Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “techno”

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 1,027 records · Page 57
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Lignin-derived electrochemical energy materials and systems

Electrochemical energy storage systems such as supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries and fuel cells have been proven the most effective technologies for energy conversion, storage, and management at different scales. Although a large number of electrochemical energy technologies have been developed in the past and they will continue to be optimized in terms of cost, lifetime, and performance, there is a substantial growing demand for advanced electrochemical energy systems. To deploy these advanced systems, the electrode and electrolyte materials with higher performance, longer life, and lower cost, must be developed. Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose, a byproduct from emerging cellulosic biorefineries, and a waste product from pulp and paper industries. Numerous researches have successfully demonstrated that lignin from different sources can be used as precursors or feedstocks for preparing high-performance electrochemical energy materials and components such as electrodes, electrolytes, membrane separators, and additives. Moreover, techno-economic analyses indicate that it is possible to prepare cost-effective carbons from lignin at engineering scales, compared to current carbon products. These facts suggest that scalable conversion of lignin into high-value energy materials will offer a promising pathway to not only promote the utilization and valorization of lignin but also boost the development of the advanced electrochemical energy systems. This review presents state of the arts of renewable energy materials derived from various lignin and their applications in electrochemical energy systems with emphasis on supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and fuel cells. Meanwhile, this article also aims to carve out the critical barriers for lignin-derived high-performance materials for energy applications, intending to identify viable approaches for synthesis of sustainable new energy materials.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Simulating competition in the US bioeconomy to produce hard‐to‐electrify transportation fuels using limited biomass resources

This study presents a novel bioeconomy optimization framework, BiOpt, designed to address critical questions regarding the strategic use of limited US biomass resources for biofuel production. By integrating detailed techno-economic analyses, life cycle assessments, and resource assessment data, BiOpt optimizes resource distributions across competing technologies to maximize economic performance and/or minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Using feedstock scenarios from the 2023 Billion Ton Study, the analysis explores optimal biomass allocations across sustainable aviation fuel, diesel, and marine biofuel conversion pathways given varying production targets and policy incentives. Results demonstrate distinct feedstock preferences and pathway utilizations when prioritizing economic returns vs. emissions reductions. For instance, fats, oils, and greases were highly favored in cost-optimized scenarios, while low-carbon feedstocks such as wet waste dominated greenhouse gas-minimized strategies. The findings underscore the pivotal role of policy incentives and technological advances in shaping biofuel supply chains and provide actionable insights for scaling sustainable biofuel production to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors. This framework offers a robust tool for policymakers and stakeholders to evaluate biofuel strategies that balance energy output, economic viability, and environmental impact.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Toward high solids loading process for lignocellulosic biofuel production at a low cost: Biofuel Production at High Solids Loading

High solids loadings (>18 wt%) in enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation are desired for lignocellulosic biofuel production at a high titer and low cost. However, sugar conversion and ethanol yield decrease with increasing solids loading. The factor(s) limiting sugar conversion at high solids loading is not clearly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effect of solids loading on simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) of AFEX™ (ammonia fiber expansion) pretreated corn stover for ethanol production using a xylose fermenting strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae 424A(LNH-ST). Decreased sugar conversion and ethanol yield with increasing solids loading were also observed. End-product (ethanol) was proven to be the major cause of this issue and increased degradation products with increasing solids loading was also a cause. For the first time, we show that with in situ removal of end-product by performing SSCF aerobically, sugar conversion stopped decreasing with increasing solids loading and monomeric sugar conversion reached as high as 93% at a high solids loading of 24.9 wt%. In this work, techno-economic analysis was employed to explore the economic possibilities of cellulosic ethanol production at high solids loadings. The results suggest that low-cost in situ removal of ethanol during SSCF would significantly improve the economics of high solids loading processes.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Direct conversion of cellulose into ethanol and ethyl-β- D -glucoside via engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of cellulose via engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a sustainable solution to valorize cellulose into fuels and chemicals. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of direct conversion of cellulose into ethanol and a bio–degradable surfactant, ethyl–β–d–glucoside, via an engineered yeast strain (i.e., strain EJ2) expressing heterologous cellodextrin transporter (CDT–1) and intracellular β–glucosidase (GH1–1) originating from Neurospora crassa . We identified the formation of ethyl–β–d–glucoside in SSF of cellulose by the EJ2 strain owing to transglycosylation activity of GH1–1. The EJ2 strain coproduced 0.34 ± 0.03 g ethanol/g cellulose and 0.06 ± 0.00 g ethyl–β–d–glucoside/g cellulose at a rate of 0.30 ± 0.02 g/L/h and 0.09 ± 01 g∙L -1 ∙h -1 , respectively, during the SSF of Avicel PH–101 cellulose, supplemented only with Celluclast 1.5L. Herein, we report a possible co–production of a value–added chemical (alkyl–glucosides) during SSF of cellulose exploiting the transglycosylation activity of GH1–1 in engineered S. cerevisiae . In conclusion, this co–production could have a substantial effect on overall techno–economic feasibility of SSF of cellulose.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Chemicals from Biomass: Combining Ring-Opening Tautomerization and Hydrogenation Reactions to Produce 1,5-Pentanediol from Furfural

A process for the synthesis of 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PD) with 84 % yield from furfural is developed, utilizing dehydration/hydration, ring-opening tautomerization, and hydrogenation reactions. Although this process has more reaction steps than the traditional direct hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), techno-economic analyses demonstrate that this process is the economically preferred route for the synthesis of biorenewable 1,5-PD. 2-Hydroxytetrahydropyran (2-HY-THP) is the key reaction pathway intermediate that allows for a decrease in the minimum selling price of 1,5-PD. The reactivity of 2-HY-THP is 80 times greater than that of THFA over a bimetallic hydrogenolysis catalyst. This enhanced reactivity is a result of the ring-opening tautomerization to 5-hydoxyvaleraldehyde and subsequent hydrogenation to 1,5-PD.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Synthetic Lubricants Derived from Plastic Waste and their Tribological Performance

The energy efficiency, mechanical durability, and environmental compatibility of all moving machine components rely heavily on advanced lubricants for smooth and safe operation. Herein an alternative family of high-quality liquid (HQL) lubricants was derived by the catalytic conversion of pre- and post-consumer polyolefin waste. The plastic-derived lubricants performed comparably to synthetic base oils such as polyalphaolefins (PAOs), both with a wear scar volume (WSV) of 7.5×10 -5 mm -3 . HQLs also performed superior to petroleum-based lubricants such as Group III mineral oil with a WSV of 1.7×10 -4 mm -3 , showcasing a 44% reduction in wear. Furthermore, a synergistic reduction in friction and wear was observed when combining the upcycled plastic lubricant with synthetic oils. Additionally, life cycle and techno-economic analyses also showed this process to be energetically efficient and economically feasible. This novel technology offers a cost-effective opportunity to reduce the harmful environmental impact of plastic waste on our planet and to save energy through reduction of friction and wear-related degradations in transportation applications akin to synthetic oils.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Understanding Uncertainties in the Economic Feasibility of Transportation Fuel Production using Biomass Gasification and Mixed Alcohol Synthesis

This analysis evaluates uncertainties of previously conducted techno-economic analysis of transportation fuel production via biomass gasification and mixed alcohol synthesis. Two scenarios are considered: a state-of-technology scenario utilizing existing technologies and a target scenario representing future advancements in related technologies. Uncertainties of more than ten parameters are investigated, including feedstock price, internal rate of return (IRR), etc. Historical price data of these parameters are fitted with the most appropriate distribution and datasets are generated for each parameter accordingly. These data sets are then utilized to run a Monte-Carlo simulation. The results yield minimum fuel selling prices of $7.02/gal with a standard deviation of 0.49 for the state-of-technology scenario and $4.33/gal with a standard deviation of 0.42 for the target scenario respectively. Feedstock price and IRR have significant impact on the minimum fuel selling price in both scenarios. These findings are indicative of the reduction in biofuel cost and uncertainty achievable with increasing technology maturity.

Bioenergy↗
DOE OSTI2015

New prospects for PV powered water desalination plants: case studies in Saudi Arabia: New prospects for PV powered water desalination plants

Increased water demand and increased drought episodes in the Middle East and other regions necessitate an expansion in desalination projects and create a great market opportunity for photovoltaics (PV). PV-powered desalination has previously been regarded as not being a cost-competitive solution when compared with conventionally powered desalination; however, the decline in PV costs over the last few years has changed this outlook. Here, this article presents up-to-date performance and cost analysis of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination powered with PV connected to the Saudi Arabian grid. Reference cases include relatively small (i.e., producing 6550 m 3 water per day) and large (i.e., 190 000 m 3 /day) desalination plants using seawater at a salinity of 40 000 ppm. We used data from a King Abdullah University for Science and Technology presentation and Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables 2.81 Energy Modeling Software (HOMER Energy LLC) in tandem with Desalination Economic Evaluation Program 4.0 (International Atomic Energy Agency) desalination software to analyze the techno-economic feasibility of these plants. The first phase of our work entailed a comparison between dual-axis high concentration PV (CPV) equipped with triple junction III/V solar cells and CdTe PV-powered RO systems. The estimated levelized cost of electricity from CPV is 0.16/kWh dollars, whereas that from CdTe PV is $0.10/kWh dollars and 0.09/kWh dollars for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracking systems, respectively. These costs are higher than the price of diesel-based grid electricity in the region because diesel fuel is heavily subsidized in Saudi Arabia.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

ENVI-PV: An Interactive Web Client for Multi-Criteria Life Cycle Assessment of Photovoltaic Systems Worldwide

Solar photovoltaics (PV) is the second largest source of new capacity among renewable energies. The worldwide capacity encompassed 135 GW in 2013 and is estimated to increase to 1721 GW in 2030 and 4674 GW in 2050, according to a prospective high-renewable scenario. To achieve this production level while minimizing environmental impacts, decision makers must have access to environmental performance data that reflect their high spatial variability accurately. We propose ENVI-PV (http://viewer.webservice-energy.org/project_iea), a new interactive tool that provides maps and screening level data, based on weighted average supply chains, for the environmental performance of common PV technologies. Environmental impacts of PV systems are evaluated according to a life cycle assessment approach. ENVI-PV was developed using a state-of-the-art interoperable and open standard Web Service framework from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). It combines the latest life cycle inventories, published in 2015 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) under the Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (PVPS) Task 12, and some inventories previously published from Ecoinvent v2.2 database with solar irradiation estimates computed from the worldwide NASA SSE database. ENVI-PV is the first tool to propose a worldwide coverage of environmental performance of PV systems using a multi-criteria assessment. The user can compare the PV environmental performance to the environmental footprint of country electricity mixes. ENVI-PV is designed as an environmental interactive tool to generate PV technological options and evaluate their performance in different spatial and techno-economic contexts. Its potential applications are illustrated in this paper with several examples.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Economic Evaluation of Flexibility in the Design of IGCC Plants with Integrated Membrane Reactor Modules

ABSTRACT Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle with embedded membrane reactor modules (IGCC‐MR) represents a new technology option for the coproduction of electricity and pure hydrogen endowed with enhanced environmental performance capacity. It is viewed as an alternative to conventional coal‐ and gas‐fired power generation technologies. An IGCC‐MR power plant needs to be techno‐economically evaluated in the presence of irreducible regulatory and fuel market uncertainties for the potential deployment of an initial fleet of demonstration plants at the commercial scale. This paper applies a systematic methodological framework to assess the economic value of flexible alternatives in the design and operation of an IGCC‐MR plant under the aforementioned sources of uncertainty. The main objective is to demonstrate the potential value enhancements associated with the long‐term economic performance of flexible IGCC‐MR project investments, by managing the uncertainty associated with future environmental regulations and fuel costs. The paper provides an overview of promising design flexibility concepts for IGCC‐MR power plants and focuses on operational and constructional systems flexibility. Operational flexibility is realized through temporary plant shutdown with considerations of regulatory and market uncertainties. Constructional flexibility is realized by considering the installation of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) unit at three strategic periods: (1) installation at the initial construction phase, (2) retrofitting at a later stage, and (3) retrofitting at a later stage with preinvestment. Monte Carlo simulations and financial analysis demonstrate that, in the presence of irreducible uncertainty, the most economically advantageous flexibility option is to install CCS in the initial IGCC‐MR construction phase.

Zhang, Juzheng↗
DOE OSTI2023

Cost‐benefit assessment framework for robotics‐driven inspection of floating offshore wind farms

Abstract Operations and maintenance (O&M) of floating offshore wind farms (FOWFs) poses various challenges in terms of greater distances from the shore, harsher weather conditions, and restricted mobility options. Robotic systems have the potential to automate some parts of the O&M leading to continuous feature‐rich data acquisition, operational efficiency, along with health and safety improvements. There remains a gap in assessing the techno‐economic feasibility of robotics in the FOWF sector. This paper investigates the costs and benefits of incorporating robotics into the O&M of a FOWF. A bottom‐up cost model is used to estimate the costs for a proposed multi‐robot platform (MRP). The MRP houses unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to conduct the inspection of specific FOWF components. Emphasis is laid on the most conducive O&M activities for robotization and the associated technical and cost aspects. The simulation is conducted in Windfarm Operations and Maintenance cost‐Benefit Analysis Tool (WOMBAT), where the metrics of incurred operational expenditure (OPEX) and the inspection time are calculated and compared with those of a baseline case consisting of crew transfer vessels, rope‐access technicians, and divers. Results show that the MRP can reduce the inspection time incurred, but this reduction has dependency on the efficacy of the robotic system and the associated parameterization e.g., cost elements and the inspection rates. Conversely, the increased MRP day rate results in a higher annualized OPEX. Residual risk is calculated to assess the net benefit of incorporating the MRP. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is conducted to find the key parameters influencing the OPEX and the inspection time variation. A key output of this work is a robust and realistic framework which can be used for the cost‐benefit assessment of future MRP systems for specific FOWF activities.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Hydro power flexibility for power systems with variable renewable energy sources: an IEA Task 25 collaboration: Hydro power flexibility for power systems

Hydro power is one of the most flexible sources of electricity production. Power systems with considerable amounts of flexible hydro power potentially offer easier integration of variable generation, e.g., wind and solar. However, there exist operational constraints to ensure mid-/long-term security of supply while keeping river flows and reservoirs levels within permitted limits. In order to properly assess the effective available hydro power flexibility and its value for storage, a detailed assessment of hydro power is essential. Due to the inherent uncertainty of the weather-dependent hydrological cycle, regulation constraints on the hydro system, and uncertainty of internal load as well as variable generation (wind and solar), this assessment is complex. Hence, it requires proper modeling of all the underlying interactions between hydro power and the power system, with a large share of other variable renewables. A summary of existing experience of wind integration in hydro-dominated power systems clearly points to strict simulation methodologies. Recommendations include requirements for techno-economic models to correctly assess strategies for hydro power and pumped storage dispatch. These models are based not only on seasonal water inflow variations but also on variable generation, and all these are in time horizons from very short term up to multiple years, depending on the studied system. Another important recommendation is to include a geographically detailed description of hydro power systems, rivers' flows, and reservoirs as well as grid topology and congestion.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Potential Early Markets for Fusion Energy

We examine potential early markets for fusion energy and their projected cost targets, based on analysis and synthesis of many relevant, recent studies and reports. Seeking to provide guidance to ambitious fusion developers aspiring to enable commercial deployment before 2040, we examine cost requirements for fusion-generated electricity, process heat, and hydrogen production based on today’s market prices but with various adjustments relating to possible scenarios in 2035, such as ‘‘business-as-usual,’’ high renewables penetration, and carbon pricing up to 100 $/tCO 2 . Key findings are that fusion developers should consider focusing initially on high-priced global electricity markets and consider including integrated thermal storage, depending on techno-economic factors, in order to maximize revenue and compete in markets with high renewables penetration. Process heat and hydrogen production will be tough early markets for fusion, but may open up to fusion as markets evolve and if fusion’s levelized cost of electricity falls below 50 $/MWh e . Finally, we discuss potential ways for a fusion plant to increase revenue via cogeneration (e.g., desalination, direct air capture, or district heating) and to lower capital costs (e.g., by minimizing construction times and interest or by retrofitting coal plants).

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Development of Biocomposite Superabsorbent Nanomaterials: Effect of Processing Technique

Nanoclay particles have been usually introduced into protein-based bioplastics to obtain composite materials, showing enhanced mechanical properties. However, the addition of partially exfoliated nanoclay particles in these protein matrices may also involve an increase of others properties such as water absorption capacity, which may lead to the obtention of super absorbent biodegradable materials. Processing technologies exerted a remarkable influence on the techno-functional properties of the soy-based bioplastics studied in this research. On the one hand, extrusion technique led to bioplastics which showed enhanced mechanical properties. On the other hand, injection moulding technique yielded to non-exfoliated nanoclay particles within the protein matrix, which involved improvements of water absorption capacity. The development of superabsorbent protein-based biodegradable materials implied a deep knowledge of physicochemical properties of proteins and processing conditions of bioplastics. Extrusion or injection moulding techniques could be selected to obtain tailored protein-based bioplastics with enhanced properties.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Economic assessment for recycling critical metals from hard disk drives using a comprehensive recovery process

Since the 2011 price spike of rare earth elements (REEs), research on permanent magnet recycling has blossomed globally to reduce future REE criticality. Hard disk drives (HDDs) have emerged as one feasible feedstock for recovering valuable REEs such as praseodymium, neodymium, and dysprosium. However, current processes for recycling e-waste only focus on certain metals due to feedstock and metal price uncertainties. In addition, some believe that recycling REEs is unprofitable. To shed some light on the economic viability of REE recycling from HDDs, this paper combines techno-economic information of a hydrometallurgical process with end-of-life HDD availability in a simulation model. Results showed that adding REEs to HDD recycling was profitable given current prices. As a result, recovered REEs could meet up to 5.1% rest of world (excluding China) magnet demand. Aluminum, gold, copper scrap and REEs were the primary main revenue streams from HDD recycling.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Software Tools for Energy Storage Valuation and Design

Abstract Purpose of Review As the application space for energy storage systems (ESS) grows, it is crucial to valuate the technical and economic benefits of ESS deployments. Since there are many analytical tools in this space, this paper provides a review of these tools to help the audience find the proper tools for their energy storage analyses. Recent Findings There are many software tools for valuating ESS. These tools can be classified into two groups: (1) power system simulation and planning tools for analyzing the technical contributions of ESSs, and (2) techno-economic analysis tools for valuating the economic benefits of ESS deployment and specifying the optimal design of energy systems that include ESSs. While many of the tools, developed by the national laboratories, are free to use, the commercial tools are also of great importance in meeting the customers’ specific needs. Summary This paper provides a review of software tools for ESS valuation and design. A review of analysis tools for evaluating the technical impacts of energy storage deployments is also provided, as well as a discussion of development trends for valuation and design tools.

Nguyen, Tu A. (ORCID:0000000181148063)↗
DOE OSTI2021

A validated thermal and biological model for predicting algal productivity in large scale outdoor cultivation systems

Proper assessment of the sustainability of algal products requires an understanding of algal growth rate with regional and temporal resolution. This study developed a bulk growth model that utilizes geospatial data, reactor geometry inputs, and a maximum of six strain-specific parameters to predict algal productivity with temporal and regional resolution. The model requires local weather data to calculate the time-resolved culture temperature which is combined with a biological model based on maximum theoretical carbon fixation to predict the time-resolved algal concentration. Validation of the model against experimental data illustrates an average ac- curacy of 0.27% ± 5.32% when comparing algal concentration at harvest over 45 days of cultivation data for Galdieria sulphuraria 5587.1, and Galdieria sulphuraria Soos grown in photobioreactors (PBRs) in Mesa, AZ (33.4152° N, 111.8315° W). For open raceway ponds (ORPs), an accuracy of 0.9% ± 2.35% was achieved when comparing algal concentration at harvest over 50 days of cultivation data for Chlorella vulgaris, Desmodesmus intermedius, Nannochloropsis oceanica grown in Atlanta, GA (33.7490° N, 84.3880° W) and Mesa, AZ (33.4152° N, 111.8315° W). The validation trials spanned three seasons (winter, spring, and summer) to ensure model ac- curacy throughout the year, and concentration between harvests was modeled with hourly resolution. The validated model is used to assess the productivity at several case-study locations in the United States with Chlorella vulgaris, grown in open raceway ponds and Galdieria sulphuraria grown in vertical flat panel photo- bioreactors. In conclusion, the model has been published as an open-source tool, in an effort to increase the fidelity of future studies that rely on outdoor algae cultivation for feedstock production and allow for time resolved results for future techno-economic and life cycle assessments.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗