Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “production cost”

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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of Thermal Management Approaches for Integrated Traction Drives in Electric Vehicles

The continuous push to increase power densities of electric vehicle (EV) traction drive systems necessitates combining electric motor and power electronics into one unit. A single, compact traction drive unit with fewer interconnecting components also facilitates fast, automated assembly of electric vehicles, driving production costs down and enabling wider adoption of EVs. There are a number of challenges associated with the integration of power electronics with the electric machine, including thermal management of the combined traction drive system. However, one important benefit of integration from the thermal management system perspective is the potential for using a single fluid loop instead of two separate cooling systems for the electric machine and the power electronics/inverter. This paper reviews several integration approaches and, employing finite element analysis (FEA), compares thermal management solutions for the combined electric machine and power electronics systems. Namely, three different scenarios are modeled: (1) independent component (motor and power electronics) cooling, which is compared to the combined cooling system approach for (2) radially and (3) axially integrated power electronics modules into the motor enclosure. Temperature distributions for selected thermal loads and thermal resistances from the key heat-generating components to the cooling fluid are compared for each scenario.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Permanent Magnet Generator Topologies Using Multimaterial Shape Optimization and 3D Printing: Preprint

A vast majority of utility-scale wind turbine generators in the United States are dependent on foreign- sourced rare-earth permanent magnets that are vulnerable to supply chain uncertainties. Many small wind original equipment manufacturers are motivated to pursue continuous improvements to the generator design to lower the material and production costs and improve performance by lowering cogging torque and increasing the efficiency. Traditional design and manufacturing offer limited opportunities. In this work, we demonstrate advanced design approaches for a 15-kW baseline wind turbine generator by making use of recent progress in three-dimensional (3D) printing of polymer- bonded magnets and, electrical and structural steel. We explore three methods of magnet parametrization using Bezier curves resulting in symmetric, asymmetric and multimaterial magnet designs. We employ a multiphysics approach combining parametric computer-aided design modeling, finite- element analysis and targeted sampling to identify novel designs with more opportunities for reducing rare-earth material, improving efficiency and minimizing cogging torque. The results show that asymmetric-pole design and multimaterial-pole designs offer a greater opportunity to minimize rare-earth magnet materials by up to 35% with similar performance as the baseline generator, suggesting newer opportunities with design freedom beyond traditional limits of symmetry and as allowed by 3D printing.

Bezier curves↗
NASA NTRS2008

Aircraft System Analysis of Technology Benefits to Civil Transport Rotorcraft

An aircraft systems analysis was conducted to evaluate the net benefits of advanced technologies on two conceptual civil transport rotorcraft, to quantify the potential of future civil rotorcraft to become operationally viable and economically competitive, with the ultimate goal of alleviating congestion in our airways, runways and terminals. These questions are three of many that must be resolved for the successful introduction of civil transport rotorcraft: 1) Can civil transport rotorcraft actually relieve current airport congestion and improve overall air traffic and passenger throughput at busy hub airports? What is that operational scenario? 2) Can advanced technology make future civil rotorcraft economically competitive in scheduled passenger transport? What are those enabling technologies? 3) What level of investment is necessary to mature the key enabling technologies? This study addresses the first two questions, and several others, by applying a systems analysis approach to a broad spectrum of potential advanced technologies at a conceptual level of design. The method was to identify those advanced technologies that showed the most promise and to quantify their benefits to the design, development, production, and operation of future civil rotorcraft. Adjustments are made to sizing data by subject matter experts to reflect the introduction of new technologies that offer improved performance, reduced weight, reduced maintenance, or reduced cost. This study used projected benefits from new, advanced technologies, generally based on research results, analysis, or small-scale test data. The technologies are identified, categorized and quantified in the report. The net benefit of selected advanced technologies is quantified for two civil transport rotorcraft concepts, a Single Main Rotor Compound (SMRC) helicopter designed for 250 ktas cruise airspeed and a Civil Tilt Rotor (CTR) designed for 350 ktas cruise airspeed. A baseline design of each concept was sized for a representative civil passenger transport mission, using current technology. Individual advanced technologies are quantified and applied to resize the aircraft, thereby quantifying the net benefit of that technology to the rotorcraft. Estimates of development cost, production cost and operating and support costs are made with a commercial cost estimating program, calibrated to Boeing products with adjustments for future civil production processes. A cost metric of cash direct operating cost per available seat-mile (DOC ASM) is used to compare the cost benefit of the technologies. The same metric is used to compare results with turboprop operating costs. Reduced engine SFC was the most advantageous advanced technology for both rotorcraft concepts. Structural weight reduction was the second most beneficial technology, followed by advanced drive systems and then by technology for rotorcraft performance. Most of the technologies evaluated in this report should apply similarly to conventional helicopters. The implicit assumption is that resources will become available to mature the technologies for fullscale production aircraft. That assumption is certainly the weak link in any forecast of future possibilities. The analysis serves the purpose of identifying which technologies offer the most potential benefit, and thus the ones that should receive the highest priority for continued development. This study directly addressed the following NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing (SRW) subtopics: SR W.4.8.I.J Establish capability for rotorcraft system analysis and SRW. 4.8.I.4 Conduct limited technology benefit assessment on baseline rotorcraft configurations.

Wilkerson, Joseph B.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Techno-economic assessment for the production of algal fuels and value-added products: opportunities for high-protein microalgae conversion

Abstract Background Microalgae possess numerous advantages for use as a feedstock in producing renewable fuels and products, with techno-economic analysis (TEA) frequently used to highlight the economic potential and technical challenges of utilizing this biomass in a biorefinery context. However, many historical TEA studies have focused on the conversion of biomass with elevated levels of carbohydrates and lipids and lower levels of protein, incurring substantial burdens on the ability to achieve high cultivation productivity rates relative to nutrient-replete, high-protein biomass. Given a strong dependence of algal biomass production costs on cultivation productivity, further TEA assessment is needed to understand the economic potential for utilizing potentially lower-cost but lower-quality, high-protein microalgae for biorefinery conversion. Results In this work, we conduct rigorous TEA modeling to assess the economic viability of two conceptual technology pathways for processing proteinaceous algae into a suite of fuels and products. One approach, termed mild oxidative treatment and upgrading (MOTU), makes use of a series of thermo-catalytic operations to upgrade solubilized proteins and carbohydrates to hydrocarbon fuels, while another alternative focuses on the biological conversion of those substrates to oxygenated fuels in the form of mixed alcohols (MA). Both pathways rely on the production of polyurethanes from unsaturated fatty acids and valorization of unconverted solids for use as a material for synthesizing bioplastics. The assessment found similar, albeit slightly higher fuel yields and lower costs for the MA pathway, translating to a residual solids selling price of $899/ton for MA versus $1033/ton for MOTU as would be required to support a $2.50/gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE) fuel selling price. A variation of the MA pathway including subsequent upgrading of the mixed alcohols to hydrocarbon fuels (MAU) reflected a required solids selling price of $975/ton. Conclusion The slight advantages observed for the MA pathway are partially attributed to a boundary that stops at oxygenated fuels versus fungible drop-in hydrocarbon fuels through a more complex MOTU configuration, with more comparable results obtained for the MAU scenario. In either case, it was shown that an integrated algal biorefinery can be economical through optimal strategies to utilize and valorize all fractions of the biomass.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1979

Application of parametric weight and cost estimating relationships to future transport aircraft

A model comprised of system level weight and cost estimating relationships for transport aircraft is presented. In order to determine the production cost of future aircraft its weight is first estimated based on performance parameters, and then the cost is estimated as a function of weight. For initial evaluation CERs were applied to actual system weights of six aircraft (3 military and 3 commercial) with mean empty weights ranging from 30,000 to 300,000 lb. The resulting cost estimates were compared with actual costs. The average absolute error was only 4.3%. Then the model was applied to five aircraft still in the design phase (Boeing 757, 767 and 777, and BAC HS146-100 and HS146-200). While the estimates for the 757 and 767 are within 2 to 3 percent of their assumed break-even costs, it is recognized that these are very sensitive to the validity of the estimated weights, inflation factor, the amount assumed for nonrecurring costs, etc., and it is suggested that the model may be used in conjunction with other information such as RDT&E cost estimates and market forecasts. The model will help NASA evaluate new technologies and production costs of future aircraft.

Beltramo, M. N.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Marmot

Marmot is a data formatting and visualization tool for production cost modelling results. It provides an efficient way to view PLEXOS production cost modeling results quickly, while also creating publication ready figures and data tables.

Levie, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS1992

Future regional transport aircraft market, constraints, and technology stimuli

This report provides updated information on the current market and operating environment and identifies interlinking technical possibilities for competitive future commuter-type transport aircraft. The conclusions on the market and operating environment indicate that the regional airlines are moving toward more modern and effective fleets with greater passenger capacity and comfort, reduced noise levels, increased speed, and longer range. This direction leads to a nearly 'seamless' service and continued code-sharing agreements with the major carriers. Whereas the benefits from individual technologies may be small, the overall integration in existing and new aircraft designs can produce improvements in direct operating cost and competitiveness. Production costs are identified as being equally important as pure technical advances.

Harvey, W. Don↗
NASA NTRS1992

Research Instruments

The GENETI-SCANNER, newest product of Perceptive Scientific Instruments, Inc. (PSI), rapidly scans slides, locates, digitizes, measures and classifies specific objects and events in research and diagnostic applications. Founded by former NASA employees, PSI's primary product line is based on NASA image processing technology. The instruments karyotype - a process employed in analysis and classification of chromosomes - using a video camera mounted on a microscope. Images are digitized, enabling chromosome image enhancement. The system enables karyotyping to be done significantly faster, increasing productivity and lowering costs. Product is no longer being manufactured.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

Nine-analyte detection using an array-based biosensor

A fluorescence-based multianalyte immunosensor has been developed for simultaneous analysis of multiple samples. While the standard 6 x 6 format of the array sensor has been used to analyze six samples for six different analytes, this same format has the potential to allow a single sample to be tested for 36 different agents. The method described herein demonstrates proof of principle that the number of analytes detectable using a single array can be increased simply by using complementary mixtures of capture and tracer antibodies. Mixtures were optimized to allow detection of closely related analytes without significant cross-reactivity. Following this facile modification of patterning and assay procedures, the following nine targets could be detected in a single 3 x 3 array: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, ricin, cholera toxin, Bacillus anthracis Sterne, Bacillus globigii, Francisella tularensis LVS, Yersiniapestis F1 antigen, MS2 coliphage, and Salmonella typhimurium. This work maximizes the efficiency and utility of the described array technology, increasing only reagent usage and cost; production and fabrication costs are not affected.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗
DOE OSTI2024

Bid-in Price-Sensitive Load: A Comparison with Fixed Load in a Realistic Test System

Bulk power systems operations, in both simulation and practice, are often built on the principle of minimizing production costs, which assumes to first order that demand is fixed and that the only degrees of freedom for balancing generation and load are supply-side unit commitment and dispatch decisions. The purpose of this report is to interrogate the value of welfare-maximizing markets that not only physically balance demand and supply but also ensure that market outcomes provide consumer value by directly maximizing welfare, defined as the value of consumption minus production costs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

System Resilience Benefits of Dual-Fuel Capable Generators

The growing dependency on natural gas (NG) for power generation raises challenges for ensuring the resilience of power systems during extreme cold weather. Dual-fuel capable generators that can switch from burning NG to distillate fuel oil during an NG shortage over one way to alleviate these challenges. In this study, the impacts of gas unavailability on the IEEE 73-bus reliability test system (RTS) with 2019 updated generation mixture are explored. An extension to the standard production cost model formulation of unit commitment and economic dispatch is proposed to allow the representation of dual-fuel capable generators that can switch fuels between NG and distillate oil with a specified oil tank capacity and tank refueling capability. The operation of the system under gas unavailability with 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of combined cycle and combustion turbine generators as dual-fuel capable with a one-day supply of fuel oil are simulated using PLEXOS, a production cost model. The dual-fuel generator performance, unserved energy, and system costs are fully assessed.

dual-fuel capable generator↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cost of Deconstruction Depots for Diversified, Waste-Based Lignocellulosic Sugars Using Distillable Solvents

Transitioning to a bioeconomy that makes use of low-emission and waste feedstocks requires greater flexibility to accommodate seasonal variations and mitigate long-term storage challenges, such as material loss and fire risk. To achieve this goal, biomass deconstruction technologies must efficiently handle diverse feedstocks. Here, we assess the cost of using butylaminea distillable solventto deconstruct 22 different biomass feedstocks: 7 herbaceous, 9 woody, 4 food processing residues, and 2 blends. Lignocellulosic sugar production costs, based on current empirical data, range from $1.3 to 6.1/kg, suggesting that substantial improvements are required to compete with conventional sugars. The high solvent loading (850 g/kg of whole slurry) is a process bottleneck. Lowering the solvent loading to 59 g/kg of whole slurry, demonstrated in an L-scale reactor using poplar biomass, reduces the minimum sugar selling price by 33%. Solvent loading and recovery, solid loading, sugar yield, enzyme use, and delivered biomass cost all play key roles in reaching sugar production costs of $0.45-0.79/kg. Strategic feedstock blending to maximize carbohydrate content, process optimization to improve conversion efficiency, and the selection of low-cost feedstocks are important to advancing feedstock-flexible biorefineries.

TEA↗
DOE OSTI2021

Evaluating Utility-Scale PV-Battery Hybrids in an Operational Model for the Bulk Power System

Systems that combine solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage technologies (PV-BES) are increasingly being proposed and deployed on the bulk power system. The operations and value of PV-BES systems have been extensively studied from the project developer's perspective through analyses that maximize plant-level revenue. However, PV-BES hybrids' operational characteristics are seldom studied from the perspective of bulk power system operators, who seek to optimize the performance of a suite of generation and storage assets that are connected via the transmission network. This work presents modeling approaches for representing and evaluating PV-BES hybrids in a model that optimizes operations across the bulk power system. Its novel contributions include demonstrating a technique to modify a unit commitment and dispatch model to represent the operational synergies of PV-BES hybrids. In particular, we describe the challenges and an approach for representing so-called DC-coupled PV-BES - which utilize a single bi-directional inverter - as a dispatchable resource in a commercial, production cost model (PCM), PLEXOS. We demonstrate this technique in a PCM study of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) test system, by replacing existing PV and battery generators on the test system with our PV-BES hybrids. We then pursue scenario analysis that is designed to isolate the various drivers of operational strategies for DC-coupled PV-BES hybrids, including the nature of coupling, PV penetration on the system, and varying inverter loading ratios (or degrees of over-sizing of the PV field). Results from the analysis include utilization profiles for the PV DC energy across available pathways, dispatch profiles for the battery component, and the hybrid technologies' impacts on system-wide production costs. The approach presented in this paper can be used in any PCM that is looking to study PV-BES hybrids as a resource in different power system configurations and services.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Technical and economic feasibility of an integrated ethanol and anthocyanin coproduction process using purple corn stover

The coproduction of high-value anthocyanin extract in the cellulosic ethanol process would diversify the co-product market, increase revenue, and potentially improve the economics of the process. The high anthocyanin concentration in the cob and structural carbohydrates in residual stover make purple corn stover an attractive source for anthocyanin and ethanol coproduction. In this study, we aimed to develop simulation models for processes integrating ethanol production and anthocyanin extraction using purple corn stover, to evaluate their techno-economic feasibility, and to compare their performance with the conventional ethanol production process using corn stover. The annual ethanol production for plants processing 2000 MT dry feedstock / day was 148.6 million L/year for the integrated processes compared with 222.6 million L/year for the conventional process. Anthocyanin production in the modified processes using dilute acid-based and water-based anthocyanin extraction processes was 1779 and 1099 MT/year, respectively. Capital investments for the integrated processes ($\$448.1$ to $\$443.8$ million) were higher than the conventional process ($\$371.9$ million). Due to high revenue from anthocyanin extract, the ethanol production cost for the integrated process using acid-based anthocyanin extraction ($\$0.36$/L) was 34.5% lower than conventional ethanol production ($\$0.55$/L). The ethanol production cost for the integrated process using water-based anthocyanin extraction ($\$0.68$/L) was higher than conventional ethanol production due to low ethanol and anthocyanin yields. The minimum ethanol selling price for the integrated process using acid-based anthocyanin extraction ($\$0.65$/L) was also lower than the conventional process ($\$0.72$/L), indicating an improvement in economic performance.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data from Technical and Economic Feasibility of an Integrated Ethanol and Anthocyanin Coproduction Process Using Purple Corn Stover

The coproduction of high-value anthocyanin extract in the cellulosic ethanol process would diversify the co-product market, increase revenue, and potentially improve the economics of the process. The high anthocyanin concentration in the cob and structural carbohydrates in residual stover make purple corn stover an attractive source for anthocyanin and ethanol coproduction. This study aimed to develop simulation models for processes integrating ethanol production and anthocyanin extraction using purple corn stover, to evaluate their techno-economic feasibility, and to compare their performance with the conventional ethanol production process using corn stover. The annual ethanol production for plants processing 2000 MT dry feedstock / day was 148.6 million L/year for the integrated processes compared with 222.6 million L/year for the conventional process. Anthocyanin production in the modified processes using dilute acid-based and water-based anthocyanin extraction processes was 1779 and 1099 MT/year, respectively. Capital investments for the integrated processes ($448.1 to $443.8 million) were higher than the conventional process ($371.9 million). Due to high revenue from anthocyanin extract, the ethanol production cost for the integrated process using acid-based anthocyanin extraction ($0.36/L) was 34.5% lower than conventional ethanol production ($0.55/L). The ethanol production cost for the integrated process using water-based anthocyanin extraction ($0.68/L) was higher than conventional ethanol production due to low ethanol and anthocyanin yields. The minimum ethanol selling price for the integrated process using acid-based anthocyanin extraction ($0.65/L) was also lower than the conventional process ($0.72/L), indicating an improvement in economic performance.

Conversion↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space Transportatioin System (STS) propellant scavenging system study. Volume 3: Cost and work breakdown structure-dictionary

Fundamentally, the volumes of the oxidizer and fuel propellant scavenged from the orbiter and external tank determine the size and weight of the scavenging system. The optimization of system dimensions and weights is stimulated by the requirement to minimize the use of partial length of the orbiter payload bay. Thus, the cost estimates begin with weights established for the optimum design. Both the design, development, test, and evaluation and theoretical first unit hardware production costs are estimated from parametric cost weight scaling relations for four subsystems. For cryogenic propellants, the widely differing characteristics of the oxidizer and the fuel lead to two separate tank subsystems, in addition to the electrical and instrumentation subsystems. Hardwares costs also involve quantity, as an independent variable, since the number of production scavenging systems is not firm. For storable propellants, since the tankage volume of the oxidizer and fuel are equal, the hardware production costs for developing these systems are lower than for cryogenic propellants.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1985

Jet fuel property changes and their effect on producibility and cost in the U.S., Canada, and Europe

The effects of changes in properties and blending stocks on the refinery output and cost of jet fuel in the U.S., Canada, and Europe were determined. Computerized refinery models that minimize production costs and incorporated a 1981 cost structure and supply/demand projections to the year 2010 were used. Except in the West U.S., no changes in jet fuel properties were required to meet all projected demands, even allowing for deteriorating crude qualities and changes in competing product demand. In the West U.S., property changes or the use of cracked blendstocks were projected to be required after 1990 to meet expected demand. Generally, relaxation of aromatics and freezing point, or the use of cracked stocks produced similar results, i.e., jet fuel output could be increased by up to a factor of three or its production cost lowered by up to $10/cu m. High quality hydrocracked stocks are now used on a limited basis to produce jet fuel. The conversion of U.S. and NATO military forces from wide-cut to kerosene-based jet fuel is addressed. This conversion resulted in increased costs of several hundred million dollars annually. These costs can be reduced by relaxing kerosene jet fuel properties, using cracked stocks and/or considering the greater volumetric energy content of kerosene jet fuel.

Varga, G. M., Jr.↗