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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 937 records · Page 52

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2023

A net-zero emissions strategy for China’s power sector using carbon-capture utilization and storage

Decarbonized power systems are critical to mitigate climate change, yet methods to achieve a reliable and resilient near-zero power system are still under exploration. This study develops an hourly power system simulation model considering high-resolution geological constraints for carbon-capture-utilization-and-storage to explore the optimal solution for a reliable and resilient near-zero power system. This is applied to 31 provinces in China by simulating 10,450 scenarios combining different electricity storage durations and interprovincial transmission capacities, with various shares of abated fossil power with carbon-capture-utilization-and-storage. Here, we show that allowing up to 20% abated fossil fuel power generation in the power system could reduce the national total power shortage rate by up to 9.0 percentages in 2050 compared with a zero fossil fuel system. A lowest-cost scenario with 16% abated fossil fuel power generation in the system even causes 2.5% lower investment costs in the network (or $16.8 billion), and also increases system resilience by reducing power shortage during extreme climatic events.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1972

An analysis of Pioneer 9 low-frequency wave observations near interplanetary discontinuities.

Observation of an unusually complex sector boundary on Feb. 2, 1969. Within a single seven-hour period the Pioneer 9 magnetometer and plasma probe detected a reverse shock, a slow shock, and a conventional fast shock. During this interval the electron gyrofrequency and the ion plasma frequency each varied by more than a factor of 10, and the low-frequency (broadband and 400-Hz) electric field wave levels were high and variable. It is shown that, near the discontinuities, enhanced 400-Hz wave levels were not generally associated with field gradients or current layers, but elevated 400-Hz wave levels were detected when the ion density fell within a fairly well-defined window. This suggests that modes related to ion sound waves were detected, and the observations are assessed in terms of various theories for interplanetary wave generation.

Scarf, F. L.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Electron precipitation in the post midnight sector of the auroral zones

Comprehensive measurements of the angular distributions and energy spectra of electron intensities with electrostatic analyzer arrays on board the low-altitude satellite Injun 5 are reported. These are for the post-midnight sector of the auroral zones during the high-intensity events accompanying magnetic substorms. Precipitation features on closed terrestrial field lines well equatorward of the trapping boundary for energetic electrons with E greater than 45 keV were examined. No evidences of maxima in the differential energy spectra or of strongly field-aligned currents which are indicative of quasi-static electric fields aligned parallel to the geomagnetic field were found. Precipitation of low-energy electron intensities fluctuated on time scales greater than 2 seconds as viewed at the satellite position. This precipitation was characterized by isotropy for all pitch angles outside the atmospheric backscatter cone.

Frank, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Commercial Capaciflector

A capacitive proximity/tactile sensor with unique performance capabilities ('capaciflector' or capacitive reflector) is being developed by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for use on robots and payloads in space in the interests of safety, efficiency, and ease of operation. Specifically, this sensor will permit robots and their attached payloads to avoid collisions in space with humans and other objects and to dock these payloads in a cluttered environment. The sensor is simple, robust, and inexpensive to manufacture with obvious and recognized commercial possibilities. Accordingly, NASA/GSFC, in conjunction with industry, is embarking on an effort to 'spin' this technology off into the private sector. This effort includes prototypes aimed at commercial applications. The principles of operation of these prototypes are described along with hardware, software, modelling, and test results. The hardware description includes both the physical sensor in terms of a flexible printed circuit board and the electronic circuitry. The software description will include filtering and detection techniques. The modelling will involve finite element electric field analysis and will underline techniques used for design optimization.

Vranish, John M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Vertical neutral wind in the equatorial F-region deduced from electric field and ion density measurements

Direct current (DC) electric field and ion density measurements near density depletion regions (that is, equatorial plasma bubbles) are used to estimate the vertical neutral wind speed. The measured zonal electric field in a series of density depletions crossed by the San Marco D satellite at 01.47-01.52 Universal Time (UT) on 25 October 1988, can be explained if a downward neutral wind of 15-30 m/s exists. Simultaneously, the F-region plasma was moving downward at a speed of 30-50 m/s. These events appear in the local time sector of 23.00-23.15 in which strong downward neutral winds may occur. Indeed, airglow measurements suggest that downward neutral velocities of 25-50 m/s are possible at time near midnight in the equatorial F-region.

Laakso, Harri↗

NASA NTRS1982

On the relationship of the plasmapause to the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval and to the inner edge of the plasma sheet

ISEE 1 observations of the plasmapause are compared with simultaneous observations of the electron plasma sheet and also the auroral oval observed in DMSP photographs. Only a limited amount of appropriate data was available for the comparisons: the plasmapause/plasma sheet inner edge comparisons were restricted to the early and late morning sectors, while there were two satisfactory comparisons of the plasmapause and the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval in the evening sector. However, these examples indicate that the plasmapause location often coincides to within a change in L of about 0.1-0.2 with both the plasma sheet inner boundary and the field line threading the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval. This co-location of the plasmapause and the plasma sheet inner edge may be due to shielding of the magnetospheric convection electric field by an Alfven layer located at the inner edge of the plasma sheet as discussed by Jaggi and Wolf (1973) and others.

Horwitz, J. L.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Toward High-Endurance Nonvolatile Reconfigurable Metasurfaces

The applications of adaptive optics extend across multiple sectors, encompassing areas such as LiDAR, biological and chemical sensing, and free-space optical communications. The advent of metasurfaces optics with reconfigurability has offered a versatile platform for the design of compact optical components, offering a compelling alternative to their conventional bulky counterparts. In this study, we introduce the PROWESS (Phase change Reconfigurable Optical WavEfront Synthesis System project at NASA LaRC), electrically reconfigurable metasurfaces using low-loss, high-contrast phase change material (PCM), Ge2Sb2Se4Te integrated with IR-transparent silicon microheater for various practical applications. The talk covers a reliable platform for switching large-scale PCM-based devices utilizing a microheater and an architecture for the metasurface switching within an integrated circuit configuration, which is compatible with standard foundry fabrication processes. The utilization of near- to midinfrared transparent silicon microheater in the proposed architecture opens possibilities for the development of reconfigurable transmissive optics such as filters, zoom lenses, and beam steering modules. We demonstrated switching of 140 µm × 140 µm PCM pixel, on a 200 µm × 200 µm silicon microheater for several thousand cycles. Further, we performed an in-depth investigation into the failure mechanism utilizing techniques such as transmission electron microscopy and thermal modeling. Guidelines for device performance improvement are proposed, and an improved design with larger endurance is shown in progress. With further progress, we aim to unlock the full potential of PCM-based devices and advance the field of adaptive optics with demonstrable examples including a reconfigurable beam steerer for ocean surface flash LiDAR and Navigation Doppler LiDAR for precise lunar landing missions.

metasurface optics↗

DOE OSTI2022

Paintable Heat-Reflective Coatings for Low-Cost Energy Efficient Windows

The major objective of this effort is to manufacture a paintable coating to inexpensively retrofit energy-inefficient windows with a heat-reflective, visibly transparent film. This coating will drastically reduce cooling costs for millions of homes and buildings and lower the Nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Widespread implementation could reduce the national consumption of electricity for cooling by billions of kWh, saving billions of dollars per year. This improved energy efficiency would decrease CO2 emissions by billions kg per year, the equivalent to removing millions of cars from the road. Although near-IR reflective adhesive films are commercially available products and have demonstrated significant energy efficiency enhancement, high upfront costs largely deter potential consumers across all sectors. The technology developed under this award was proposed to disrupt the building envelope market, by providing an inexpensive coating that can be directly applied by consumers to improve the energy efficiency of virtually all window types. The proof of concept for a paintable, DIY applicable, visibly transparent, and infrared reflective coating was achieved, laying the foundation for future technology development in this area.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

International Actions to Reduce Miscellaneous Electrical Loads Energy Consumption

Miscellaneous electric loads (MELs) research dates back over 30 years, with the earliest publications about MELs originating in the late 1980s. As the number and types of MELs have grown during the intervening decades, so has the body of minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and regulations put in place to control what is now a significant energy end use in the residential and commercial sectors. In particular, these MEPS are designed to control off-mode, standby, and connected standby power consumption to prevent energy waste. Research on MELs focuses a great deal on analyzing the characteristics of MELs, approaches for measuring their consumption, and at a higher level what constitutes a MEL. Despite these advances, there have been few comparisons of different approaches to curtail MELs energy consumption across regulatory bodies of MELs—both between and within countries—to identify similarities, gaps, and opportunities for crafting common language and standards. This study provides an analysis of international MELs-related voluntary and mandatory MEPSs across 12 economies to address this gap. The analysis demonstrates that although economies may share the commitment to regulate the energy consumption of MELs, there still is no common language for framing MELs, nor is there a shared understanding for harmonizing MEPS for MELs.

Butzbaugh, Josh↗

DOE OSTI2022

Achieving American Leadership in Cybersecurity and Digital Components Factsheet

The Biden Administration’s efforts to meet 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 has created opportunities to rebuild American supply chains create new jobs, strengthen community engagement, and spur U.S. economic growth. DOE’s strategy for success in the transition to a clean energy economy hinges on building and maintaining technology supply chains that are advanced, secure, and resilient to cyber threats. As the energy sector grows increasingly globalized, complex, and digitized, the supply chain for digital components of energy systems – including software, virtual platforms and services, and data – is facing greater threats. Nearly all digital components of U.S. energy sector systems are vulnerable to cyber supply chain instability, stemming from a variety of causes and shared among a broad set of interdependent stakeholders. Overall, supply chain risks for digital components in energy sector systems will continue to evolve and likely increase as these systems are increasingly interconnected, digitized, and remotely operated.

CCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Variable renewable energy deployment in low-emission scenarios: The role of technology cost and value

While rapid deployment of variable renewable energy (VRE) technologies, namely wind and solar PV, is often projected in 2C pathways generated by integrated assessment models, there is a wide range in projected VRE deployment by mid-century. Such differences could be the result of differences in assumptions about future technology costs and/or differences in model approaches for capturing other aspects of technology competitiveness. Here we introduce a consistent competitiveness metric, profitability-adjusted levelized cost of electricity (or PLCOE), to an integrated assessment model (EPPA) to evaluate the representation of technology competition, including VRE, in low-emission scenarios. We show that representing the value of technology (alongside cost) may significantly impact VRE deployment relative to scenarios without such an adjustment. In addition, we show that varying VRE costs by about 35% in 2050 results in differences in VRE deployment that span much of the range in outcomes (over the same period) observed in likely 2C scenarios assessed by the IPCC, suggesting that both cost and value are key drivers of VRE deployment in such scenarios. Given the central role that VRE technologies play in the electricity mix across most scenarios, we also find that alternative cost assumptions for VRE technologies can lead to changes in electricity prices, the associated demand for electricity, and total final and primary energy consumption. However, the demand for fuels other than electricity is relatively insensitive to VRE assumptions in the 2C scenarios considered here.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2021

The Transportation Energy and Mobility Pathway Options (TEMPO) Model: Overview and Validation of V1.0 [Slides]

This presentation documents the approaches and methods used in the Transportation Energy & Mobility Pathway Options™ (TEMPO) model to evaluate passenger and freight demand for transportation and mobility services, project vehicle ownership and technology adoption decisions, and determine transport mode choices to derive scenarios of future energy use and emissions. TEMPO is an all-inclusive transportation demand model that covers the entire United States, with an implicit spatial resolution and an hourly temporal resolution that allows for generating time-resolved energy use profiles to assess multisectoral integration aspects. Key features of the TEMPO model include the ability to perform endogenous out-of-sample forecasting to extrapolate recent emerging trends and analyze impacts of disruptive technological breakthroughs and behavioral changes. TEMPO employs an innovative representation of passenger mobility demand stemming from household-level decisions that determine vehicle adoption, ownership, and use based on sociodemographics (e.g., income, household composition), technology attributes (e.g., travel cost, time), geography (e.g., urban, suburban, rural) and population-specific multiday mobility and travel requirements. This representation enables a more forward-looking perspective on the use of new mobility options and the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, as well as a more accurate representation of their energy usage profiles than previous modeling approaches. A comparison with the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook showcases the ability of TEMPO to accurately replicate widely accepted projections by representing the key elements of the entire transportation sector at the appropriate level of resolution. TEMPO is intended to generate future scenarios of technology adoption, energy use, and emissions in the transportation sector to compare alternatives, inform decision makers, and assess integration with energy infrastructure and supply systems at an appropriate spatiotemporal resolution.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Power/Propulsion System Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results

Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) technology offers a promising path forward for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental effects from the commercial aviation sector. EAP systems can reduce fuel burn and improve performance over state-of the-art designs, however the increased complexity and highly coupled nature of these systems present challenges that require new control approaches. The SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan is a concept aircraft developed by NASA as a reference design for a commercial transport aircraft with a highly integrated hybrid-electric powertrain. This paper summarizes the results of a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test of a control architecture developed for the SUSAN power/propulsion system (PPS). The test was performed in the Hybrid Propulsion Emulation Rig (HyPER) facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and involved a real-time reference model of the SUSAN PPS and control system running with a sub-scale electro-mechanical system replacing one of the PPS subsystems. A side-by-side comparison of the simulated and real systems in the HIL test results shows that the control architecture functions well in both the simulation and the real-time HIL environment. In both cases the controller is able to simultaneously deliver the required thrust response and balance power levels between the electrical and turbomachinery subsystems.

Jonah J Sachs-Wetstone↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Power/Propulsion System Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results

EAP↗

DOE OSTI2023

Impact Analysis of Transitioning to Heat Pump Rooftop Units for the U.S. Commercial Building Stock: Preprint

20% of the U.S. commercial building sector's energy usage is from on-site combustion of fossil fuels for heating. Decarbonization will require electrification of these systems to meet climate goals, often by transitioning to heat pumps. Rooftop units (RTU) are the most prominent commercial building HVAC system type and should therefore be prioritized for decarbonization solutions. However, there is limited understanding of the impact on emissions that considers regional electricity generation methods, as well as the impact of other heat pump intricacies such as the effects of temperature on capacity/efficiency, defrost operation, realistic sizing methodologies, and supplementary heating. This study explores the effects of transitioning all conventional RTUs to high-performance heat pump RTUs for the U.S. commercial building stock. The analysis is performed using ComStock, DOE's calibrated model of the U.S. commercial building stock developed by NREL. Results show 9% and 17% reductions in stock aggregate energy consumption and GHG emissions, respectively. Furthermore, average heat pump operational details are presented by state. This analysis will help inform the transition to heat pump RTUs for the U.S. commercial building stock.

commercial building electrification↗

DOE OSTI2021

The Yucatan Peninsula Energy Assessment: Pathways for a Clean and Sustainable Power System

This report begins with an overview of the status of the power sector in Mexico's Yucatán peninsula, including key challenges, followed by policy and program solutions that pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable power sector in the Yucatan. This work is intended to provide information to the states of the Yucatán peninsula - Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo - for prioritization and future technical assistance from the 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP) program, in Mexico including data gathering, capacity building, modelling and analysis, program and policy setting to help the states and the region overall best utilize its resources to meet its electricity needs while implementing energy efficiency measures towards a more sustainable, clean, reliable system with lower prices. This report is also available in Spanish: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/81142.pdf.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Upcycled "CO 2 -Negative" Concrete for Construction Functions

Electricity generation from coal-fired power plants represents 25% of total carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from the United States (1.4 billion tons of CO 2 emitted in 2015). In view of upcoming legislation that seeks to limit CO 2 emissions, in support of climate change goals, it is anticipated that such emissions will be (financially) penalized. This is of great consequence to emissions intensive sectors such as coalfired power generation which are expected to be substantially burdened by such penalties.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

NASA NTRS1994

DE 1 and Viking observations associated with electron conical distributions

Data from the electron detectors on board the Swedish Viking satellite launched during a period of low solar activity and from the Dynamic Explorer (DE) 1 satellite launched during active solar coditions have been examined for the occurrence and location of electron conical distributions and several conclusions can be drawn. First, we note that most of the best examples of electron conics observed by the V-3 experiment onboard Viking occurred in the afternoon sector in the range of magneitc local time 14 hours less than Magnetic Local Time (MLT) less than 18 hours, at midaltitudes in the range 10,000 km less than h less than 13,500 km, with few occurring in the nightside auroral region, a region poorly sampled at altitudes greater than 5000 km. For the Viking data there is an association of electron conics with upper hybrid waves. DE 1 observations made by the high-altitude plasma instrument (HAPI) indicate that electron conics were observed in the midmorning sector and the late evening sector, and as has been reported earlier, the correlation with upper hybird waves was good. The HAPI did not sample the afternoon sector. The electon conics observed on both satellites occurred in the presence of at least a modest (several kilovolts) potential difference beneath the satellite with a maximum energy that was usually, but not always, equal to or greater than the maximum energy of the electron conics. Two independent sets of observations by DE 1 suggest two distinct production mechanisms for electron conics. Examiniation of DE 1 electric field measurements from the plasma wave instrument during the observation of electron conics show simultaneous parallel oscillations in the frequency range of 0.2 Hz less than f less than 0.5 Hz during one and perhaps two of four events examined, and upper hybrid waves were observed on all four events. In addition, recent observations of '90-deg' electron conics associated with auroral kilometric radiation source regions suggest a perpendicular heating mechanism produced by wave-particle interaction. Such distributions may be observed as electron conics at higher altitudes. These results suggest more than one possible source mechanism may be responsible for electron conics.

Menietti, J. D.↗