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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 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Fuel economy and emissions testing of an RCCI series hybrid vehicle

In the current work, a series hybrid vehicle has been constructed that utilises a dual-fuel, reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine. Full vehicle testing was conducted on chassis dynamometers over the US Environmental Protection Agency Federal Test Procedure, Highway Fuel Economy Test and US06 using RCCI combustion with commercially available gasoline and ultra-low sulphur diesel. Fuel economy and emissions data were recorded over the specified test cycles. Testing revealed that engine-out emissions were similar to steady-state dynamometer engine testing. However, tailpipe-out emissions saw a reduction of HC and CO during the HWFET of 98.5%. Fuel economy was lower than expected due to the higher drivetrain losses of the series hybrid drivetrain. Finally, simulated changes to the drivetrain showed that it may be possible to increase fuel economy significantly, while meeting EPA emissions standards.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Bioeconomy Survey Results Regarding Barriers to the United States Advanced Biofuel Industry

Although the 2005 Environmental Protection Act (EPAct) was enacted to bolster the emerging biofuel industry, 52% of advanced biofuel (AB) projects ended by 2015. However, there are no complete lists of internal and external barriers that can help to explain why these projects are failing. The goal of this study was to develop a list of barriers impeding advanced biofuel projects by conducting a survey of biofuel stakeholders. Based on a literature review and previous research, a list of 23 hypothesized internal and external barriers was elaborated. A survey was conducted to have industry stakeholders provide their perception on the list of hypothesized barriers. The perceptions of industry stakeholders were analyzed by dividing the sample in three different stakeholder groups: advanced biofuel industry members, government representatives, and a third category called others that included publishers, journalists, suppliers, and other related stakeholders to the industry. In addition, nonparametric statistical techniques were used to compare the perceptions of the groups. Here, the most significant results indicated that Technology issues was considered as an internal barrier for the three groups while Funding and Renewable Fuel Standards were perceived as external barriers by the three groups too. In addition, the rating of barriers was further analyzed only by AB industry stakeholders in order to uncover more details on the perception of barriers that might be preventing the AB industry to prosper.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Durability testing of actual Hanford waste glasses and their non-radioactive simulant glasses

The low-activity waste (LAW) fraction of Hanford tank waste will be converted to glass at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and disposed on the Hanford site. The chemical durability of LAW glasses has been researched for decades to satisfy contract requirements. Most LAW glass durability data has been generated on non-radioactive simulant glasses fabricated via crucible melts. These non-radioactive glasses were chosen due to safety and cost reasons with confidence that radioactive waste glasses would exhibit similar behavior. To reduce the risk of significant differences in laboratory test response data between WTP melter waste glass and simulant glass, Product Consistency Tests (PCT, i.e., ASTM C1285-21) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1313 durability tests were performed on actual and simulant LAW glasses fabricated using laboratory-scaled melters. Actual and simulant glass durability test results are presented and statistically compared. Finally, differences in test responses were found to be within experimental uncertainty.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

spopt: a python package for solving spatial optimization problems in PySAL

Spatial optimization is a major spatial analytical tool in management and planning, the significance of which cannot be overstated. Spatial optimization models play an important role in designing and managing effective and efficient service systems such as transportation, education, public health, environmental protection, and commercial investment among others. To this end, spopt (spatial optimization) is under active development for the inclusion of newly proposed models and methods for regionalization, facility location, and transportation-oriented solutions (Feng et al., 2021). Spopt is a submodule in the open-source spatial analysis library PySAL (Python Spatial Analysis Library) founded by Dr. Sergio J. Rey and Dr. Luc Anselin in 2005 (Rey et al., 2015, 2021; Rey & Anselin, 2007). The goal of developing spopt is to provide management and decision-making support to all relevant practitioners and to further promote the appropriate and meaningful application of spatial optimization models in practice.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Improving cellulose attribution by selectively removing yeast glucans from grain fermentation intermediates

Abstract This article presents an industry-relevant method for quantifying cellulose in mixed substrate samples. We built upon the cellulosic glucan measurement proposed by Sluiter et al. (2021) to investigate significant cellulose loss under cold caustic conditions, which has hindered the establishment of an industrially relevant method. To overcome this issue, we used dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as an alternative solvent, which avoids mercerization reactions (Budtova and Navard 2015) but may leave some resistant starch in the sample. Treatment via an enzyme mixture removed starch and conformed to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance on cellulose measurement by establishing quantitative de-starching via nuclear magnetic resonance (EPA 2022). The selective removal of yeast beta-glucan was accomplished using a commercially available Zymolyase. Our results demonstrated excellent reproducibility, with coefficients of variance of 7.14% or less, when measuring cellulose in low cellulose content samples. The method was tested on relevant lab and plant samples, showing an average 0.9% ethanol derived from the conversion of cellulose when cellulase was added to the process and zero response when no cellulase was added. These findings indicate that a cellulose method using DMSO and pullulanase provides a complete and accurate view of cellulose content, composition, and conversion in industrial fermentation processes.

Sluiter, Justin [National Renewable Energy Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2017

Speciation of Soil Phosphorus Assessed by XANES Spectroscopy at Different Spatial Scales

Precise management of soil phosphorus (P) to meet competing demands of agriculture and environmental protection can benefit from more comprehensive characterization of P speciation in soils. Our objectives were to provide spatial context for spectroscopic analyses of soil P speciation in relation to molecular-scale species and landscape-scale management of P, and to compare soil P-species diversity from spectroscopic measurements at submicron and millimeter scales. The spatial range of ~26 orders of magnitude between atomic and field scales presents a challenge to upscaling and downscaling information from spectroscopic analyses of soils. Scanning fluorescence X-ray microscopy images of a 50-mm ´ 45-mm area of an organic soil sample showed heterogeneous distributions of P, Al, and Si. Microscale X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectra collected at the P K-edge from 12 spots on the soil sample exhibited diverse features that indicated variations in highly localized P speciation. Linear combination fitting analysis of the μ-XANES spectra included various proportions of three standards that appeared in fits for most spots and five standards that appeared in fits for one spot each. The fit to a bulk-soil spectrum was dominated by two of the common standards in the μ-XANES fits, and a fit to the sum of m-XANES spectra included four of the standards. Lastly, these results illustrate a gain in P species sensitivity from spatially resolved XANES analysis. Integrating spectroscopic analyses from multiple scales determines soil P species diversity and will ultimately help connect speciation to the chemical reactivity and mobility of P in soils.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Application of quantitative risk assessment to address stakeholder questions in geologic carbon storage

Ambitious international greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets demand a rapid transformation to a low-carbon economy. This transformation includes the accelerated adoption of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) technology. However, as with any large-scale engineering enterprise, the widespread commercial-scale deployment of geologic carbon storage (GCS) raises important questions about technology and cost-effectiveness, safety, environmental risk, and long-term liability. Effectively assessing and managing risks and liability associated with GCS projects is a key technical need throughout the project life cycle-from site selection and permitting to monitoring design, operational risk management, and post-operational site closure. This presentation highlights recent advancements in tools for quantitative risk assessment, being developed by the National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP). NRAP is a multi-year, multinational laboratory research collaboration sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. Our focus will be on these tools' applications in addressing critical stakeholder questions related to supporting permitting to ensure secure and environmentally protective storage; designing effective and efficient monitoring plans; evaluating the effectiveness of remedial actions and risk management alternatives; and informing liability assessment and investment decisions. This paper will detail the key functionality of NRAP’s Open-Source Integrated Assessment Model (NRAP-Open-IAM), a computational framework for assessing leakage risk and containment assurance. This model features streamlined workflows for calculating leakage risk profiles, delineating risk-based area of review, and assessing contingency plans and post-injection site care requirements. ORION is an open-source, observation-based ensemble forecasting toolkit to help operators assess the seismic hazard at a carbon storage site. The State of Stress Analysis Tool (SOSAT), designed to assess subsurface stress conditions and evaluate geomechanical risk resulting from CO2 injection in an area of interest will also be presented. We will also introduce a prototype model to evaluate storage project costs and liability associated with risk management. The Technoeconomic and Liability Evaluation for Storage (TALES) model uses results from forecasts of leakage and induced seismicity risk to estimate the lifecycle cost of managing risk. Finally, a preliminary example of how the NRAP Risk-based Adaptive Monitoring Plan (RAMP) tool can be used to design efficient and effective site monitoring plans and estimate the detectability of fluid leakage will be provided. The relevance of these tools for addressing key stakeholder questions amidst uncertainty will be emphasized.

decision support↗
DOE OSTI2015

Nevada National Security Site 2014 Data Report: Groundwater Monitoring Program Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site

This report is a compilation of the groundwater sampling results from the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada. Groundwater samples from the aquifer immediately below the Area 5 RWMS have been collected and analyzed and static water levels have been measured in this aquifer since 1993. This report updates these data to include the 2014 results. Analysis results for leachate contaminants collected from the mixed-waste cell at the Area 5 RWMS (Cell 18) are also included. During 2014, groundwater samples were collected and static water levels were measured at three wells surrounding the Area 5 RWMS. Groundwater samples were collected at wells UE5PW-1, UE5PW-2, and UE5PW-3 on March 11 and August 12, 2014, and static water levels were measured at each of these wells on March 10, June 2, August 11, and October 14, 2014. Groundwater samples were analyzed for the following indicators of contamination: pH, specific conductance, total organic carbon, total organic halides, and tritium. General water chemistry (cations and anions) was also measured. Results from samples collected in 2014 are within the limits established by agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for each analyte. The data from the shallow aquifer indicate that there has been no measurable impact to the uppermost aquifer from the Area 5 RWMS, and there were no significant changes in measured groundwater parameters compared to previous years. Leachate from above the primary liner of Cell 18 drains into a sump and is collected in a tank at the ground surface. Cell 18 began receiving waste in January 2011. Samples were collected from the tank when the leachate volume approached the 3,000-gallon tank capacity. Leachate samples have been collected 16 times since January 2011. During 2014, samples were collected on February 25, March 5, May 20, August 12, September 16, November 11, and December 16. Each leachate sample was analyzed for toxicity characteristic contaminants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Beginning with the sample from July 31, 2013, pH and specific conductance were also measured. Leachate analysis results show no evidence of contamination. Results for toxicity characteristic contaminants are all below regulatory levels and analysis quantification limits. No quantifiable PCB levels were detected in any sample. Results for pH and specific conductance are also within expected ranges. After analysis, leachate was pumped from the collection tank and used in Cell 18 for dust control. The report contains an updated cumulative chronology for the Area 5 RWMS Groundwater Monitoring Program and a brief description of the site hydrogeology.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Testing Novel CR-39 Detector Deployment System for Identification of Subsurface Fractures, Soda Springs, ID

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has teamed with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to facilitate further testing of geologic-fracture-identification methodology at a field site near the Monsanto Superfund Site located in Soda Springs, Idaho. INL has the necessary testing and technological expertise to perform this work. Battelle Memorial Institute (BMI) has engaged INL to perform this work through a Work for Others (WFO) Agreement. This study continues a multi-year collaborative effort between INL and EPA to test the efficacy of using field deployed Cr-39 radon in soil portals. This research enables identification of active fractures capable of transporting contaminants at sites where fractures are suspected pathways into the subsurface. Current state of the art methods for mapping fracture networks are exceedingly expensive and notoriously inaccurate. The proposed WFO will evaluate the applicability of using cheap, readily available, passive radon detectors to identify conductive geologic structures (i.e. fractures, and fracture networks) in the subsurface that control the transport of contaminants at fracture-dominated sites. The proposed WFO utilizes proven off-the-shelf technology in the form of CR-39 radon detectors, which have been widely deployed to detect radon levels in homes and businesses. In an existing collaborative EPA/INL study outside of this workscope, CR-39 detectors are being utilized to determine the location of active transport fractures in a fractured granitic upland adjacent to a landfill site at the Fort Devens, MA that EPA-designated as National Priorities List (NPL) site. The innovative concept of using an easily deployed port that allows the CR-39 to measure the Rn-222 in the soil or alluvium above the fractured rock, while restricting atmospheric Rn-222 and soil sourced Ra from contaminating the detector is unique to INL and EPA approach previously developed. By deploying a series of these inexpensive detector-casing combinations statistical samples of the Rn-222 flux can be measured, elucidating the most communicative fractures (i.e. fractures that are actively transporting water and gasses). The Rn-222 measurements can then be used as an input to create a more accurate conceptual model to be used for transport modeling and related cleanup activities. If the team’s approach is demonstrated to be applicable to a wide variety of rock types and soil conditions it might potentially offer significant cost saving without a reduction in data quality at Monsanto Superfund and other sites underlain by fracture-dominated bedrock.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

The GREET Model Expansion for Well-to-Wheels Analysis of Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) account for a significant portion of the U.S. transportation sector’s fuel consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and air pollutant emissions. In our most recent efforts, we expanded the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREETTM) model to include life-cycle analysis of HDVs. In particular, the GREET expansion includes the fuel consumption, GHG emissions, and air pollutant emissions of a variety of conventional (i.e., diesel and/or gasoline) HDV types, including Class 8b combination long-haul freight trucks, Class 8b combination short-haul freight trucks, Class 8b dump trucks, Class 8a refuse trucks, Class 8a transit buses, Class 8a intercity buses, Class 6 school buses, Class 6 single-unit delivery trucks, Class 4 single-unit delivery trucks, and Class 2b heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans. These vehicle types were selected to represent the diversity in the U.S. HDV market, and specific weight classes and body types were chosen on the basis of their fuel consumption using the 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) database. VIUS was also used to estimate the fuel consumption and payload carried for most of the HDV types. In addition, fuel economy projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, transit databases, and the literature were examined. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s latest Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator was employed to generate tailpipe air pollutant emissions of diesel and gasoline HDV types.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Idaho National Laboratory PCB Annual Document Log and Annual Records Report for calendar year 2014

The requirements for the reporting of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-related activities are found in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 761 Subpart J, "General Records and Reports." The PCB Annual Document Log is a detailed record of the PCB waste handling activities at the facility. The facility must prepare it each year by July 1 and maintain it at the facility for at least 3 years after the facility ceases using or storing PCBs and PCB items. While submittal of the PCB Annual Document Log to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not required by regulation, EPA has verbally requested in telephone conversations that this report be submitted to them on an annual basis. The Annual Records are not required to be submitted to EPA and are not considered to be part of the Annual Document Log, but are included to provide the complete disposition history or status of all PCB activities during the year. The Annual Document Log section of this report (Section 2.0) meets the requirements of 40 CFR 761.180(a)(2), as applicable, while the Annual Records section (Section 3.0) meets the requirement of 40 CFR 761.180(a)(1).

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Potential Cost-Effective Opportunities for Methane Emission Abatement

The energy sector was responsible for approximately 84% of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. in 2012 (EPA 2014a). Methane is the second most important GHG, contributing 9% of total U.S. CO 2 e emissions. A large portion of those methane emissions result from energy production and use; the natural gas, coal, and oil industries produce approximately 39% of anthropogenic methane emissions in the U.S. As a result, fossil-fuel systems have been consistently identified as high priority sectors to contribute to U.S. GHG reduction goals (White House 2015). Only two studies have recently attempted to quantify the abatement potential and cost associated with the breadth of opportunities to reduce GHG emissions within natural gas, oil, and coal supply chains in the United States, namely the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2013a) and ICF (2014). EPA, in its 2013 analysis, estimated the marginal cost of abatement for non-CO 2 GHG emissions from the natural gas, oil, and coal supply chains for multiple regions globally, including the United States. Building on this work, ICF International (ICF) (2014) provided an update and re-analysis of the potential opportunities in U.S. natural gas and oil systems. In this report we synthesize these previously published estimates as well as incorporate additional data provided by ICF to provide a comprehensive national analysis of methane abatement opportunities and their associated costs across the natural gas, oil, and coal supply chains. Results are presented as a suite of marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs), which depict the total potential and cost of reducing emissions through different abatement measures. We report results by sector (natural gas, oil, and coal) and by supply chain segment - production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission and storage, or distribution - to facilitate identification of which sectors and supply chain segments provide the greatest opportunities for low cost abatement.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Engineered Option Treatment of Remediated Nitrate Salts: Surrogate Batch-Blending Testing

This report provides results from batch-blending test work for remediated nitrate salt (RNS) treatment. Batch blending was identified as a preferred option for blending RNS and unremediated nitrate salt (UNS) material with zeolite to effectively safe the salt/Swheat material identified as ignitable (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency code D001). Blending with zeolite was the preferred remediation option identified in the Options Assessment Report and was originally proposed as the best option for remediation by Clark and Funk in their report, Chemical Reactivity and Recommended Remediation Strategy for Los Alamos Remediated Nitrate Salt (RNS) Wastes, and also found to be a preferred option in the Engineering Options Assessment Report: Nitrate Salt Waste Stream Processing. This test work evaluated equipment and recipe alternatives to achieve effective blending of surrogate waste with zeolite.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Performance Criteria for Capture and/or Immobilization Technologies - Milestone Report

The capture and subsequent immobilization of the four regulated volatile radionuclides ( 3 H, 14 C, 85 Kr, and 129 I) from the off-gas streams of a used nuclear fuel (UNF) reprocessing facility has been a topic of substantial research interest for the US Department of Energy and its international colleagues. Removal of some or all of these radionuclides (e.g., based upon fuel burnup, fuel type, cooling time) from the plant effluent streams prior to discharge to the environment is required to meet regulations set forth by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Upon removal, the radionuclide, as well as associated sorbents that cannot be cost-effectively regenerated, is destined for conversion to a waste form. Research in separation and capture methodologies has included a wide range of technologies, including liquid caustic scrubbing systems, solid adsorbents, and cryogenic distillation. The studies of waste forms have been correspondingly diverse. In considering the technologies available for future development and implementation of both sorbents and waste forms, it is necessary to identify benchmark measures of performance to evaluate objectively each sorbent system or waste form.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗