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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 1,063 records · Page 59

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DOE OSTI2026

Novel additive manufacturing for plasma facing materials ‐ creating a research pathway for minority students

This project addresses two critical and intertwined challenges in fusion energy, namely the shortage of a broadly trained scientific workforce and the lack of scalable manufacturing solutions for plasma-facing components (PFCs). Through a collaboration among Florida International University (FIU), Miami Dade College (MDC), and Purdue University, the project established structured, reproducible educational and research pathways that recruit and advance students from institutions historically outside the fusion energy enterprise, building the human capital that this field urgently needs. The project integrates the complementary research strengths of FIU and Purdue to investigate flash sintering as a transformative processing route for tungsten-based PFCs. Unlike conventional sintering approaches, flash sintering offers rapid densification at significantly reduced thermal budgets, making it a compelling candidate for fabricating complex tungsten geometries that must withstand extreme plasma-facing environments. Systematic experimental and modeling efforts will elucidate the fundamental mechanisms governing microstructure evolution, grain boundary chemistry, and thermomechanical response during flash sintering — knowledge that is presently lacking but essential for translating this technology into reliable manufacturing practice. The convergence of workforce development and cutting-edge manufacturing research positions this project to deliver measurable, durable impact: a pipeline of fusion-ready researchers cultivated through expanded institutional partnerships, and a validated materials processing framework that accelerates domestic readiness for next-generation fusion reactor construction.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Development of a scalable, robust electrocatalytic technology for conversion of CO 2 to formic acid via microstructured materials

This project was funded by the Bioenergy Engineering for Product Synthesis (BEEPS) program under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001916 Topic Area 5 “Rewiring Carbon Utilization”. This FOA sought projects that would electrocatalytically reduce CO 2 to a carbon intermediate and then upconvert to a multi-carbon product or fuel via non-photosynthetic biological system engineering. The project sought to combine the expertise of OCO Chem, whose chief scientist had previously developed an efficient electrocatalytic reactor for conversion of CO 2 to formate with potential to scale, Montana State University investigators who had recently patented a method for laterally grading membranes with the potential of improving reactant distribution and more uniform efficiency across membrane-based reactors, and University of South Florida which had recently discovered a novel C-C bond forming reaction not known to naturally occur in biological systems and which uses C1 substrates and circumvents the central microbial metabolism.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2014

Differences in volatile methyl siloxane (VMS) profiles in biogas from landfills and anaerobic digesters and energetics of VMS transformations

Highlights: • In the digester gas, D4 and D5 comprised the 62% and 27% if siloxanes, respectively. • In landfill gas, the bulk of siloxanes were TMSOH (58%) followed by D4 (17%). • Methane utilization may be a possible mechanism for TMSOH formation in the landfills. • The geometric configurations of D4 and D5 molecules make them very stable. - Abstract: The objectives of this study were to compare the types and levels of volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) present in biogas generated in the anaerobic digesters and landfills, evaluate the energetics of siloxane transformations under anaerobic conditions, compare the conditions in anaerobic digesters and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills which result in differences in siloxane compositions. Biogas samples were collected at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant and South Dade Landfill in Miami, Florida. In the digester gas, D4 and D5 comprised the bulk of total siloxanes (62% and 27%, respectively) whereas in the landfill gas, the bulk of siloxanes were trimethylsilanol (TMSOH) (58%) followed by D4 (17%). Presence of high levels of TMSOH in the landfill gas indicates that methane utilization may be a possible reaction mechanism for TMSOH formation. The free energy change for transformation of D5 and D4 to TMSOH either by hydrogen or methane utilization are thermodynamically favorable. Either hydrogen or methane should be present at relatively high concentrations for TMSOH formation which explains the high levels present in the landfill gas. The high bond energy and bond distance of the Si–O bond, in view of the atomic sizes of Si and O atoms, indicate that Si atoms can provide a barrier, making it difficult to break the Si–O bonds especially for molecules with specific geometric configurations such as D4 and D5 where oxygen atoms are positioned inside the frame formed by the large Si atoms which are surrounded by the methyl groups.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2015

Evaluation of the impact of lime softening waste disposal in natural environments

Highlights: • Leaching tests conducted on WTR to assess potential for trace element release. • Aluminum leaching found to be elevated with respect to risk threshold. • Release in anaerobic conditions evaluated with column test run in nitrogen chamber. • Increased release of certain elements seen from residues under anaerobic conditions. • Different leaching tests produced results on two sides of regulatory threshold. - Abstract: Drinking water treatment residues (WTR), generated from the lime softening processes, are commonly reused or disposed of in a number of applications; these include use as a soil amendment or a subsurface fill. Recently questions were posed by the Florida regulatory community on whether lime WTR that contained a small percentage of other treatment additives could appropriately be characterized as lime WTR, in terms of total element content and leachability. A study was done using a broad range of leaching tests, including a framework of tests recently adopted by the United States-Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and tests that were modified to account for scenario specific conditions, such as the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). The results of these additional leaching tests demonstrated that certain applications, including disposal in a water body with NOM or in placement anaerobic environment, did result in increased leaching of elements such as Fe, and that a site specific assessment should be conducted prior to using WTR in these types of applications. This study illustrates the importance of leaching test selection when attempting to provide an estimation of release in practice. Although leaching tests are just one component in a beneficial use assessment and other factors including aquifer and soil properties play a significant role in the outcome, leaching tests should be tailored to most appropriately represent the scenario or reuse application being evaluated.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2014

Anchor selection study for ocean current turbines

This paper compares anchoring systems suitable for ocean current turbines, specifically those proposed to be installed off the coast of Southeast Florida near latitude 26° 5’ N. This location boasts one of the most energy dense ocean current resources, with a mean kinetic energy flux of approximately 2.34 kW/m2. Seafloor types ranging from unconstrained sediment to high relief ledges were observed during regional benthic surveys for which applicable anchor types would include deadweight, plate, pile, and drag embedment. Numerical simulations of single point moored marine hydrokinetic devices were used to extract anchor loading at a likely deployment location for mooring scopes from 1.25 to 2.0 and turbine rotor diameters between 3–50m. These anchor loading data were used for preliminary sizing of deadweight and driven plate anchors on both cohesionless and cohesive soils. Finally, the capabilities of drag embedment and pile anchors relevant to ocean current turbines are discussed. Multiple types of drag embedment anchors can support all of the predicted loads if adequate sediment exists and the loading is horizontal, while pile and H-type anchors can support all of the evaluated loading scenarios and chain-in-hole anchors can support turbines with rotor diameters up to 30m.

Florida Current↗

DOE OSTI2024

Deep Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Real-World Signalized Traffic Corridor Control

Signalized traffic control problem has been addressed recently with deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) approaches involving diverse state, action, and reward structures. While significant progress has been noted in the literature, open challenges still remain in the areas of adaptive signal phase timing, coordination in a multi-intersection corridor setting, and consideration of real-world traffic conditions. In the context of deep RL-based problem framing, extensions are needed that enable adaptive signal phase timings in an intersection agent's action space, computationally efficient information sharing among neighboring signalized intersection agents along a corridor, and experimentation in realistic simulation environments. In this paper, we develop a deep Advantage Actor Critic (A2C) multi-agent RL (MARL) approach capturing the research extensions above and apply it within a real-world calibrated Aimsun Next traffic corridor simulation model based on traffic data from the City of Coral Gables, Florida. For a multi-intersection corridor control setting, our numerical simulation experiments with a decentralized A2C MARL algorithm applied at different time periods led to a total average corridor travel delay reduction (expressed in seconds/mile averaged over vehicles) from 4.9% to 19.9% compared to state-of-the-art actuated control.

Shuvo, Salman S. [BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)]↗

DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-EvM Everglades Saltwater intrusion marsh

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-EvM Everglades Saltwater intrusion marsh. This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-EvM Everglades Saltwater intrusion marsh produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - This is a site in Southeaster Florida that is experience an ecosystem state shift caused by saltwater flooding. We are seeing sawgrass mortality and mangrove invasion

Starr, Gregory [University of Alabama]↗

DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-TaS Taylor Slough/Panhandle

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-TaS Taylor Slough/Panhandle. This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-TaS Taylor Slough/Panhandle produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - This tower is located in the Florida Everglades, a unique community of stunted mangroves which receive seasonally driven freshwater inputs and wind-driven estuarine inputs

Malone, Sparkle [Yale University]↗

DOE OSTI2014

Energy Savings and Peak Demand Reduction of a SEER 21 Heat Pump vs. a SEER 13 Heat Pump with Attic and Indoor Duct Systems

This report describes results of experiments that were conducted in an unoccupied 1600 square foot house--the Manufactured Housing (MH Lab) at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC)--to evaluate the delivered performance as well as the relative performance of a SEER 21 variable capacity heat pump versus a SEER 13 heat pump. The performance was evaluated with two different duct systems: a standardattic duct system and an indoor duct system located in a dropped-ceiling space.