Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Illinois”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 91 records · Page 5

Illinois Express Quantum Network (IEQNET): metropolitan-scale experimental quantum networking over deployed optical fiber

The Illinois Express Quantum Network (IEQNET) is a program to realize metro-scale quantum networking over deployed optical fiber using currently available technology. IEQNET consists of multiple sites that are geographically dispersed in the Chicago metropolitan area. Each site has one or more quantum nodes (Qnodes) representing the communication parties in a quantum network. Q-nodes generate or measure quantum signals such as entangled photons and communicate the results via standard, classical, means. The entangled photons in IEQNET nodes are generated at multiple wavelengths, and are selectively distributed to the desired users via optical switches. Here we describe the network architecture of IEQNET, including the Internet-inspired layered hierarchy that leverages software-defined-networking (SDN) technology to perform traditional wavelength routing and assignment between the Q-nodes. Specifically, SDN decouples the control and data planes, with the control plane being entirely classical. Issues associated with synchronization, calibration, network monitoring, and scheduling will be discussed. An important goal of IEQNET is demonstrating the extent to which the control plane can coexist with the data plane using the same fiber lines. This goal is furthered by the use of tunable narrow-band optical filtering at the receivers and, at least in some cases, a wide wavelength separation between the quantum and classical channels. We envision IEQNET to aid in developing robust and practical quantum networks by demonstrating metro-scale quantum communication tasks such as entanglement distribution and quantum-state teleportation.

Chung, Joaquin↗

Evaluation of Serial Testing After Exposure to COVID-19 in Early Care and Education Facilities, Illinois, March–May 2022

Objective: To understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission in early care and education (ECE) settings, we implemented a Test to Stay (TTS) strategy, which allowed children and staff who were close contacts to COVID-19 to remain in person if they agreed to test twice after exposure. We describe SARS-CoV-2 transmission, testing preferences, and the number of in-person days saved among participating ECE facilities. Methods: From March 21 through May 27, 2022, 32 ECE facilities in Illinois implemented TTS. Unvaccinated children and staff who were not up to date with COVID-19 vaccination could participate if exposed to COVID-19. Participants received 2 tests within 7 days after exposure and were given the option to test at home or at the ECE facility. Results: During the study period, 331 TTS participants were exposed to index cases (defined as people attending the ECE facility with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result during the infectious period); 14 participants tested positive, resulting in a secondary attack rate of 4.2%. No tertiary cases (defined as a person with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result within 10 days after exposure to a secondary case) occurred in the ECE facilities. Most participants (366 of 383; 95.6%) chose to test at home. Remaining in-person after an exposure to COVID-19 saved approximately 1915 in-person days among children and staff and approximately 1870 parent workdays. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates were low in ECE facilities during the study period. Serial testing after COVID-19 exposure among children and staff at ECE facilities is a valuable strategy to allow children to remain in person and parents to avoid missing workdays.

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health↗

Advancing subsurface analysis: Integrating computer vision and deep learning for the near real-time interpretation of borehole image logs in the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project

The accurate quantification and mapping of subsurface natural fracture systems using borehole imaging logs are critical for the success of CO 2 sequestration in geologic formations, optimization of engineered geothermal systems, and hydrocarbon production enhancement. However, traditional interpretation processes suffer from time-consuming procedures and human bias. To address these challenges and expedite fracture analysis, we investigated the application of integrated computer vision and DL workflows to automate image log analysis. Specifically, the design of our workflow was crafted to swiftly detect fractures and baffles by using actual electrical resistivity of borehole wall from microresistivity imaging device alongside their binary representation. This novel approach significantly reduces computational time while providing invaluable insights. By incorporating conventional logging and microseismic data, we present a regional subsurface natural fracture mapping technique. Through the minimization of human bias in image log analysis, our automated workflow achieves reduced fracture interpretation time and costs while ensuring robust and reproducible results. We demonstrated the efficacy of our approach by applying the workflow to the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project site. The automated workflow successfully identified major fractured zones, multiple baffles, and an interbedded layer with a high resolution of 0.01 ft or 0.12 in. (0.3 cm) and can be upscaled to any desired resolution. Validation through microseismic and image log interpretations allows for accurate and near-real-time mapping of fractures and baffles, significantly enhancing CO 2 pressure forecasting and postinjection site care. Our approach stands out due to its robustness, consistency, and reduced computational cost compared with alternative feature extraction technologies. It presents exciting possibilities for advancing CO 2 sequestration and engineered geothermal efforts by offering comprehensive and efficient fracture mapping solutions. This technology can contribute significantly to the optimization of CO 2 sequestration projects, facilitating sustainable environmental practices, and combating climate change.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

CROCUS Urban Fluxes of CO₂, H₂O, and Turbulence at University of Illinois Chicago

As of May 12, 2026 this dataset is currently being versioned to include data up to April 2026. Once the versioning process is complete, new data files will be available for access. The dataset metadata will also be updated to reflect the data availability of the new data being versioned. This dataset was collected at the UIC Plant Research Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois, as part of the Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (UIFL) project, led by Argonne National Laboratory. The site provides continuous atmospheric flux measurements, focusing on CO₂, H₂O, and heat and momentum transport in an urban setting. The data is processed at 30 minutes interval using the Eddy Covariance method and includes quality control and diagnostic data generated by EddyPro software. The data is stored in the netCDF files following CF conventions. The UIC Plant Research Laboratory is located near major highways and urban infrastructure, including buildings and parking areas. The surrounding landscape consists of a mix of turf, plants, trees, and impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt, making it ideal for studying urban at for studies on urban sustainability, air quality, and the effects of urbanization on atmospheric processes on urban climate dynamics, air quality, and surface-atmosphere exchanges within the city of Chicago. This dataset is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

CROCUS High-Frequency Measurements of CO₂, H₂O, Wind, and Temperature at University of Illinois Chicago

As of April 9, 2026: this dataset is currently being versioned to include data up to March 31, 2026. Once the versioning process is complete, new data files will be available for access. The dataset metadata will also be updated to reflect the data availability of the new data being versioned. Raw atmospheric measurements collected at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) as part of the Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) project. The data includes high-frequency measurements of carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, water vapor (H₂O) concentration, wind speed (U, V, W components), temperature, and atmospheric pressure. These raw data are recorded by the LI-7500DS Open Path CO₂/H₂O Analyzer and a sonic anemometer at a 10 Hz acquisition frequency, providing the necessary inputs for calculating fluxes of CO₂, H₂O, heat, and momentum. In addition to gas concentration measurements, the dataset includes diagnostic information from the instruments, including absorptance, sample and reference signals, and diagnostic values. The data were collected to study urban atmospheric conditions and contribute to flux calculations for urban climate research. These measurements form the basis for calculating 30-minute average fluxes of key atmospheric variables using the eddy covariance method. This dataset provides critical raw input data for researchers interested in atmospheric fluxes, urban air quality, and the interaction between the urban environment and atmospheric processes. The data is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program, under the CROCUS Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (UIFL) project.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

CROCUS Air Quality Dataset from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), July 2024

This dataset was collected by the measurement system in the Atmosphere, Climate, and Ecosystems (ACE) Lab at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) from July 12 to July 31, 2024, as part of the Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (UIFL) project, led by Argonne National Laboratory.To enhance understanding of urban air quality dynamics in Chicago, and as part of the CROCUS 2024 Urban Canyon Intensive Observation Period (IOP), several instruments were set up to provide continuous measurements of air quality parameters in Chicago during July 2024. These measurements cover both aerosols and gas-phase species. It focuses on particle size distribution (2.5–478 nm) measured by two Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers (SMPS) at a 4-min resolution, total particle number concentrations at a 1-s resolution, and chemical composition from a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) at a 1-min resolution. Key gas-phase species, including NO, NO₂, SO₂, and O₃, are measured at a 1-min resolution, along with high-resolution NO and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) data from a Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIMS). Volatile organic compound (VOC) data for toluene, isoprene, and benzene are provided by a GC-PID with a time resolution of 25 minutes.The data are formatted as NetCDF (.nc) files, making them easily accessible using common software such as MATLAB, R, and Python. Each parameter is stored in an individual dataset, which includes detailed instrument information in the header, as well as the corresponding sample start time and concentration/distribution data for each sample.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Mechanisms for Microseismicity Occurrence Due to CO 2 Injection at Decatur, Illinois: A Coupled Multiphase Flow and Geomechanics Perspective

Here, we numerically investigate the mechanisms that resulted in induced seismicity occurrence associated with CO 2 injection at the Illinois Basin–Decatur Project (IBDP). We build a geologically consistent model that honors key stratigraphic horizons and 3D fault surfaces interpreted using surface seismic data and microseismicity locations. We populate our model with reservoir and geomechanical properties estimated using well-log and core data. We then performed coupled multiphase flow and geomechanics modeling to investigate the impact of CO 2 injection on fault stability using the Coulomb failure criteria. We calibrate our flow model using measured reservoir pressure during the CO 2 injection phase. Our model results show that pore-pressure diffusion along faults connecting the injection interval to the basement is essential to explain the destabilization of the regions where microseismicity occurred, and that poroelastic stresses alone would result in stabilization of those regions. Slip tendency analysis indicates that, due to their orientations with respect to the maximum horizontal stress direction, the faults where the microseismicity occurred were very close to failure prior to injection. These model results highlight the importance of accurate subsurface fault characterization for CO 2 sequestration operations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Interpreting pre-vegetation landscape dynamics: The Cambrian Lower Mount Simon Sandstone, Illinois, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT The Cambrian Mount Simon Sandstone has been the subject of extensive study and multiple industrial-scale carbon storage demonstrations at Decatur, Illinois, USA. The development of a reliable paleoenvironmental model is critical to successful large-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) storage, but is complicated by the need to interpret pre-vegetation sedimentation processes. The present study presents a paleoenvironmental model of the Lower Mount Simon Sandstone, based on analysis of primary sedimentary structures in two cores and four complete high-resolution resistivity logs (FMI). The Lower Mount Simon Sandstone represents a vertical “drying-up” sequence composed of three associated depositional units: a north–south oriented coastal system at the base, an eastward-directed fluvial unit in the middle, and a westward-directed eolian system at the top that recycled medium- and fine-grained sand in the basin. Quantitative analysis of fluvial cross-strata indicates that the perennial river system was shallow (c. 1 m deep) with relatively narrow channel belts (c. 1 km). Adjacent sandy eolian-floodplain deposits contain abundant thin, crinkly planar laminae that are enriched in fines and are interpreted as cementation surfaces, likely of biological origin. Deflation lags and wind-ripple strata are commonly interbedded with the crinkly strata, suggesting that the recurrence of erosion and deposition that controlled sedimentary preservation on the floodplain were dominated by eolian transport, re-wetting, and (bio-) cementation. Such a prominent role of exposure to the wind, basin-scale sediment recycling, and eolian removal of fine-grained sediment would have ceased to exist for most climates after the development of vegetation on land, yet, may well be key to understanding the environmental context for early life on Earth.

Geology↗

Electric Vehicle Adoption in Illinois

Over 1.3 million plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have been sold in the United States since 2010 when the first Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf vehicles came on the market. Currently, electric vehicles account for about 2% of monthly light-duty vehicle (LDV) sales. More than 40 different electric vehicle models are actively being marketed, and most of these are LDVs. Over the last few years, automakers have brought more models, with varying mileage ranges, to the market, including medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks and buses. Government agencies at the federal, regional, and state levels, as well as utilities across the United States, have provided financial and non-financial incentives to promote electric vehicle adoption and charging infrastructure deployment. Argonne National Laboratory, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, has developed tools and collected data to quantify the energy, economic, and environmental benefits of electric vehicles. This project has three objectives. First, we summarize the policies and other actions of the federal government, various states/regions, and utilities to promote PEV adoption, and evaluate their relative effectiveness based on a review of the literature. Second, we identify possible PEV adoption paths or scenarios that would result in PEVs making up 15% of all on-road vehicles in Illinois, and we quantify the resulting impacts on petroleum consumption and electricity demand. We also summarize the possible reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria pollutant emissions due to PEV adoption. The PEV scenarios include private and public adoption of electric cars, light trucks (e.g., sports utility vehicles [SUVs], vans, pickups), medium-duty vehicles (MDVs), and heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). Third, we estimate hourly charging loads of light-duty PEVs in 2030 associated with these scenarios, incorporating assumptions about vehicle electric range, efficiency, and travel behavior.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NRAP Toolkit Screening for CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County

In this report we take stratigraphic data from the ISGS-led Macon County Phase 2 CarbonSAFE’s proposed site in Christian County, Illinois, and conduct reservoir simulations to generate pressure and CO 2 saturation plume data as a function of time. We then use this plume data along with the stratigraphic data as inputs to the NRAP Open-source Integrated Assessment Model (NRAP-Open-IAM) to evaluate project risks. For this report we focus on the probabilistic risk associated with hypothetical leakage of CO 2 and brine along the injection well and one monitoring well. We also study the resulting impact to two overlying aquifers, which could be used to inform monitoring technology selection.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Stakeholder Analysis Technical Report for CarbonSAFE Illinois -- Macon County (Task 3)

Stakeholder engagement is considered a critical component for successful deployment of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS). Engagement builds awareness and understanding of the implications, both local and global, that deploying this technology entails. The CarbonSAFE Illinois – Macon County project presents unique challenges for engaging stakeholders as they have various and diverse options and perspectives that vary in influence and personal importance.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Report of Geology from the T.R. McMillen #2 Well Drilled for CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County (Task 6)

This extensive report describes the sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of the Mt Simon Sandstone, seismic reflection, Precambrian basement geochronology, petrophysical analyses, reservoir properties and petrographic characterization based on data collected during drilling and 2D seismic surveys conducted as part of CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Storage Complex Modeling for CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County (Task 8)

This report presents the workflow, processes and data input used in developing geostatic models and conducting dynamic simulations for the geological setting in the CarbonSAFE Illinois - Macon County project. A range of simulation scenarios are described to assess injection characteristics and behavior of injected CO 2 and overall storage performance of the site.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Well-Log Derived Geomechanical Analysis of Microseismicity in the Mt. Simon Saline Aquifers (Illinois Basin - Decatur Project)

The Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP) successfully demonstrated the safe geologic storage of carbon dioxide at a commercial scale. Within the IBDP project three deep wells (injection (CCS1), monitoring (VW1), geophysical (GM1)) were competed and geophysical logs were recorded. During injection and post-injection periods microseismic monitoring was conducted to create a miscoseismic catalog. The correlations between microseimic attributes and geomechanical well logs define major geomechanical drivers of microseismic expression to understand a reservoir response to CO2 injection in geological context. Utilizing standard sonic and density well logs, the dynamic elastic moduli were calculated and employed to correlate with microseismic pseudo-logs. A multi-dimensional Mu-rho and Lambda-rho (MRLR) hyperdimensional plots display of meaningful data and uncovered subtle relationships between elastic properties of sandstones and the seismological attributes of recorded microseismicity.

Myshakin, Evgeniy↗

SMART Task 6: Evaluation of the Costs of Geologic CO2 Storage for the Illinois Basin Decatur Project Site Using the NRAP/SMART Technoeconomic and Liability Evaluation for Storage (TALES) Model

This is a presentation featuring an analysis related to SMART Task 6 in which CO2 storage costs are presented. The National Energy Technology Laboratory has developed the NRAP/SMART Technoeconomic and Liability Evaluation for Storage (TALES) model to provide quantitative cost-based insights to support developers planning CO2 injection and storage projects. TALES calculates the revenues, costs, and financial performance of candidate CO2 saline storage project based on site-specific activity costs and financial parameters. TALES is being integrated as a module pertaining to storage cost as part of the broader SMART Visualization and Decision Support Platform (SVDSP). In this study, the TALES model was applied using real activity cost data associated with the development and operations at the Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP) CO2 storage project site. Scenario analysis was implemented in which crucial operational and cost attributes were varied and the associated cost implications observed. Key results data and project cost summary metrics like first-year breakeven price of CO2 ($/tonne) and net present value (NPV) are presented in similar fashion to how they will appear in the SVDSP.

Vikara, Derek↗