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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 883 records · Page 49
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DOE OSTI2011

Collaborative Lubricating Oil Study on Emissions: November 28, 2006 - March 31, 2011

The Collaborative Lubricating Oil Study on Emissions (CLOSE) project was a pilot investigation of how fuels and crankcase lubricants contribute to the formation of particulate matter (PM) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) in vehicle exhaust. As limited vehicles were tested, results are not representative of the whole on-road fleet. Long-term effects were not investigated. Pairs ofvehicles (one normal PM emitting, one high-PM emitting) from four categories were selected: light-duty (LD) gasoline cars, medium-duty (MD) diesel trucks, heavy-duty (HD) natural-gas-fueled buses, and HD diesel buses. HD vehicles procured did not exhibit higher PM emissions, and thus were labeled high mileage (HM). Fuels evaluated were non-ethanol gasoline (E0), 10 percent ethanol (E10),conventional low-sulfur TxLED diesel, 20% biodiesel (B20), and natural gas. Temperature effects (20 degrees F, 72 degrees F) were evaluated on LD and MD vehicles. Lubricating oil vintage effects (fresh and aged) were evaluated on all vehicles. LD and MD vehicles were operated on a dynamometer over the California Unified Driving Cycle, while HD vehicles followed the Heavy Duty Urban DynamometerDriving Schedule. Regulated and unregulated emissions were measured. Chemical markers from the unregulated emissions measurements and a tracer were utilized to estimate the lubricant contribution to PM.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Progress Report 2011: Understanding compound phase transitions in Heusler alloy giant magnetocaloric materials

Our goal is to gain insight into the fundamental physics that is responsible for magnetocaloric effects (MCE) and related properties at the atomic level. We are currently conducting a systematic study on the effects of atomic substitutions in Ni2MnGa-based alloys, and also exploring related full- and half-Heusler alloys, for example Ni-Mn-X (X=In, Sn, Sb), that exhibit a wide variety of interesting and potentially useful physical phenomena. It is already known that the magnetocaloric effect in the Heusler alloys is fundamentally connected to other interesting phenomena such as shape-memory properties. And the large magnetic entropy change in Ni2Mn0.75Cu0.25Ga has been attributed to the coupling of the first-order, martensitic transition with the second-order ferromagnetic paramagnetic (FM-PM) transition. Our research to this point has focused on understanding the fundamental physics at the origin of these complex, compound phase transitions, and the novel properties that emerge. We synthesize the materials using a variety of techniques, and explore their material properties through structural, magnetic, transport, and thermo-magnetic measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Grid-Competitive Residential and Commercial Fully Automated PV Systems Technology: Final technical Report, August 2011

Under DOE's Technology Pathway Partnership program, SunPower Corporation developed turn-key, high-efficiency residential and commercial systems that are cost effective. Key program objectives include a reduction in LCOE values to 9-12 cents/kWh and 13-18 cents/kWh respectively for the commercial and residential markets. Target LCOE values for the commercial ground, commercial roof, and residential markets are 10, 11, and 13 cents/kWh. For this effort, SunPower collaborated with a variety of suppliers and partners to complete the tasks below. Subcontractors included: Solaicx, SiGen, Ribbon Technology, Dow Corning, Xantrex, Tigo Energy, and Solar Bridge. SunPower's TPP addressed nearly the complete PV value chain: from ingot growth through system deployment. Throughout the award period of performance, SunPower has made progress toward achieving these reduced costs through the development of 20%+ efficient modules, increased cell efficiency through the understanding of loss mechanisms and improved manufacturing technologies, novel module development, automated design tools and techniques, and reduced system development and installation time. Based on an LCOE assessment using NREL's Solar Advisor Model, SunPower achieved the 2010 target range, as well as progress toward 2015 targets.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

2011 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program (Book)

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy securityand improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2010

INL FY 2011 SITE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN WITH THE FY 2010 ANNUAL REPORT

It is the policy of the Department of Energy (DOE) that sustainable energy and transportation fuels management will be integrated into DOE operations to meet obligations under Executive Order (EO) 13423 'Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management,' the Instructions for Implementation of EO 13423, as well as Guidance Documents issued in accordance thereto and any modifcations or amendments that may be issued from time to time. In furtherance of this obligation, DOE established strategic performance-based energy and transportation fuels goals and strategies through the Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) Initiative, which were incorporated into DOE Order 430.2B 'Departmental Energy, Renewable energy, and Transportation Management' and were also identified in DOE Order 450.1A, 'Environmental Protection Program.' These goals and accompanying strategies are to be implemented by DOE sites through the integration of energy and transportation fuels management into site Environmental Management Systems (EMS).

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Confirmatory Survey Results for Portions of the ABB Combustion Engineering Site in Windsor, Connecticut During the Fall of 2011

From the mid-1950s until mid-2000, the Combustion Engineering, Inc. (CE) site in Windsor, Connecticut (Figure A-1) was involved in the research, development, engineering, production, and servicing of nuclear fuels, systems, and services. The site is currently undergoing decommissioning that will lead to license termination and unrestricted release in accordance with the requirements of the License Termination Rule in 10 CFR Part 20, Subpart E. Asea Brown Boveri Incorporated (ABB) has been decommissioning the CE site since 2001.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2011

FY 2011 Miniature Spherical Retroreflectors (Final Report)

PNNL conducted a systematic optical modeling effort to study and compare retroreflector designs with respect to available optical materials. The optical Strehl ratio (SR) and cross section figures of merit were used to compare the performance of candidate optical designs. Further modeling was conducted to assess the relationships between standoff range and retroreflector diameter and cross section. Analysis showed that small diameter retroreflectors have very high optical link loss, since the net loss scales by retroreflector diameter to the 4th power. Optical retroreflection efficiency is also important, but extracting ideal performance from a complicated design must be tempered by the fact that the effective retroreflector range varies only as the fourth root of the cross section. It's therefore imperative to maintain a reasonable retroreflector diameter, but striving for perfect optical performance may be a costly effort that does not merit the modest performance gain. Several promising designs were developed for visible and mid-infrared applications, which embraced lessons learned in the standoff range study. These designs included a polymer clad glass core approach for visible wavelengths and a concentric shell design using chalcogenide glass for the mid-infrared. Injection molding feasibility studies demonstrated that it was practical to fabricate visible polymer retroreflectors using this approach. Such an approach may be a practical solution for the LLNL project. Our primary focus is to develop mid-infrared designs; therefore compression molding chalcogenide glass was adopted for fabricating mid-infrared retroreflectors. A significant effort was focused on developing practical compression molding methods that provided reasonable device yield. A custom compression molding press was developed in collaboration with a private engineering firm. Many successful molding studies were conducted during this effort, but ultimately the fragile nature of the chalcogenide glass and the unfavorable thermal expansion properties limited the feasibility of fabricating the thin shell structures needed for this design. An alternative Cat's Eye retroreflector design was therefore adopted. This design is constructed using two hemispherical structures that can be fabricated by conventional grinding and polishing methods or by molding with high yield. The cross section of this design is very good (and can be further improved by applying a highly reflective coating to the rear surface), but has reduced field of view as a design trade off as well as the isotropic nature of Luneburg-style retroreflector.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

DDE Design Status Report Nov 2011

The National Nuclear Security Agency Global Threat Reduction Initiative employs the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) Fuel Development program to facilitate maturation of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel technology in order to enable conversion of High Power Research Reactors (HPRR) to LEU fuels. The RERTR Fuel Development program has overseen design, fabrication, irradiation, and examination of numerous tests on small to medium sized specimens containing LEU fuels. To enable the three nearest term HPRR conversions, including the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology Reactor (MITR), University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), and National Bureau of Standard Reactor (NBSR), the FD pillar is currently focused on qualification of the 'Base Monolithic Design'. The Base Monolithic Design consists of uranium-10 wt% molybdenum alloy (U-10Mo) in the form of a monolithic foil, with thin zirconium interlayers, clad in aluminum by hot isostatic press. The licensing basis of the aforementioned HPRR's restricts them from testing lead test elements of their respective LEU fuel element designs. In order to provide the equivalent of a lead test assembly, one Design Demonstration Experiment (DDE) is planned for each of the three NRC licensed reactors.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Access Framework: Model Text (November 2011): An Act to Establish a Framework for Development of Offshore Wind Power

The model offshore wind power legislation focused on two aspects: compensation for use of ocean space and environmental assessment. In particular, the model legislation recommends the adoption of a rent and royalty scheme that is premised on high rent and low royalties in order to stimulate qualified bids from developers who are motivated to begin production as early as possible and to discourage sham bidding. The model legislation also includes a provision that sets royalties at a lower rate in the early years of project operation, and that provides states with the discretion to waive or defer rent and/or royalties for a period of time to meet the goals and objectives of energy independence, job creation, reduced emissions of conventional pollutants and greenhouse gases and increased state requirements for electricity from renewable sources. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is structured to provide a systematic and interdisciplinary evaluation of the potential positive and negative life-cycle effects of a proposed offshore wind project on the physical, biological, cultural and socio-economic attributes of the project.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Science and Technology Review December 2011

This month's issue has the following articles: (1) High-Performance Computing for Energy Innovation - Commentary by Tomas Diaz de la Rubia; (2) Simulating the Next Generation of Energy Technologies - Projects using high-performance computing demonstrate Livermore's computational horsepower and improve the quality of energy solutions and the speed of deployment; (3) ARC Comes into Focus - The Advanced Radiographic Capability, a petawatt-class laser, can penetrate dense objects to reveal material dynamics during National Ignition Facility experiments; (4) A New Method to Track Viral Evolution - A sensitive technique developed at the Laboratory can identify virus mutations that may jump from host to host; and (5) Data for Defense: New Software Finds It Fast - Department of Defense warfighters and planners are using Livermore software systems to extract pertinent information from massive amounts of data.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Fusion Simulation Program: Final Report for the Period September 27, 2009 through July 31, 2011

Under this project, General Atomics (GA) was tasked to develop the experimental validation plans for two high priority ISAs, Boundary and Pedestal and Whole Device Modeling in collaboration with the theory, simulation and experimental communities. The following sections have been incorporated into the final FSP Program Plan (www.pppl.gov/fsp), which was delivered to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Additional deliverables by GA include guidance for validation, development of metrics to evaluate success and procedures for collaboration with experiments. These are also part of the final report.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

NGNP Project 2011 Status and Path Forward

High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) technology can play an important role in the United States’ energy future by extending the use of nuclear energy for non-electricity energy production missions as well as continuing to provide a considerable base load electric power generation capability. Extending nuclear energy into the industrial and transportation sectors through the co-production of process heat and electricity provides safe and reliable energy for these sectors in an environmentally responsible manner. The safety case for the modular HTGR provides a substantial improvement in nuclear plant safety for the protection of the public and the environment, and supports collocation of the HTGR with major industrial facilities. The NGNP Project at the Idaho National Laboratory has been working toward an objective of commercializing the HTGR technology under DOE direction since 2006. The Project is undergoing a quantum shift in direction and scope as a result of recent DOE decisions. This paper summarizes where the Project has been, where it is at the time of this writing and what is needed in future activities to commercialize HTGR technology.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2012

Radiological Monitoring Results For Groundwater Samples Associated with the Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit for the Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Pond: November 1, 2010-October 31, 2011

This report summarizes radiological monitoring performed on samples from specific groundwater monitoring wells associated with the Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit for the Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond (No.LA-000160-01). The radiological monitoring was performed to fulfill Department of Energy requirements under the Atomic Energy Act.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2012

Gearbox Reliability Collaborative Gearbox 1 Failure Analysis Report: December 2010 - January 2011

Unintended gearbox failures have a significant impact on the cost of wind farm operations. In 2007, NREL initiated the Gearbox Reliability Collaborative (GRC). The project combines analysis, field testing, dynamometer testing, condition monitoring, and the development and population of a gearbox failure database in a multi-pronged approach to determine why wind turbine gearboxes do not achievetheir expected design life. The collaborative of manufacturers, owners, researchers, and consultants focuses on gearbox testing and modeling and the development of a gearbox failure database. Collaborative members also investigate gearbox condition monitoring techniques. Data gained from the GRC will enable designers, developers, and manufacturers to improve gearbox designs and testing standardsand create more robust modeling tools. GRC project essentials include the development of two identical, heavily instrumented representative gearbox designs. Knowledge gained from the field and dynamometer tests conducted on these gearboxes builds an understanding of how the selected loads and events translate into bearing and gear response. This report contains the analysis of the first gearboxdesign.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

2011 Vehicle Technologies Market Report

This report details the major trends in U.S. light-duty vehicle and medium/heavy truck markets as well as the underlying trends that caused them. This report is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Program (VTP), and, in accord with its mission, pays special attention to the progress of high-efficiency and alternative-fuel technologies. This third edition since this report was started in 2008 offers several marked improvements relative to its predecessors. Most significantly, where earlier editions of this report focused on supplying information through an examination of market drivers, new vehicle trends, and supplier data, this edition uses a different structure. After opening with a discussion of energy and economics, this report features a section each on the light-duty vehicle and heavy/medium truck markets, and concluding with a section each on technology and policy. In addition to making this sectional re-alignment, this year s edition of the report also takes a different approach to communicating information. While previous editions relied heavily on text accompanied by auxiliary figures, this third edition relies primarily on charts and graphs to communicate trends. Any accompanying text serves to introduce the trends communication by the graphic and highlight any particularly salient observations. The opening section on Energy and Economics discusses the role of transportation energy and vehicle markets on a national (and even international) scale. For example, Figures 11 through 13 discuss the connections between global oil prices and U.S. GDP, and Figures 20 and 21 show U.S. employment in the automotive sector. The following section examines Light-Duty Vehicle use, markets, manufacture, and supply chains. Figures 26 through 33 offer snapshots of major light-duty vehicle brands in the U.S. and Figures 38 through 43 examine the performance and efficiency characteristics of vehicles sold. The discussion of Medium and Heavy Trucks offers information on truck sales (Figures 58 through 61) and fuel use (Figures 64 through 66). The Technology section offers information on alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure (Figures 68 through 77), and the Policy section concludes with information on recent, current, and near-future Federal policies like the Cash for Clunkers program (Figures 87 and 88) and the Corporate Automotive Fuel Economy standard (Figures 90 through 99) and. In total, the information contained in this report is intended to communicate a fairly complete understanding of U.S. highway transportation energy through a series of easily digestible nuggets.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Novel R2R Manufacturable Photonic-Enhanced Thin Film Solar Cells; January 28, 2010 -- January 31, 2011

Final subcontract report for PV Incubator project 'Novel R2R Manufacturable Photonic-Enhanced Thin Film Solar Cells.' The goal of this program was to produce tandem Si cells using photonic bandgap enhancement technology developed at ISU and Lightwave Power that would have an NREL-verified efficiency of 7.5% on 0.25 cm2 area tandem junction cell on plastic substrates. This goal was met andexceeded within the timeframe and budget of the program. On smaller area cells, the efficiency was even higher,9.5% (not verified by NREL). Appropriate polymers were developed to fabricate photonic and plasmonic devices on stainless steel, Kapton and PEN substrates. A novel photonic-plasmon structure was developed which shows a promise of improving light absorption in thin film cells, a betterlight absorption than by any other scheme.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

2011 Annual Summary Report for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada: Review of the Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses

The Maintenance Plan for the Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site (National Security Technologies, LLC, 2007a) requires an annual review to assess the adequacy of the Performance Assessments (PAs) and Composite Analyses (CAs), with the results submitted annually to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management. The Disposal Authorization Statements for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) also require that such reviews be made and that secondary or minor unresolved issues be tracked and addressed as part of the maintenance plan (DOE, 1999a; 2000).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗