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At least 109 records · Page 6

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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) for Venus Atmospheric Characterization and Trace Organics Identification

The chemical composition of Venus’ clouds has attracted considerable attention since the first atmospheric probes entered the planet in the early 1980s. We know from these early studies that cloud aerosols consist of micron and submicron droplets of sulfuric acid (~85%) and water (~15%), but outstanding questions still exist regarding their trace chemical composition, especially the identity of the unknown UV absorber(s) and the possible presence of organic material (Spacek & Benner, 2021). Veritas and DaVinci will launch at the end of the decade to advance our understanding of Venus’ surface and atmosphere, however these missions are not designed to sample and analyze cloud aerosols at trace levels. Raman spectroscopy is an ideal candidate for characterizing aerosols and has a track record in studies of Earth’s atmosphere. Raman provides broad chemical screening of organic and inorganic molecules within seconds, and Raman instrumentation can be miniaturized to meet the stringent size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints of an atmospheric probe while retaining sensitivity and specificity that allow spectral fingerprinting of compounds and functional groups. Raman alone is insufficient to characterize trace constituents however, as limits of detection are typically in the 10s to 100s of ppm at best for planetary Raman spectrometers. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), a method that utilizes nanoscale materials interacting with a sample to enhance weak Raman signals by orders of magnitude when probed by a laser, has the potential to drastically improve the sensitivity of a Raman instrument while adding little-to-no SWaP nor complexity to a scientific payload. We aim to de-risk SERS technology for rapid infusion in future planetary science missions by developing custom SERS substrates tailored towards Venus atmospheric exploration. We have developed SERS substrates consisting of nanotextured silver films and tested them on potential Venus-relevant organic compounds, with preliminary results indicating sub-ppm sensitivity. Additionally, we have planned tests to investigate durability, longevity, and other key characteristics that impact SERS substrate performance to prepare SERS technology for flight.

Venus↗

NASA NTRS2024

NASA's Human Research Program: Evolving Collaborations to Enable the Future of Human Spaceflight

Since its formation in 2007, the NASA Human Research Program’s (HRP) mission has been to reduce human health and performance risks for spaceflight exploration missions. The program has achieved this mission primarily through work in ground analogs and on the International Space Station. Over the last three years, NASA overall has seen transformative changes with the flight of Artemis I, formation of the Commercial LEO Destinations Program, commercial flights to the ISS, and new International Partners participating in human spaceflight. NASA’s HRP has embraced these new opportunities and is collaborating on all these fronts to collect biomedical research data. Artemis I marked the arrival of NASA’s new human spaceflight exploration missions. NASA has developed a Moon-to-Mars Architecture to map out how it will use the moon to de-risk and enable Mars missions. NASA’s HRP is a critical component to develop and deliver research and technologies for future Artemis Crew Health and Performance (CHP) Systems. The program is working closely with NASA’s Moon-to-Mars Office to ensure CHP deliverables are ready to demonstrate on the moon, as we also look toward Mars, and is developing the partnership strategies required to support these deliverables. Commercial space flights, both free flyer and suborbital missions and private astronaut missions to the ISS, are providing broader opportunities and subjects to characterize the space-induced changes to the human system and to test countermeasures. To better use these opportunities to achieve its mission, HRP has been working to understand the commercial spaceflight companies’ needs and then partner with them on aspects of mutual interest. In addition, NASA HRP continues to engage in long-standing relationships with its international partners through the International Space Life Sciences Working Group (ISLSWG) and other joint international groups. The Program is now also interested in sharing its knowledge and ability to collaborate on projects of mutual interest with new countries developing capabilities for human spaceflight. The next 10 years will shape how humanity partners on exploration missions to Mars. NASA’s HRP is committed to enabling and developing collaborative strategies with commercial and international partners to keep humans safe and productive as we explore longer and further into space.

Jancy McPhee↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On-Demand Manufacturing of Electronics

The On-Demand Manufacturing of Electronics (ODME) project develops materials, processes, and device designs to enable electronics, sensors, and semiconductors to be produced in microgravity environments. The demonstration of these technologies provides a pathway for space-based manufacturing of circuits, wearables, energy storage devices, and other electronics. This has facilitated the terrestrial production of devices including a wide range of sensors, printed batteries, and circuits that are additively manufactured using techniques available on the Advanced Toolplate System (ATS). Recent parabolic flight campaigns conducted with the ATS suggest that direct ink write (DIW) technology is suitable for depositing functional material inks in reduced gravity environments. The development of the Advanced Toolplate system also includes several other new tools, including miniaturized versions of the direct write head, fused filament fabrication head, micro-mill, component pick & place head, and two newly developed deposition technologies, the Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet head (for semiconductors), and the Electrodeposition head (for high performance circuits). These experiments are designed to compare processing and material behavior in zero gravity versus ground-based data for validation of microgravity advantages and de-risking of future orbital demonstrations of these technologies. The ability to conduct experiments in microgravity is a pivotal step in enabling electronic manufacturing technology in space for both terrestrial and deep space applications.

Cadre Francis↗

NASA NTRS2026

Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration Final Report

As GE Aerospace advances toward a revolutionary step change in propulsion efficiency, the integration and demonstration of new engine architectures and technology systems are essential. The NASA Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration (PEx), conducted through the Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) project, aims to develop and demonstrate megawatt-class hybrid electric capability on a modern commercial turbofan engine. The hybrid electric system is critical to meeting the needs of the U.S. aviation industry for next-generational propulsion systems with greater efficiency, durability, and range. This supports energy independence and helps ensure the security and resilience of one of America's largest export industries. The PEx project specifically targets three key objectives: mechanically integrating hybrid electric capability into a commercial turbofan engine, integrating electric machine control with turbofan control for advanced power management, and de-risking performance modeling of future hybrid electric architectures. To mature these technologies to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, a series of electric power system component tests and a baseline engine performance test campaign were conducted. These efforts culminated in an integrated hybrid electric turbofan test campaign demonstrating power extraction, power insertion, and power transfer between spools. Tests of the electric power system were completed at GE Aerospace’s Electrical Power Integrated Systems Center in Dayton, Ohio and engine tests were completed at Peebles Test Operation in Peebles, Ohio. Hybrid electric trade studies extended the demonstrated capability to altitude using the validated cycle model from the PEx test campaigns, allowing for comments on expanded mission benefits not demonstrated in the ground campaign. The knowledge gained from PEx also supports GE Aerospace’s Compact Core Demonstrator as part of HyTEC Phase 2 and ultimately informs the implementation of hybrid electric systems in the next generation of GE Aerospace commercial engine products. This report provides a summary of the program background, test campaigns, trade studies, and insights into the technical maturation required to support future commercial products.

Hybrid Electric↗

DOE OSTI2023

Pollen and Bio-Soiling in the Southeast U.S.

Typical PV soiling models presume that soiling follows a sawtooth pattern: linear soiling during dry periods followed by abrupt recovery or cleaning during rainfall events. Due to frequency of rainfall in the in the eastern U.S. sawtooth soiling models report near zero soiling losses in this region. Alternatively, through work with system owner/operators per NREL's PVfleet project it has become clear that there are systems in the Southeast that have soiled as high as 10% which are not recovering with regular rainfall. The current hypothesis is that sticky soiling due to pollen or other biological sources is persistent to rainfall removal. Field data and the latest progress towards de-risking bio-soiling will be presented.

photovoltaic↗

DOE OSTI2023

PV Module and System Reliability Research

While photovoltaic (PV) technologies have experienced widespread success and adoption, continued growth of these technologies - especially new PV technologies - requires ongoing improvements to their reliability and the testing procedures, data, and standards that underpin them. To better understand and address failure mechanisms of PV modules and systems, NREL conducts testing, models failures, analyzes performance data, helps to develop standards, and convenes expert stakeholders. This work is focused both on improving the performance of industry-dominant PV technologies and rapidly de-risking new PV technologies so they can be proven reliable without decades of field testing.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

MRP: Design Rules for Refractory Metals

Presentation on Design rules for refractory metals to be given at the Joint ART Materials/AMMT Program Review at DOE Headquarters, Germantown, MD, June 5-8, 2023. Includes microreactor program work for structural materials, failure points of interest, technology, technology maturation and de-risk designs, refractory metals, plan for developing code case as prototype by advanced reactor developers which meets design requirements, and also provides ASME Section III rules.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data-Driven Scalable Emulation of Hydropower Using Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop

This presentation covers Motivation: (1) With the increased grid integration of inverter-based resources, hydropower plays a crucial role in maintaining the bulk power system reliability and resilience; and (2) A more dynamic response and new control designs are required to meet the grid requirements. To evaluate any modification, control-prototyping, performance validation and de-risking grid integration of hydropower, a high-fidelity environment is required. Also covers Objectives: (1) To develop data-driven emulation of hydropower using hardware-in-the-loop for different size, types of hydro plants; and (2) To characterize hardware and obtain accurate dynamic response for shaft speed, torque, and power. Provide a mechanical power interface with emulated dynamics of a hydro-turbine shaft that can be coupled to electrical generators for mechanical and electrical PHIL.

electrical↗

DOE OSTI2023

Hydrogen Energy Storage System at Borrego Springs Towards an H2 Enabled 100 Renewable Microgrid

San Diego Gas & Electric's Borrego Springs Microgrid is one of the largest microgrids in the USA, serving 2500 residential customers, 300 commercial and industrial customers, and has a peak demand of approximately 14 MW. This microgrid is located at the end of a long transmission line, and is subjected to extreme weather events like storms, wildfires, and flooding, which frequently cause grid outages. The microgrid currently relies on 3.65 MW of diesel-powered generators to provide grid-forming services during these outages, which results in greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions. However, the microgrid has access to approximately 37 MW of installed solar generation and struggles with overgeneration and curtailment. 1.5 MW/4.5 MWh of grid-scale batteries have been installed to capture some the overgeneration and provide resiliency, but a longer-duration low-greenhouse gas emission energy storage solution is needed. In our project, the team will evaluate in the lab and demonstrate in the field a grid-forming fuel cell inverter that can provide grid-forming services while utilizing hydrogen's energy storage scalability. We will first utilize NREL's Renewable Energy Integration and Optimization (REopt) platform to perform analyses on future microgrid scenarios that use hydrogen assets to reduce or eliminate the need for diesel backup generators. We will then evaluate the grid-forming inverter through power hardware-in-the-loop and controller hardware-in-the-loop experiments at ARIES, and de-risk the field deployment and operation of hydrogen assets in the microgrid setting. Finally, this project will demonstrate the operation of the fuel cell inverter and updated microgrid controller by operating in grid-forming mode in the Borrego Springs microgrid.

Borrego Springs↗

DOE OSTI2023

Low-Temperature Geothermal Resources: Relevant Data and PFA Methods to Reduce Development Risk: Preprint

This project is part of a larger national effort focused on demonstrating the multi-faceted value of integrating low-temperature geothermal resources into national decarbonization strategies and community energy plans. Low-temperature geothermal resources are defined as reservoirs-natural or engineered-with temperatures < 150 degrees C. While the focus in the NREL effort is on geothermal heating and cooling (GHC), resources at the upper end of this temperature range can also be used for small-scale power generation. However, low-temperature geothermal resources have not been studied as extensively as higher-temperature geothermal resources. We identified three major classes of low-temperature geothermal play types: sedimentary basins, orogenic systems, and radiogenic systems. We developed workflows for evaluating the potential of these resources building off the Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) approach to de-risking geothermal exploration. This PFA-based approach to low-temperature geothermal resources includes: (1) identifying relevant data; (2) grouping and weighting of relevant datasets into PFA criteria (e.g., geological, risk, economic criteria); (3) developing favorability or common risk maps for low-temperature geothermal resources to identify potential locations for more focused data collection; and (4) estimating electric power generation and heating potential at those locations using the GeoRePORT Resource Size Assessment Tool. This project will facilitate future deployment of GHC by providing data, tools, and workflows applicable to low-temperature geothermal resources.

favorability maps↗

DOE OSTI2023

Black start demonstrations of small hydropower plants with energy storage

The U.S. has at least 500 municipal, electric co-operative, and publicly owned utilities with hydropower plants. These are mostly grid-connected to support the national grid. However, due to small size (at most 10 MW) and low ramping capacity, many of these hydropower plants lack the capability to form local grids to provide backup power to critical loads (during grid outage) and rural areas. Energy storage, such as Li-Ion batteries or ultracapacitors, can be used to enable these capabilities. Because this technology is relatively new, proof-of-concept demonstrations are needed to de-risk the approach before it can be deployed at scale. Two field demonstrations have been performed to validate this approach, namely, a 375 kVA / 1.24 kWh ultracapacitor with Idaho Falls Power’s 3.6 MW Old Lower (OL), 8.9 MW Lower Bulb (LB), and 8.9 MW City Bulb (CB) hydropower plants; and a 250 kVA / 320 kWh Li-Ion battery with Fall River Electric Cooperative’s 5.5 MW Felt hydropower plant. The Idaho Falls Power demonstration showed the resilience benefits of hybridization, and the Fall River Electric demonstration showed what the minimal requirements are to retrofit a hydropower plant for black start. These demonstrations are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office HydroWIRES Initiative.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Clean Hydrogen Production R&D at NREL

Comprehensive, concerted efforts supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) are advancing research and development to demonstrate clean hydrogen production and industrial decarbonization pathways. These pathways enable an economically competitive and environmentally beneficial future energy system across sectors and can address specific applications that are difficult to decarbonize. NREL's research accelerates development, integration, and scale up of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to enable widespread deployment across multiple energy sectors. Our work helps industry overcome technical challenges and supports DOE's H2@Scale vision for clean hydrogen across multiple applications and economic sectors. We also bridge technologies with other research areas across the lab and through multiple DOE and national lab research initiatives, consortia, and collaborations including: H2NEW: Hydrogen from Next-generation Electrolyzers of Water Consortium, HydroGEN: Advanced Water Splitting Materials Consortium, H2@Scale CRADA, and helping de-risk the hydrogen systems via large-scale validation and demonstration.

clean hydrogen↗

DOE OSTI2023

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis of Biorefinery Pathways

This talk provides an overview of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) development and implementation as a systematic criticality and risk assessment tool for biorefinery pathways within the FCIC. This supports a quality by design (QbD) approach, and this talk provides a high-level overview of the results for the FMEA evaluation focused on the generation of pine residue materials for high-temperature pyrolysis conversion. the FMEA interviews included two approaches. The first approach was based around the entire system of unit operations giving a wholistic system level view. The second approach used detailed interviews from individual unit operation within the system allowing for specific failures for individual system components. These two approaches provide different resolutions of information about the reliability and risk. The FMEA results focused on failures associated with meeting critical quality attributes (CQAs) identified for the high temperature conversion of loblolly pine residues and were supplemented with experimental data supporting process upsets and reliability also collected within the consortium. Estimations of risk scores for meeting each given CQA specification, identification of the impacts for not meeting a CQA specification, capturing causes associated with material attributes and process parameters for each failure, identification of current detection methods, and speculation of potential mitigation strategies for decreasing a failure’s risk score were gathered through the FMEA interviews, and were combined to understand the overall process risk metrics and where technology, process, and knowledge improvements are needed in order to de-risk emerging biorefineries.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Interfaces for Inverter-Based Microgrid Experiments Including Transitions: Preprint

Microgrids continue to proliferate, particularly those that rely on inverter-based resources as the microgrid's voltage and frequency leader. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations can de-risk microgrid deployments, and therefore we need power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) interfaces for grid-forming (GFM) inverters to enable simulations of seamless transitions between islanded and grid-connected operation. Such microgrid interfaces are particularly challenging to model when the inverters need to switch modes, i.e., between grid-following (GFL) and GFM as the microgrid transitions between grid-connected and islanded operation. This paper presents two PHIL interfaces for such microgrids and the preliminary experimental results: One interface is suitable for those who have access to a power amplifier that can operate as a controllable current source, and the other is for those who need a solution that uses a voltage-mode power amplifier.

battery energy storage system↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium - Understanding and Mitigating the Impacts of Feedstock Variability in Bioconversion Processes

The Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium is led by DOE as a collaborative effort among researchers from 9 National Laboratories. The FCIC was formed because biomass feedstock properties are variable and different from other commodities, and empirical approaches to address these issues have been unsuccessful. The FCIC uses first-principles-based science to de-risk biorefinery scale-up and deployment by understanding and mitigating the impacts of feedstock variability on bioenergy conversion processes. In this presentation, we present a brief overview of key FCIC prinicples and recent results.

biomass↗

DOE OSTI2023

Low-Temperature Geothermal Resources: Relevant Data and PFA Methods to Reduce Development Risk

favorability maps↗

DOE OSTI2024

Programa de Diseno, Fabricacion y Pruebas del Sistema de Desalinizacion por Olas del NREL: Preprint (Spanish Translation)

To de-risk the U.S. Department of Energy's Waves to Water Prize, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a modular, wave powered desalination system. The prize was open to wave energy converter (WEC) designs that generate electricity or WECs that desalinate water mechanically. This added installation risks due to the variance in competitor devices, and the aggressive installation timeline. To reduce these risks NREL developed a wave energy converter (WEC) that the installation team could use to practice installation techniques prior to the competitors arriving to ensure all steps had been considered prior to the event. This was achieved by developing a WEC with a modular power-take-off (PTO). The modular PTO can be configured in one configuration to drive an electric generator that sends electricity to a pier. The electricity that is generated is converted, and stored, so that it can be used to power an electric pump that feeds water to a Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination unit. In the other configuration the generator is replaced with a pump and seawater is pumped to the RO system on the pier without any electrons being generated. This WEC is formally known as the Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis (HERO) WEC. For the English version of this report, see NREL/CP-5700-86623 (https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/86623.pdf).

laboratory testing↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Design, Fabrication, and Test Program for NREL's Wave-Powered Desalination System

Starting in 2018, the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), initiated the development of a prize competition as a foundational investment of Powering the Blue Economy, the prize encouraged the development of small, modular, cost-competitive wave-powered desalination systems. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was tasked with managing the prize, known as the Waves to Water Prize (W2W), and providing technical input based on prior desalination research performed at the lab. NREL partnered with the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) and Jennette's Pier in North Carolina for their expertise in deploying research articles at the Jennette's Pier research facility. The prize consisted of five stages that included high-level concept proposals, numerical modelling, site-specific design, subsystem prototyping, and a final ocean demonstration. Due to the logistical risks of installing numerous prototypes in the ocean at the same time, NREL was tasked with designing and building a test article to de-risk the final event. The test article design needed to represent the technologies expected in the final stage of the prize. This meant that the design was expected to follow the same rules as the competitors, providing CSI with an opportunity to practice installations and develop a final logistics plan prior to the final event. After concluding the W2W event in April 2022, the NREL test article was redeployed in August 2022 to better understand the challenges of anchoring wave energy converters (WECs) in shallow water conditions with breaking waves.

desalination↗