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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 109 records · Page 6

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DOE OSTI2025

Energy-efficient carbon capture from industrial point sources via commercially available green solvent and hollow fiber membrane contactors

Solvent-based absorption systems have emerged in the carbon capture space due to their high absorption capacities, reusability, and favorable energy requirements. Using diethyl sebacate as a solvent for pre- and post-combustion carbon capture has advantages over other solvents, including high hydrophobicity, low viscosity, low vapor pressure, high CO 2 solubility, high CO 2 selectivity, and being commercially available in large quantities. Despite these advantageous properties, the use of diethyl sebacate as a solvent for post-combustion carbon capture has not been studied in detail. To examine the capability of diethyl sebacate, a scalable, energy-efficient, hollow fiber membrane (microporous polypropylene and polyvinylidene fluoride) contactor (HFMC)-based process with low-cost and high surface area is investigated. A purity of 95.3 % CO 2 with 46 % recovery in one absorption stage was achieved, with a permeate flux over one magnitude greater than using a deep eutectic solvent in the same system. Technoeconomic analysis determined a ∼ 0.8 GJ per ton of CO 2 at a processing cost of ∼$93 per ton of CO 2 . Results from this work underscore the potential for utilizing green solvents in HFMC-based separation processes for effective carbon capture and provide a pathway towards practical deployment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Toward Energy-Efficient HPC: Insights from Power Profiling a Cloud-Resolving Earth System Model

Power is a fundamental constraint as supercomputing advances to exascale. Efficient operation within strict power budgets requires application-aware power management based on a detailed understanding of application-level power behavior. This work analyzes the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) atmosphere component, SCREAM, on Perlmutter (NERSC) and Frontier (OLCF). We characterize power variation across inputs, concurrency levels, and power caps, evaluate the energy impact of code optimizations, and attribute energy within the code using a newly developed GPU energy model. Results show that SCREAM’s peak power remains stable during its core execution phase and decreases gradually as concurrency increases. Power capping experiments reveal a performance–energy "sweet spot". On Perlmutter, limiting GPU power to 50% of thermal design power (TDP) achieves up to 15% energy savings with a 7% performance penalty. On Frontier, a 40% TDP cap yields up to 10% energy savings with less than 10% performance loss. Code optimizations reduce SCREAM energy by shortening run time without increasing power. Modeling reveals a critical insight: data movement accounts for approximately 70% of SCREAM’s GPU energy. This fundamentally shifts the optimization focus from FLOPS to data transfer reduction for this class of applications, offering the most impactful strategy for improving energy efficiency. This work establishes a foundation for practical, application-aware power management at exascale.

Zhao, Zhengji [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborato↗

DOE OSTI2024

Reversible Methane Electrochemical Reactors as Efficient Energy Storage for Fossil Power

The overall objective of the project was to conduct a comprehensive Research & Development (R&D) program to demonstrate the suitability and future advancement and integration of reversible methane protonic ceramic electrochemical reactors (PCERs) as an efficient Energy Storage System (ESS) with fossil fuel power plants. Fundamental process and system models are developed to conduct a preliminary conceptual study and investigate the power plant system integration requirements, performance requirements, and technical and non-technical gaps for eventual implementation at system level. Technology maturation requirements is also investigated through identifying the critical technical elements and networking with industrial technology developers and end-users.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2024

Workflow Provenance in the Computing Continuum for Responsible, Trustworthy, and Energy-Efficient AI

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more pervasive in our society, it is crucial to develop, deploy, and assess Responsible and Trustworthy AI (RTAI) models, i.e., those that consider not only accuracy but also other aspects, such as explainability, fairness, and energy efficiency. Workflow provenance data have historically enabled critical capabilities towards RTAI. Provenance data derivation paths contribute to responsible workflows through transparency in tracking artifacts and resource consumption. Provenance data are well-known for their trustworthiness helping explainability, reproducibility, and accountability. However, there are complex challenges to achieve RTAI, which are further complicated by the heterogeneous infrastructure in the computing continuum (Edge-Cloud-HPC) used to develop and deploy models. As a result, a significant research and development gap remains between workflow provenance data management and RTAI. In this paper, we present a vision of the pivotal role of workflow provenance in supporting RTAI and discuss related challenges. We present a schematic view between RTAI and provenance, and highlight open research directions.

Santos Souza, Renan↗

DOE OSTI2026

In situ catalyst activation and regeneration enable energy-efficient high-current CO 2 reduction to ethanol-rich C 2+ mixtures

Electrochemical conversion of dissolved CO 2 in bicarbonate electrolytes, i.e., bicarbonate electrolysis, offers distinct advantages over gas diffusion electrode systems by enabling direct utilization of the CO 2 capture electrolyte while bypassing the energy-intensive CO 2 release step. However, bicarbonate electrolysis faces challenges such as CO 2 mass-transfer limitation, local pH-driven CO 2 depletion, and high cathodic potentials. The higher potential often causes catalyst surface reorganization, leading to a gradual loss of active sites and variations in selectivity during CO 2 reduction. Here, we report a directed, in situ activation and regeneration method that allows precatalysts to equilibrate under dynamic (pulsed) electrolysis conditions. We demonstrate in situ activation of a scalable Cu 2 O/Cu mesh that, under short-width (t = 4 s) pulsed electrolysis, provides stable mixed oxidation states of Cu, favoring the formation of an ethanol-rich crude mixture. The pulsed electrolysis waveform, consisting of six distinct segments, is tuned to form Cu + oxides, which are then reduced to generate local alkaline conditions favoring C–C coupling. This synergistic effect results in FEs of 73% for C2+ products and 39% for ethanol at an applied current density of −150 mA cm −2 and a cathodic potential of −1.45 V (vs. RHE). The overall half-cell energy efficiency is ∼30% for C 2+ products. The in situ Raman experiments confirm the role of pCO 2 R in dynamically regenerating Cu+-containing surface species during pulsed operation, thereby steering selectivity towards C 2+ products. A comprehensive multiscale, multiphysics model is developed to investigate the dynamic behavior of copper surface species (Cu, Cu + , and Cu 2+ ) and local microenvironmental conditions during the pCO 2 R. The results reveal that the coexistence of different copper oxidation states, especially the Cu+ intermediate, is critical in steering selectivity towards multicarbon (C 2+ ) products. The dynamic modulation of surface redox states via tailored pulsing strategies favors C–C coupling pathways by inducing localized alkaline conditions and stabilizing reactive intermediates. This work establishes a predictive modeling platform that links pulse waveform design with mechanistic insights into catalyst state evolution and product selectivity. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the synergistic effect of in situ activation of pre-catalysts and pulsed electrolysis for higher selectivity towards C 2+ products.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Heavy-Duty Nonroad Material Handler Electrification Part 2: Energy Efficiency and Performance Evaluation

Decarbonization efforts achieved through electrification in nonroad mobile machinery can realize a reduction in fuel consumption of more than 20%, thanks to concepts familiar to light-duty passenger vehicles. This case study compares the results of a hybrid-electric material handler to its conventional counterpart, utilizing machine-specific drive cycles presented in part one of this paper series. The hybrid prototype features an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain that demonstrated substantial energy efficiency improvements. Specifically, there was a reduction in equivalent fuel consumption of 75% when operating in electric-only mode, and 33% when maintaining the battery by charging with an on-board generator. Together, the efficiency improvements can be extrapolated over a low-intensity, 8-h shift characterized by significant idle time and highly dynamic engine load for a 47% reduction in net energy consumption. Key technologies that led to this improvement included engine downsizing and decoupling, regenerative braking, and an electrohydraulic pump unit with advanced controls. Finally, his study explains details of the powertrain architecture and subsystems that were implemented on a demonstration vehicle, control strategies used to meet project goals, and an analysis of energy consumption from testing on a closed course. Also included in this study is a discourse on comparison metrics that can be used for quantifying the energy consumption differences between hybrid-electric and conventional diesel powertrains in nonroad mobile machinery.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Designing the Nanoconfined Environment for Energy-Efficient Metal Nanoparticle/Ligand-Based Electrocatalysts

Nanoconfined electrocatalysts demonstrate enhanced selectivity and activity owing to new phenomena emerging from chemical species confined at the interface. Creating these nanoconfined pockets at the interface is not trivial. We need highly negative potentials to create the pockets in metal/ligand catalysts like Ag-nanoparticle/ordered ligand interlayer catalysts. Lowering this activation potential can make the electrocatalysis more energy-efficient, and changes in the environment can impact this potential. We used Density Functional Theory (DFT) to evaluate the impact of ligand length and density, interfacial protons, and surface defects like Ag vacancies and Cu and Au dopants. The nanoconfined configuration is stabilized when the ligands are longer and more densely packed, leading to better agglomeration. It is also stabilized when the ligands adsorb protons and when the ligands detach from the surface easily owing to lower charge transfer. Au-doped surfaces displayed the lowest charge transfer and decreased the activation potential.

Jana, Asmita↗

DOE OSTI2026

Laboratory Testing of Portable Air Cleaner Products for Energy Efficiency and Clean Air Performance at Various Fan Settings [Slides]

This document contains the results of a product review and laboratory testing experiment of portable air cleaning devices (PACs). Thirty-four commercially available PACs were reviewed, and from those, 7 products were purchased and underwent AHAM AC-7 clean air delivery rate (CADR) testing. The following research questions were explored: 1) What is the relationship between clean air delivery rate (CADR) and energy across a range of products and what is the general decrement in CADR as a result of operating at lower fan speeds? 2) How might the multiple units at lower power compare to fewer, larger units at full power in terms of energy efficiency and total cost? 3) How do the measured CADR, power, and efficiency compare to the manufacturer specs? 4) Are there product attributes that can be identified that might contribute to better CADR/W performance?

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2025

Energy-efficient multimodal mobility networks in transportation digital twins: Strategies and optimization

The study proposes a comprehensive Transportation Mobility (TransitMo) framework covering conceptual design, model formulation, optimization, simulation, and impact analysis of the transportation mobility system. TransitMo is composed of a transportation digital twin developed in Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) and an Intelligent Traffic Management and Control Center (ITMCC) that identifies the best ways to improve the movement of people within urban areas using various modes of transportation. This study encompasses advanced modeling techniques, algorithms, and strategic testing to optimize energy efficiency and mobility in a multimodal shared mobility network. TransitMo’s practical applications are exemplified through a city-scaled simulation network in Chattanooga, TN, employing demographic data to analyze historical traffic patterns and forecast future demands. Central to this methodology are three models: the User Preference Model (UP), the Energy Consumption Model (EC), and the System Optimization Model (SO). These models work in concert to iteratively devise the optimal travel incentives and minimize the total system cost in a real-time manner. In conclusion, test results verified that the proposed adaptive incentive program and optimized bus scheduling can improve network performance by increasing public transit ridership.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Effect of Viscosity of a Deep Eutectic Solvent on CO 2 Capture Performance in an Energy-Efficient Membrane Contactor-Based Process

Greenhouse gas contributions to climate change have driven intense interest in the separation of CO 2 from wet flue gas streams. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are an emerging class of highly selective CO 2 absorbents. A prototypical DES, reline, is a mixture of choline chloride and urea. Reline is a thermally stable, nontoxic, and biodegradable solvent with negligible volatility and is inexpensive. We demonstrate a scalable and energy-efficient hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC)-based process using a green solvent for CO 2 capture. This process uses reline in HFMC to provide close interfacial interactions and contact between DES and CO 2 . This approach overcomes the disadvantages associated with direct absorption in DES and could potentially be applied to a variety of solvent-based CO 2 capture methods. Commercial, low-cost polymer hollow fiber membranes were evaluated for the capture of CO 2 with reline. From a mixed gas containing N 2 and CO 2 , the DES-based HFMC separated CO 2 with a purity of 97 mol %. The effect of the viscosity of reline on the CO 2 capture performance was investigated by adding water to the reline. The addition of water to reline significantly reduced its viscosity, which led to a permeate flux of 170 mmol/(m 2 ·h) at 35 °C, 4 bar, and 60 wt % water in solvent, which was approximately 8 times higher than that of the pure reline in the membrane contactor system. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed that reline absorbs CO 2 by physical absorption without forming new chemical compounds and that CO 2 separation by reline occurs via the pressure swing mechanism. This research provides fundamental insights about green physical solvent-based separation processes and a pathway toward industrial deployment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advances in Desiccant Wheels for Dehumidification, VOC Mitigation, and CO 2 Removal for Energy-Efficient IAQ Management

Humidity control is pivotal to maintain occupant thermal comfort and suppress mold growth in indoor environments. Furthermore, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) due to the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and high concentrations (>1,000 ppm) of CO 2 can cause health issues and negatively affect cognitive performance. Therefore, providing high-quality indoor air has gained significant attention over the past decade. Conventional cooling coil and filter-based HVAC systems have limited capability to meet the augmented demand for occupant thermal comfort and high indoor air quality. Moreover, modern buildings are increasingly airtight to save energy, and increasing ventilation to mitigate VOC and CO 2 concentration is discouraged. Separate sensible and latent cooling technology using a rotary desiccant wheel presents a promising solution in this respect. Because of the development of desiccant materials with high water vapor, VOC, and CO 2 uptake, desiccant wheels can be used as an integrated technology option for IAQ management. Here, to promote desiccant wheel use for energy-efficient management of IAQ in buildings, this article reviews recent advancements in using desiccant wheels for dehumidification, VOC mitigation, and CO 2 capture from outdoor air. Finally, the article presents the authors’ perspective by summarizing the key research gaps in the field and discussing the future direction of research to address these gaps from two different aspects, namely, suitable adsorbent material development and desiccant wheel design.

CO2 capture↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Year-Round Energy-Efficient Fresh Air Handling System with Two-Stage Heat Pumps and Lake Water Pre-Treatment

Supplying fresh air is important for indoor air quality, but the energy consumption to treat fresh air is significant. The main problems in existing fresh air system include: supplying single-temperature water to treat fresh air and not applying natural energy sufficiently restrict the efficiency improvement of cooling and heat sources; unused air handling devices under most operating conditions throughout the year increase the fan energy consumption. Thus, this study proposes an efficient fresh air system that uses lake water to pre-treat fresh air and two-stage heat pumps for further treatment, and the unused air handling devices in the system are bypassed. A fresh air system in northern China is selected as a case to show the annual energy performance of the proposed system, and a comparative analysis is conducted between the proposed system and a traditional system. The results show that the annual energy-savings of the proposed system compared to the traditional system come from fans, and compressors, which are 56.5%, and 31.1%, respectively, with an entire system energy saving of 32.2%. The proposed system can achieve an annual system coefficient of performance (COP) of 5.5. This study provides potential for further improving the energy efficiency in fresh air treatment.

Liang, Chenjiyu↗

DOE OSTI2025

Development of an Energy-Efficient and High-Productivity Ammonia Recovery and Removal Process Using Resin-Wafer Electrodeionization

As efforts to develop various energy resources, ammonia energy is emerging as a promising carbon-free fuel alternative. Recovering high-concentration ammonia and ammonium from wastewater potentially offers significant environmental and economic benefits. However, research on recovery technologies for industries such as semiconductors remains limited. This study develops an efficient, energy-saving ammonia recovery technology using Resin Wafer Electrodeionization (RW-EDI), specifically for the semiconductor industry. RW-EDI shows promise for recovering ammonia from high-concentration wastewater. By optimizing parameters, such as voltage and initial concentration, a balance between productivity and energy consumption is achieved. Results indicate that ammonium and fluoride ion transport kinetics are similar, with minimal competition and selectivity values between 0.95 and 1.08. As the initial ammonia/ammonium concentration increases from 500 to 8000 ppm, reaction rate constants and the overall mass transfer coefficient decrease. Increasing the voltage can enhance mass transfer and eliminate barriers. Ion transport primarily occurs in the RW solid phase, accounting for 93.89% of the total current. Additionally, RW-EDI shows superior specific energy consumption within a concentration range of 500 ppm to 8000 ppm, outperforming technologies like electrodialysis by reducing specific energy consumption from 8−15 kWh/kg-NH 4 + to 1.2−2.5 kWh/kg-NH 4 + . This study highlights RW-EDI’s potential for ammonia recovery, providing valuable insights for future applications in wastewater treatment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Carbon–Mineral Slurry Electrodes for Energy-Efficient Lithium Leaching from Low-Grade Clay Feedstocks

Lithium extraction from clay deposits is typically hampered by low lithium grades and the high capital and energy demands of conventional processing. We report an ambient temperature electrochemical leaching method that bypasses high-temperature roasting and concentrated-acid leaching, directly liberating 93% of lithium from low-grade hectorite in 24 h at 1 V, with 77% Faradaic efficiency, an energy intensity of 3.91 MWh/t lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). Utilizing a carbon-mineral composite slurry electrode strategy we achieve electron-driven lattice deconstruction through iron oxidation coupled with proton uptake to drive lithium deintercalation, offering a new strategy for low-temperature critical-metal recovery. A preliminary cost analysis highlights pathways to achieving cost intensities below $3000/t LCE. Challenges remain in improving current density, extraction kinetics, and demonstrating process scalability, however, this work establishes a foundation for effective electrochemical lithium extraction from abundant but previously uneconomical clay deposits.

Haddad, Andrew Z↗

DOE OSTI2026

A transfer learning approach to energy-efficient control of small and medium-sized commercial buildings

Model-free reinforcement learning (RL) provides a data-driven and adaptive approach to optimize building energy use while satisfying occupant comfort. This powerful tool does not need any prior knowledge about the environment and system it is optimizing and can adapt its policy based on the changes in captures. Like any other data-driven tool, it faces high training costs due to the extensive agent-environment interactions required to capture long-term building dynamics and user comfort. Transfer learning, particularly policy distillation, offers a promising way to accelerate training by leveraging pretrained RL agents in different building and system types. Here, this study investigates online student distillation, in which the student model updates its neural network weights using outputs from teacher models. The work introduces a student distillation strategy designed for efficient knowledge transfer, along with a teacher selection method that ensures high-quality guidance. The approach is validated using a highly calibrated whole building energy model for a small/medium commercial building test facility. Results show substantial reductions in training time and data requirements while surpassing the performance of ASHRAE Guideline 36, an advanced rule-based control strategy. The distilled RL model required 45% less data and achieved 20% higher cumulative rewards than a state-of-the-art RL model, with faster convergence and lower energy consumption. These outcomes demonstrate that effective transfer learning enables a scalable and data-efficient energy management solution for commercial buildings.

ASHRAE guideline 36↗

DOE OSTI2025

Energy efficient integrated photonic systems based on inverse design

The energy footprint of modern information processing and communications systems is immense and utilizes a significant fraction of total global energy usage. Data centers alone consume over 70 billion kilowatt-hours per year. Much of this energy usage is intrinsic to the use of electronic wiring, making optical-based technologies a necessary and promising route to mitigating energy consumption in short- to medium-distance communication links. In this project, we developed and implemented a framework for the design of optical components, based on machine learning, which enables optical components relevant to optical information processing to be realized at their physical performance limits.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

From Chills to Thrills: Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency and Load Flexibility in Supermarket Refrigeration

Open-vertical medium-temperature refrigerated display cases comprise nearly 50% of total case lineups in a typical supermarket, with more than 80% of their cooling load attributed to infiltration of warm and moist air from the surrounding space. The infiltration takes place across the air curtain system of the display case. While the air curtain acts as a thermal shield and as a cooling mechanism to maintain product temperature, it also entrains large amounts of heat and moisture from the adjacent space. Additionally, from food safety and quality standpoints, these fixtures are vulnerable to electric outages and traditionally cannot participate in load flexibility events. This paper describes key features of an innovative design of a self-contained, water-cooled, medium-temperature, open-vertical display case. The novel concept will eliminate the inefficient air curtain system and incorporate a hybrid radiant and low-airflow convective cooling design with a thermal-energy-storage-coupled heat exchanger integrated into the refrigeration circuit. The focus of this paper is on evaluating the thermal performance of the novel hybrid design in maintaining target product temperature. It presents thermal performance findings from thermo-fluid system modeling and robust state-of-the-art laboratory experiments used to validate those models. Load flexibility attributes from thermal energy storage are not discussed. A controlled-environment chamber at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory was leveraged to validate the thermal performance of the novel technology. Final results from bench-scale experiments indicate the proposed design maintained mean product temperatures within food safety guidelines.

commercial refrigeration↗

DOE OSTI2024

From Chills to Thrills: Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency and Load Flexibility in Supermarket Refrigeration: Preprint

commercial refrigeration↗