Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “2015”

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 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Exploring the Potential Competitiveness of Utility-Scale Photovoltaics plus Batteries with Concentrating Solar Power, 2015–2030

Declining costs of both solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery storage have raised interest in the creation of “solar-plus-storage” systems to provide dispatchable energy and reliable capacity. There has been limited deployment of PV-plus-energy storage systems (PV+ESS), and the actual configuration and performance of these systems for dispatchable energy are in the early stages of being defined. In contrast, concentrating solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP+TES) has been deployed at scale with the proven capability of providing a dispatchable, reliable source of renewable generation. A key question moving forward is how to compare the relative costs and benefits of PV+ESS and CSP+TES. While both technologies collect solar radiation and produce electricity, they do so through very different mechanisms, which creates challenges for direct comparison. Nonetheless, it is important to establish a framework for comparison and to identify cost and performance targets to aid meeting the nation’s goals for clean energy deployment. In this paper, we provide a preliminary assessment comparing the cost of energy from CSP+TES and PV+ESS that focuses on a single metric: levelized cost of energy (LCOE). We begin by defining the configuration of each system, which is particularly important for PV+ESS systems. We then examine a range of projected cost declines for PV, batteries, and CSP. Finally, we summarize the estimated LCOE over a range of configuration and cost estimates. We conclude by acknowledging that differences in these technologies present challenges for comparison using a single performance metric. We define systems with similar configurations in some respects. In reality, because of inherent differences in CSP+TES and PV+ESS systems, they will provide different grid services and different value. For example, depending on its configuration, a PV+ESS system may provide additional value over CSP+TES by providing more flexible operation, including certain ancillary services and the ability to store off-peak grid energy. Alternatively, direct thermal energy storage allows a greater capture of solar energy, reducing the potential for curtailments in very high solar scenarios. So while this analysis evaluates a key performance metric (cost per unit of generation) under a range of cost projections, additional analysis of the value per unit of generation will be needed to comprehensively assess the relative competitiveness of solar energy systems deployed with energy storage.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

A Spatial-Economic Cost-Reduction Pathway Analysis for U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Development from 2015–2030

This report describes a comprehensive effort undertaken by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to understand the cost of offshore wind energy for markets in the United States. The study models the cost impacts of a range of offshore wind locational cost variables for more than 7,000 potential coastal sites in U.S. offshore wind resource areas. It also assesses the impact of more than 50 technology innovations on potential future costs for both fixed-bottom and floating wind systems. Comparing these costs to an initial site-specific assessment of local avoided generating costs, the analysis provides a framework for estimating the economic potential for offshore wind. The analysis is intended to inform a broad set of stakeholders and enable an assessment of offshore wind as part of energy development and energy portfolio planning. It provides information that federal and state agencies and planning commissions could use to inform initial strategic decisions about offshore wind developments in the United States.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Time Resolved Optical Studies on The Plasmonic Field Enhancement of Bacteriorhodopsin Proton Photo-current: Final Technical Report Covering Aug 31, 2015–Aug 31, 2016

Our research continues to focus on the effects of plasmonic nanoparticles on organic and inorganic light-harvesting materials. Recent work has focused on the synthesis of stabilized gold nanoparticles to enhance the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Two major concerns in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are efficient light absorption and charge collection. Charge collection typically suffers because transport of electrons through the mesoporous TiO 2 substrate is slow. Thus, one obvious way to improve charge collection is to reduce the thickness of the TiO 2 . Alternatively, a form of TiO 2 with fewer grain boundaries, such as nanotubes, could be used in place of sintered nanospheres. Unfortunately, both of these solutions end up reducing the amount of surface area available to adsorb dye molecules. This directly reduces the percentage of photons absorbed. This problem could be avoided if dye molecules with larger absorption were designed; although synthetic chemists seem to be pushing the limits of what is achievable. Plasmonic nanoparticles offer an alternative way to boost light absorption. It is well known that plasmonic nanoparticles can enhance the local electric field of resonant frequencies of light. If this were in the same spectral region as the dye’s absorption band it would increase the percentage of absorbed photons. One concern is that if the nanoparticles are too close to the dye molecules they can quench the excited state. To avoid this problem, we prepared gold nanoparticles with a silica shell. This limited the amount of quenching while still permitting some enhancement of absorption. Unfortunately, we ran into some serious issues. The iodide based electrolyte etched the gold nanoparticles, completely dissolving them within a few hours. The silica shell should have provided protection but there were pinholes through which iodide could diffuse. Increasing the thickness of the silica to over 10 nm prevented etching but also limited any photon absorption enhancement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

2015 Distributed Wind Market Report

The U.S. Department of Energy’s annual Distributed Wind Market Report provides stakeholders with statistics and analysis of the market along with insights into its trends and characteristics.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

"Structure and dynamics in complex chemical systems: Gaining new insights through recent advances in time-resolved spectroscopies.” ACS Division of Physical Chemistry Symposium presented at the Fall National ACS Meeting in Boston, MA, August 2015

8-Session Symposium on STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS IN COMPLEX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS: GAINING NEW INSIGHTS THROUGH RECENT ADVANCES IN TIME-RESOLVED SPECTROSCOPIES. The intricacy of most chemical, biochemical, and material processes and their applications are underscored by the complex nature of the environments in which they occur. Substantial challenges for building a global understanding of a heterogeneous system include (1) identifying unique signatures associated with specific structural motifs within the heterogeneous distribution, and (2) resolving the significance of each of multiple time scales involved in both small- and large-scale nuclear reorganization. This symposium focuses on the progress in our understanding of dynamics in complex systems driven by recent innovations in time-resolved spectroscopies and theoretical developments. Such advancement is critical for driving discovery at the molecular level facilitating new applications. Broad areas of interest include: Structural relaxation and the impact of structure on dynamics in liquids, interfaces, biochemical systems, materials, and other heterogeneous environments.

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

Aerial Observation Needs Workshop, May 13-14, 2015

The mission of the Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD) of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science is "to advance a robust, predictive understanding of Earth's climate and environmental systems and to inform the development of sustainable solutions to the nation's energy and environmental challenges." Accomplishing this mission requires aerial observations of the atmospheric and terrestrial components of the climate system. CESD is assessing its current and future aerial observation needs to develop a strategy and roadmap of capability requirements for the next decade. To facilitate this process, a workshop was convened that consisted of invited experts in the atmospheric and terrestrial sciences, airborne observations, and modeling. This workshop report summarizes the community input prior to and during the workshop on research challenges and opportunities, as well as specific science questions and observational needs that require aerial observations to address.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Gary Laughlin IHNS Intro to 2015 HPC Annual Report

The International, Homeland, and Nuclear Security (IHNS) Program Management Unit (PMU) oversees a broad portfolio of Sandia’s programs in areas ranging from global nuclear security to critical asset protection. We use science and technology, innovative research, and global engagement to counter threats, reduce dangers, and respond to disasters. The PMU draws on the skills of scientists and engineers from across Sandia. Our programs focus on protecting US government installations, safeguarding nuclear weapons and materials, facilitating nonproliferation activities, securing infrastructures, countering chemical and biological dangers, and reducing the risk of terrorist threats. We conduct research in risk and threat analysis, monitoring and detection, decontamination and recovery, and situational awareness. We develop technologies for verifying arms control agreements, neutralizing dangerous materials, detecting intruders, and strengthening resiliency. Our programs use Sandia’s High-Performance Computing resources for predictive modeling and simulation of interdependent systems, for modeling dynamic threats and forecasting adaptive behavior, and for enabling decision support and processing large cyber data streams. In this report, we highlight four advanced computation projects that illustrate the breadth of the IHNS mission space.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2016

2015 Summer Design Challenge: Team A&E (2241) Additively Manufactured Discriminator.

Current discriminator designs are based on historical designs and traditional manufacturing methods. The goal of this project was to form non-traditional groups to create novel discriminator designs by taking advantage of additive manufacturing. These designs would expand current discriminator designs and provide insight on the applicability of additive manufacturing for future projects. Our design stretched the current abilities of additive manufacturing and noted desired improvements for the future. Through collaboration with NSC, we noted several additional technologies which work well with additive manufacturing such as topology optimization and CT scanning and determined how these technologies could be improved to better combine with additive manufacturing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Site Environmental Report for 2015

The annual Site Environmental Report documents Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s performance in reducing its environmental impacts, progress toward cleaning up groundwater contamination, and compliance with applicable Department of Energy, federal, state, and local environmental regulations. The report is required by DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Assessment for FY 2015

This report provides an overview of the BNL LDRD program and a summary of the management processes, project peer review, a financial overview, and the relation of the portfolio of LDRD projects to BNL's mission, initiatives, and strategic plan. Also included are a summary of success indicators and a self-assessment.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2016

FREYA Developments 2015-2016

We have been studying the sensitivity of neutron observables to the FREYA input distributions. Patrick Talou generated 1000 different yield functions, Y(A,Z,TKE), for 252 Cf(sf) based on fits to available data on the yields as a function of fragment mass, Y(A), and the total kinetic energy distribution as a function of heavy fragment mass, TKE(AH), and its width, σTKE(AH), to obtain Y(A,TKE). These results are augmented by Wahl systematics to include the fragment charge. We have so far found that the neutron observables do not depend strongly on the yield functions. We also found that the yield functions, constrained by data, are not sufficient to constrain the average neutron multiplicity within the evaluated uncertainty. A paper on this is in progress. We began working on a paper on photofission with the University of Michigan while on a Consortium for Verification Technology fellowship. This is an important paper because they have measured the neutron multiplicity distribution, the prompt fission neutron spectrum, and the energy correlation of two neutrons as a function of angle of separation for the first time in photofission of 235 U. We have made FREYA calculations to compare with the data, but the paper is still in progress since the student left and other researchers have had to take over the analysis. We expect to submit the paper in the next several months, after the analysis is complete.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Clean Cities 2015 Annual Metrics Report

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Clean Cities program advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to cut petroleum use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in transportation. A national network of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions, whose territory covers 80% of the U.S. population, brings together stakeholders in the public and private sectors to deploy alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction (IR) measures, fuel economy improvements, and new transportation technologies as they emerge. Each year, DOE asks Clean Cities coordinators to submit annual reports of their activities and accomplishments for the previous calendar year. Progress reports and information are submitted online as a function of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Coordinators report a range of information that characterize the membership, funding, projects, and activities of their coalitions. They also document activities in their region related to the development of refueling/charging infrastructure, sales of alternative fuels; deployment of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); idle reduction initiatives; fuel economy improvement activities; and programs to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). NREL analyzes the data and translates them into petroleum-use and GHG emission reduction impacts, which are summarized in this report.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Turbulent Flow Simulation at the Exascale: Opportunities and Challenges Workshop: August 4-5, 2015, Washington, D.C.

This report details the impact exascale will bring to turbulent-flow simulations in applied science and technology. The need for accurate simulation of turbulent flows is evident across the DOE applied-science and engineering portfolios, including combustion, plasma physics, nuclear-reactor physics, wind energy, and atmospheric science. The workshop brought together experts in turbulent-flow simulation, computational mathematics, and high-performance computing. Building upon previous ASCR workshops on exascale computing, participants defined a research agenda and path forward that will enable scientists and engineers to continually leverage, engage, and direct advances in computational systems on the path to exascale computing.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Basic Energy Sciences Exascale Requirements Review. An Office of Science review sponsored jointly by Advanced Scientific Computing Research and Basic Energy Sciences, November 3-5, 2015, Rockville, Maryland

Computers have revolutionized every aspect of our lives. Yet in science, the most tantalizing applications of computing lie just beyond our reach. The current quest to build an exascale computer with one thousand times the capability of today’s fastest machines (and more than a million times that of a laptop) will take researchers over the next horizon. The field of materials, chemical reactions, and compounds is inherently complex. Imagine millions of new materials with new functionalities waiting to be discovered — while researchers also seek to extend those materials that are known to a dizzying number of new forms. We could translate massive amounts of data from high precision experiments into new understanding through data mining and analysis. We could have at our disposal the ability to predict the properties of these materials, to follow their transformations during reactions on an atom-by-atom basis, and to discover completely new chemical pathways or physical states of matter. Extending these predictions from the nanoscale to the mesoscale, from the ultrafast world of reactions to long-time simulations to predict the lifetime performance of materials, and to the discovery of new materials and processes will have a profound impact on energy technology. In addition, discovery of new materials is vital to move computing beyond Moore’s law. To realize this vision, more than hardware is needed. New algorithms to take advantage of the increase in computing power, new programming paradigms, and new ways of mining massive data sets are needed as well. This report summarizes the opportunities and the requisite computing ecosystem needed to realize the potential before us. In addition to pursuing new and more complete physical models and theoretical frameworks, this review found that the following broadly grouped areas relevant to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) would directly affect the Basic Energy Sciences (BES) mission need. Simulation, visualization, and data analysis are crucial for advances in energy science and technology. Revolutionary mathematical, software, and algorithm developments are required in all areas of BES science to take advantage of exascale computing architectures and to meet data analysis, management, and workflow needs. In partnership with ASCR, BES has an emerging and pressing need to develop new and disruptive capabilities in data science. More capable and larger high-performance computing (HPC) and data ecosystems are required to support priority research in BES. Continued success in BES research requires developing the next-generation workforce through education and training and by providing sustained career opportunities.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Performance Comparison of Stion CIGS Modules to Baseline Monocrystalline Modules at the New Mexico Florida and Vermont Regional Test Centers: January 2015-December 2016.

This report provides performance data and analysis for two Stion copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) module types, one framed, the other frameless, and installed at the New Mexico, Florida and Vermont RTCs. Sandia looked at data from both module types and compared the latter with data from an adjacent monocrystalline baseline array at each RTC. The results indicate that the Stion modules are slightly outperforming their rated power, with efficiency values above 100% of rated power, at 25degC cell temperatures. In addition, Sandia sees no significant performance differences between module types, which is expected because the modules differ only in their framing. In contrast to the baseline systems, the Stion strings showed increasing efficiency with increasing irradiance, with the greatest increase between zero and 400 Wm -2 but still noticeable increases at 1000 Wm -2 . Although baseline data availability in Vermont was spotty and therefore comparative trends are difficult to discern, the Stion modules there may offer snow- shedding advantages over monocrystalline-silicon modules but these findings are preliminary.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Reported Energy and Cost Savings from the DOE ESPC Program: FY 2015

The objective of this work was to determine the realization rate of energy and cost savings from the Department of Energy’s Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) program based on information reported by the energy services companies (ESCOs) that are carrying out ESPC projects at federal sites. Information was extracted from 151 Measurement and Verification (M&V) reports to determine reported, estimated, and guaranteed cost savings and reported and estimated energy savings for the previous contract year. Because the quality of the reports varied, it was not possible to determine all of these parameters for each project.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2017

Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2015

On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contamination (Shreve, 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence.

(1)↗