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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

A Practical guide to Parsing MCNP Inputs: Lessons Learned from Implementing Context-Free Parsing in MontePy

Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) is a widely used Monte Carlo transport solver that began development in the 1960’s. Due to this MCNP input files uses a custom input syntax, for which there are no off-the-shelf parsing libraries available. For MontePy to create an effective Object-Oriented interface for MCNP input files, an context-free parser was implemented to be able to fully parse the files. MontePy uses a number of shortcuts and optimizations to avoid creating a single universal input file parser. . These lessons can be applied to working with the many other custom input syntax languages persistent throughout the nuclear industry.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lessons Learned from AskGDR: Usage and Impact Analysis of the Geothermal Data Repository's AI Research Assistant: Preprint

In October of 2024, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Data Repository (GDR) team officially launched AskGDR, an AI research assistant resulting from the integration of a Large Language Model (LLM) with the metadata and supporting documents associated with GDR datasets. AskGDR allows GDR users to ask deeper questions about the origin of datasets, the methods used to collect them, and the findings they help support. Using Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), AskGDR can be used to summarize findings spread across dozens of papers and technical reports or to extract relevant information describing a single data field. However, generative AI is experimental. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been collecting metrics on AskGDR and documenting lessons learned during its deployment. This paper will outline the efficacy and impact of AskGDR through analysis of its use, operating costs, number and types of questions asked, and the quality of answers provided.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bioremediation Retrospective: DOE Experiences and Lessons Learned – 26131

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has implemented bioremediation strategies for chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) for more than three decades across multiple contaminated groundwater sites. A retrospective analysis conducted by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and collaborating field sites evaluated the design, performance, and outcomes of bioremediation projects at DOE’s Savannah River, Hanford, Idaho, Mound, and Pinellas sites. This retrospective was based on a series of case studies, leveraging historical documentation and site interviews. Technical approaches employed at the various sites were explored, including active bioremediation, enhanced attenuation (EA), and monitored natural attenuation, with specific sub-sections discussing anaerobic, aerobic, and combined anaerobic-aerobic strategies. Each case study includes detailed descriptions of the site-specific conditions, deployment strategies, regulatory considerations, metrics, and performance. Key findings include general cost savings compared to traditional remedies such as pump and treat (P&T), significant success in applying enhanced attenuation to transition remedies toward a passive site management strategy, and documentation of robust subsurface microbial communities at most sites limiting the need for bioaugmentation. Challenges highlighted in the study include underperformance due to poor amendment delivery in low-permeability zones and unfavorable biogeochemical conditions, emphasizing the importance of site-specific designs. Cost analysis across DOE sites suggests bioremediation may offer long-term economic benefits. The retrospective study underscores valuable lessons that can help inform current and future bioremediation efforts.

Newby, Deborah T. [Savannah River National Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2026

Lessons Learned from Open-Source Software Training Toward Expanding the Fusion Workforce

Within the United States (U.S.), the Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives seek to accelerate fusion technology development through wide-ranging community-driven research activities that bring together industry, laboratories, research institutes, and academia. Increasing the maturity of key components and systems for future fusion power plants (FPPs) toward commercialization, will, by necessity, increase the need for knowledgeable engineers, designers, and researchers in industry capable of integrating and further improving these technologies within industry FPP concepts. Further, various modeling and simulation packages support these programs and are under-development within them to drive design iteration and the development of FPP digital twins. To derive the greatest benefit from model output and capabilities, training these same specialists will be vital. Thus, the development of effective and accessible software onboarding and professional development opportunities focused on fusion will be key to keeping the pace of growth high in the coming decade and beyond. A similar need exists within the advanced fission reactor community, driven by an ever-growing need for carbon-free baseload power for industrial and data center applications. Within the U.S. and around the world, several open-source packages and frameworks exist to support this endeavor, and two we will highlight here are the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework and OpenMC. These packages, notably, are also being utilized in the FIRE Collaboratives program. In this presentation, we will highlight the lessons learned from over 30 years of combined software development and training experience, focused on developing strong technical software foundations within the nuclear workforce, from students to professional engineers & scientists. We will connect this experience to present and emerging needs in the fusion energy community, and, finally, will outline possible paths forward to develop a large, robust, global fusion workforce.

70 - PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Digitizing Today’s Buildings in the Real World: Lessons from Field Demonstrations

Digital twins, created by generating a virtual replica of a building, enable safe evaluation of operational scenarios and applications like fault detection and diagnosis and advanced controls. However, a prerequisite is the creation of a machine-readable digital representation of a building, currently hindered by fragmented information scattered across mechanical drawings, point lists, and natural language sequences. As a result, digital twin development remains labor-intensive, error-prone, and difficult to validate. To address these challenges, two efforts from ASHRAE aim to support the digitalization of buildings. ASHRAE s223 establishes a semantic model of buildings, representing system components, configuration, and data sources. ASHRAE s231 defines a vendor-neutral programming language for expressing their control logic. As the industry evaluates implementing them in their products, understanding the challenges that vendors and implementers may face is crucial. In this paper, we present findings and lessons learned from field demonstrations in five buildings that implemented control applications using ASHRAE s223 and s231. The demonstrations highlight how semantic modeling and formalized control descriptions can significantly reduce software development time, manual point mapping, and hard-coding. Beyond time efficiency, they enable reliable automation by minimizing human interpretation and providing a means for consistency across projects. We describe the processes and best practices for model creation and model usage, from translating heterogeneous building documentation into semantic representations to implementing control logic in real-world systems. Finally, we discuss the challenges that persist, including integration with legacy software environments, gaps in interoperability, and the level of expertise still required to effectively leverage semantic models.

Prakash, Anand Krishnan↗
DOE OSTI2010

Toward the Holy Grail of Perfect Information: Lessons Learned Implementing an Energy Information System in a Commercial Building

Energy information systems (real-time acquisition, analysis, and presentation of information from energy end-uses) in commercial buildings have demonstrated value as tools for improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort. These improvements include characterization through benchmarking, identification of retrofit opportunities, anomaly detection to inform retro-commissioning, and feedback to occupants to encourage shifts in behavior. Energy information systems can play a vital role in achieving a variety of ambitious sustainability goals for the existing stock of commercial buildings, but their implementation is often fraught with pitfalls. In this paper, we present a case study of an EIS and sub-metering project executed in a representative commercial office building. We describe the building, highlight a few of its problems, and detail the hardware and software technologies we employed to address them. We summarize the difficulties encountered and lessons learned, and suggest general guidelines for future EIS projects to improve performance and save energy in the commercial building fleet. These guidelines include measurement criteria, monitoring strategies, and analysis methods. In particular, we propose processes for: - Defining project goals, - Selecting end-use targets and depth of metering, - Selecting contractors and software vendors, - Installing and networking measurement devices, - Commissioning and using the energy information system.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2010

Lessons Learned from PEP-II LLRF and Longitudinal Feedback

The PEP-II B-Factory collider ended the final phase of operation at nearly twice the design current and 4X the design luminosity. To highlight the evolution from the original conceptual design through to the 1.2E34 final machine we choose one example each from the broadband feedback and from the LLRF system. They illustrate the original design estimation missed some very significant details, and how in the course of PEP-II operation unexpected difficulties led to significant insights and new approaches which allowed higher machine performance. We present valuable 'lessons learned' which are of interest to designers of next generation feedback and impedance controlled LLRF systems.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Radioisotope production at the advanced test reactor: process and lessons learned

The mission of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) focuses on creating irradiation facilities for nuclear materials and fuels research. While radioisotope production is not a core part of the ATR mission, it is important for providing a U.S. domestic source of critical radioisotopes such as cobalt-60 (Co-60). Here, this paper gives an overview for radioisotopes currently being produced in ATR as well as other potential radioisotopes that can be produced in ATR. It also provides guidance on radioisotope production that can be applied to other test reactors.

ATR↗
DOE OSTI2021

Lessons Learned—Lithium Silicide Hydration Fire

Alkali metals, such as lithium, sodium, potassium, etc., are highly reactive elements. While researchers generally handle these metals with caution, less caution is taken when these elements have been “reacted”. In this work, a recent incident is examined in which a pair of researchers ignited a lithium silicide alloy sample that was assumed to be fully hydrated to lithium hydroxide and, thereby, no longer water-reactive. However, variations in the original chemical composition of the lithium compounds examined resulted in select mixtures failing to hydrate and react completely to lithium hydroxide in the time frame allowed. This gave rise to residual unreacted, water-sensitive lithium silicide which resulted in a violent exothermic reaction with water and autoignition of the produced hydrogen gas. This Article describes this incident and improvements that can be implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Lessons learned on the presentation of scan data

Technicians performed a radiological survey of a surplus metal tank to support disposition planning at an Oak Ridge, Tennessee site. The survey included radiation scans to identify contamination and, if identified, define the boundary and magnitude of contamination. Fixed-point 1-minute measurements were also collected at randomly selected locations for comparison against the site's free release limit of 5,000 disintegrations per minute per 100 cm² (dpm/100 cm²) (0.83 Bq/cm²). Scan data were recorded using a data logger as a means to document surveyor observation - logged data captured at 1-second intervals and converted to counts per minute (cpm) by the data logger software were presented in the project report. Both the qualitative scan data (in cpm) and the quantitative direct measurement (in dpm/100 cm²) were reported for completeness, so stakeholders had all available information to support disposition decisions. However, a new stakeholder - introduced to the project at the reporting phase of work - used the instrument efficiency and background data to convert the scan data from cpm to dpm/100 cm², then compared the converted results to the site limit. Many of the converted values exceeded 5,000 dpm/100 cm². This resulted in delays in tank disposition and additional project costs which could have been avoided if the proper use and interpretation of scan data, and implications of radon progeny buildup on oxidized metal surfaces, had been better communicated.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Designing a Successful Transportation Project: Lessons Learned from the Clean Cities American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Projects

The largest source of funding for alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure projects in the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program's history came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). In 2009, the 25 cost-share projects totaled nearly $300 million in federal government investment. This effort included the involvement of 50 Clean Cities coalitions and their nearly 700 stakeholder partners who provided an additional $500 million in matching funds to support projects in their local communities. In total, those 25 projects established 1,380 alternative fueling stations and put more than 9,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles on the road. Together, these projects displaced 154 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGE) of petroleum and averted 254,000 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while supporting U.S. energy independence and contributing to regional economic development. During post-project interviews, project leaders consistently cited a number of key components - ranging from technical and logistical factors, to administrative capabilities - for accomplishing an effective and impactful project. This report summarizes the high-level project design and administrative considerations for conducting a successful transportation project.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2018

High-Efficiency Housing at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation: Opportunities and Lessons Learned

This project was initiated to provide design assistance in an effort to maximize energy performance for affordable housing at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation near Poplar, Montana. The Make It Right Foundation (MIRF) built 20 high performing homes (LEED Platinum) in 2015 and 2016 with three (3) different design options. NREL and EPA set out to provide energy analysis along with measurement and verification (M and V) of the homes to characterize energy use and provide clarity for future decision making with regard to tribal housing options. The results included herein summarize the energy end uses and documents projected energy impacts from various aspects of the MIRF home designs and construction. This report includes an analysis of energy use in 5 MIRF homes, comparing energy use across the different styles and configurations. Energy models were created for the 2 styles of MIRF homes, including renewable energy assessment for photovoltaic (PV) systems. Existing tribal housing has also been analyzed, with 5 housing units being analyzed for energy use and an energy model being created for 1 housing unit. The findings of this study highlight many of the challenges that arise when attempting to construct high performance housing in a region where such construction practices are still relatively rare. Homes in Poplar are well designed and, for the most part, and include climate specific design considerations appropriate for northeastern Montana. The most significant issues identified in MIRF homes were related to the work done to put the homes on the foundation, insulate the crawlspaces, and do final connection with the utilities. The Taxed II Credit homes are well designed and well suited to northeastern Montana, and with slight modifications to the design and construction could be very efficient. All occupant comfort and energy usage issues that were identified during the site visits can be remedied through retrofit measures that are relatively inexpensive. Energy efficiency opportunities were found that can be implemented in each of the homes. These retrofits are generally inexpensive and have a quick return on investment. While the MIRF houses as well as the Taxed II Credit homes can achieve high levels of energy performance with modest retrofits. Similar houses built in the future could achieve even better performance with minor design changes, and generally low incremental cost. Renewable energy systems are economically feasible in this area, but the payback is on the high side of what would likely be acceptable to homeowners. If the price of solar comes down to $2/watt installed, the systems will achieve a simple payback of 13 years, which is likely a return on investment that is attractive to homeowners. If the homes are made sufficiently tight to be high performance, energy recovery ventilators will be necessary to maintain acceptable indoor air quality. The Taxed II Credit homes are already equipped with heat recovery ventilators (HRVs), and they seem to function well. As PV prices continue to decline, start implementing projects as they become cost effective.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗