasonal differences in renewable energy availability, particularly from solar energy. The methods developed for ReEDS and subsequent scenario results reveal important considerations for future hydropower and grid system planning, and all data and code is freely available in a public code repository for use throughout the hydropower industry.

capacity expansion↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Propane Hydronic Heat Pump with Energy Storage

Propane is an environment-friendly refrigerant, having a 20-year GWP (global warming potential) of 0.072 and a 100-year GWP of 0.02, as compared to R-410A having a GWP > 2000. It has superior thermodynamic cycle performance and heat transfer characteristics. However, propane is classified as a A3 refrigerant, which is highly flammable, and not allowed to be used indoor if the system charge is higher than 150 grams. It is a challenge to use propane in residential applications requiring a rated capacity larger than 10 k Watts. A hydronic heat pump, i.e., containing propane in an outdoor unit and distributing the cooling and heating capacity through a hydronic coil to the indoor space addresses the flammability issue, while maintaining a high efficiency. We developed a hydronic heat pump with propane, it uses a two-stage compressor, a brazed plate indoor heat exchanger, and a microchannel outdoor heat exchanger. It achieves a rated cooling capacity larger than 10 k Watts, and a cooling SEER (cooling seasonal energy efficiency rating) > 16.0 (cooling seasonal COP > 4.7) and a heating HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor) > 9.5 (heating seasonal COP > 2.78), while requiring a system charge < 1200 grams. Additionally, the hydronic heat pump was evaluated in a laboratory water heating loop to heat a 50-gallon water tank in a full condensing mode. Experiments of heating the tank water from 58F(14.4°C) to 150F(65.6°C) were conducted under ambient temperatures from 17F(-8.3°C) to 75F(23.9°C), at the compressor high and low stages.

Shen, Bo↗
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated silicon optical amplifier with reduced residual pump

An optical amplifier device employing a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) that reduces the amount of residual pump power in the optical output of the amplifier is disclosed. The MZI amplifier employs two geometrically linear optical amplifier arms or two multi-spatial-mode racetrack optical amplifiers to amplify a signal with a pumping beam, with the signal output port having extremely low levels of residual pump power. The MZI optical amplifier is a silicon photonic integrated circuit, with all optical amplifiers, couplers, phase shifters, and optical attenuators formed of silicon photonic integrated circuit elements. The MZI optical amplifier may include one, two, or three MZI stages, and multiple MZI optical amplifiers may be used in parallel or sequentially to achieve higher overall signal gain or power. The MZI optical amplifier may employ Brillouin-scattering-based amplifiers, Raman-based integrated waveguide optical amplifiers, or Erbium-doped integrated waveguide optical amplifiers.

Lentine, Anthony L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Simulation Study of 120V Heat Pump Water Heaters

A 120 V heat pump water heater (HPWH) is a direct plug-in option to replace gas water heater (WH) without needing expensive electric panel upgrade to 220 V. To enable the smooth transition, the HPWH should provide comparable water heating capacity as the gas WH. WH capacities are rated in the form of first hour rating (FHR). Typical home gas WHs have FHRs > 65 gallon with a 40-gallon water tank. It imposes a major challenge on 120V HPWHs. Most 120V circuits in US can provide 1,800 to 2,400W, not adequate to drive electric resistance heat to boost FHRs. Thus, all the heat needs to come from the heat pump with its top power below 1500 Watts, which is constraint by the installation footprint. This study uses a hardware based, HPWH design model, i.e. the DOE/ORNL Heat Pump Design Model to design a 120V unit with a brazed plate condenser, fin-and-tube evaporator and an adequately sized compressor. To maximize the FHR, multiple strategies were simulated, including use of a mixing valve, overheating the tank temperature to 140F, a new sensing method for quicker response, and an innovative water circulation path. We also simulated 24-hour unform energy factors (UEF) to show the tradeoff between the capacity and operation efficiency. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of insulation thickness on FHR and UEF, to seek further footprint reduction or stretch the tank volume.

Shen, Bo↗
DOE OSTI2026

Experimental Evaluation of a High-Performance Cold-Climate Heat Pump Using Tandem Vapor-Injection Compressors

A high-performance cold-climate heat pump (CCHP) was developed and experimentally validated through comprehensive laboratory and field testing. The system utilized two equal-size tandem vapor-injection (VI) compressors with an inter-stage flash tank to improve efficiency and capacity retention under subfreezing conditions. Laboratory testing was conducted on a 3-ton prototype in a controlled environmental chamber equipped with calibrated thermocouples, refrigerant-side mass flow and pressure transducers, and precision airflow measurement for energy balance verification. The prototype achieved heating coefficients of performance (COPs) of 4.4 at 47 °F, 3.1 at 17 °F, and 2.0 at –13 °F, while maintaining 88% of its rated heating capacity at –13°F. These results confirm strong low-temperature performance and indicate the potential for significant reductions in electric resistance backup use. A field prototype was installed and monitored in a residential building in Fairbanks, Alaska, during a heating season. Instrumentation included real-time power, temperature, and refrigerant state measurements to evaluate performance under dynamic outdoor conditions. The heat pump operated reliably down to –30 °F, delivering 75% of its rated heating capacity with a COP of 1.8, while maintaining stable operation, effective defrost control, and indoor comfort without auxiliary heating. The combined laboratory and field results demonstrate that the tandem VI compressor configuration provides a practical and energy-efficient approach for residential heat pumps designed for cold and very cold climate regions.

Hu, Yifeng [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000242875185)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Case Study of Integrating High-Temperature Heat Pump with LiBr-H2O Absorption Chiller for Data Center Liquid Cooling

Data centers (DCs) are physical infrastructures that support artificial intelligence workloads. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is putting substantial pressure on the US power grid. Most of electricity consumed by IT equipment, accounting for 50%-60% of total DC power, ultimately becomes waste heat. This heat is dissipated by DC’s cooling facilities, accounting for an additional 30%-40% of total DC power. Recovering and repurposing this waste heat offers a significant opportunity to enhance energy efficiency and reduce operating costs of DCs. One potential pathway is converting heat to cold using thermal-driven absorption chillers, therefore, reducing the power consumption in DC cooling facilities. Existing studies mainly demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of repurposing DC’s waste heat for cooling applications but provide limited technical details on how to integrate the thermal-driven absorption chillers with DC cooling systems. In addition, the low-grade waste heat available from DCs must be upgraded to higher temperatures suitable for absorption chillers. This paper presents a case study on integrating high-temperature heat pumps with a LiBr-H2O absorption chiller to use DC waste heat for cooling. A thermodynamic model of single-effect, LiBr-H2O absorption chiller and an empirical model of high-temperature heat pumps were built. The case study considers ASHRAE W17 liquid-cooled DC, with facility service water supplied at 17.0℃ and returned at 25.3℃. The thermal behaviors of absorption chiller components were predicted for the generation temperature ranging from 75.0℃ to 115.0℃. Based on the available waste heat in the integrated system, two waste heat recovery strategies were evaluated: a facility service water-based strategy and cooling water-based strategy. Results indicated that the cooling water-based strategy achieves higher Coefficient of Performance (COPs) than the facility service water-based strategy. The relatively low cooling COPs of single-effect LiBr-H2O absorption chillers could be offset by high heating COP of high temperature heat pumps. The maximum cooling COP of absorption chiller and the overall COP of integrated systems occur at lower generation temperatures, but these conditions also yield lower cooling capacities. In practice, system operation should balance the trade-off between the COP and cooling capacity

Wang, Pengtao [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000214713429)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of heat pump technologies for high-temperature applications above 250 °C

This paper examines heat pump (HP) technologies to achieve heat supply temperatures above 250 °C, referred to as ultra-high-temperature heat pump (UHTHP). UHTHP, as a low-carbon heat delivery and heat augmentation technology, can offer an alternative to traditional combustion heating for decarbonizing high-temperature industrial processes. However, the heat supply temperature of over 250 °C surpasses the temperature range typically covered in the high-temperature HP literature and existing capabilities of commercial HP systems. This paper reviews HP technologies with the potential to evolve into UHTHP. Additionally, UHTHP studies in the literature are analyzed to compare the pros, cons, and technical potentials of various HPs using different thermodynamic cycles and fluids. Furthermore, we then pinpoint the technical gaps and challenges that have hindered widespread adoption of UHTHP in industry, explore potential improvements and solutions, and discuss the feasibility. Current efforts aim to lay the ground for future research, development, and commercial deployment for UHTHP.

32 - ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZA↗