Preliminary U-6Nb Properties Survey [Slides]
The Sigma Internship motivation is to gain a better understanding of U6-Nb material properties in order to improve manufacturing processes.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “manufacturing processes”
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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Ultra High Speed High Temperature Motor
The goal of this project was to develop a high-speed, high-temperature motor capable of operating at 650 ºC, 60,000 rpm, and 125 kW with 50 kW/L. Key objectives to achieve this goal were to develop a suitable high-temperature wire, designing and fabricating rotor and stator subassemblies, designing an inverter assembly, and thermomechanical validation of the fully assembled motor. Four candidates for high-temperature wire were evaluated using test solenoid structures and finite element analysis modeling. The best candidate was a silicone-enameled copper wire suitable for continuous operation at 593 ºC. The rotor for the motor was designed to use a composite material comprised of 74% iron and 26% mullite by volume. This material would be suitable for 3D printing of the rotor. At the end of the project a vacuum mixer was under construction to produce the bubble-free material needed to achieve the highest strength composite after 3D printing. Rotor testing at 60,000 rpm would have commenced immediately following the additive manufacturing process. The project abruptly ended when key personnel left the project without notice.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Battery Performance and Cost Modeling for Electric-Drive Vehicles (A Manual for BatPaC v5.0)
This manual details the fifth version of the Battery Performance and Cost (BatPaC v5.0) model developed at Argonne National Laboratory for lithium-ion battery packs used in transportation (file “BatPaC 5.0 2022-07-22.xlsm”). BatPaC is a publicly available model that performs a bottom-up lithium-ion battery design and cost calculation. The model designs the battery for a specified power, energy, and vehicle type (i.e., hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full-electric). The cost of the designed battery is calculated by accounting for every step in the lithium-ion battery manufacturing process. The original model and manual were publicly peer-reviewed by battery experts assembled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This revised model and manual include changes made in response to comments received from users and the observed trajectory of the industry.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Validating Thermal Compensated Deposition using Computed Aided Manufacturing Software
DP Technology Corporation’s flagship product, ESPRIT, is a highly adaptable computer-aided manufacturing system that’s used across industries and continents to create nearly anything. ESPRIT is used to generate toolpath trajectories for traditional subtractive and additive manufacturing (AM) cycles. DP Technology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have partnered together to improve the generated additive toolpath by means of API simulation. The potential impact of this research is the enhancement of toolpath planning for additive and hybrid manufacturing. Being able to simulate and compensate for various effects such as overheating, and distortion are critical components for the industrial adoption of hybrid manufacturing processes. Industrial applications include the mold & die, automotive, and aerospace industries.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Changes to the morphology and coefficient of thermal expansion in HDPE and UHMWPE following irradiation-based crosslinking
This work describes recent findings of the Los Alamos National Laboratory concerning the alterations to polyethylene’s (PE’s) mechanical and chemical properties after crosslinking via gamma irradiation. Three materials were examined as part of this study, including one HDPE and two UHMWPE specimens. Changes to degree of crystallinity (X C ) were qualitatively determined via measurements of density, and results suggest that X C is not necessarily correlated to crosslink density, depending on polymer manufacturing process and treatment following irradiation. TMA data suggests an anisotropic response in linear thermal expansion, and that the response may be more correlated to X C than crosslink density. Finally, FTIR analysis has led to the conclusion that oxidation occurs as a result of irradiation in open air, the degree of oxidation is proportional to the maximum radiation dose received, and that oxidation is largely a surface effect, penetrating no deeper than 1.5 mm. Due to time constraints, a full dataset could not be generated for changes in creep and thermal properties as a result of irradiation, and TMA analysis is only complete for one material tested in this study. These measurements are ongoing and will provide more context to the hypotheses drawn in this work.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
CRADA Number NFE-18-07313 with Nth Cycle, Inc. (CRADA Final Report)
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) NFE-18-07313 between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Nth Cycle Inc. focused on developing a technology for sustainable recycling of rare earth and specialty metals (e.g., Y, Co, Li; RESE), as well as bulk and precious metals from industrial manufacturing and waste streams through the use of electrochemical carbon nanotube-enabled filters. The project outcome was expected to be a stronger mechanistic understanding of the electrochemical recovery of metals from real manufacturing process streams and e-waste streams, and the development of an optimized high-throughput pilot-scale device ready for commercialization. Testing, design, and development of a v1 prototype to prove the technology was unsuccessful (we were not able to reach the go/no-go outlined in Objective 1) and we were unable to continue our redesign due to COVID-19 lockdown and no access to lab from March 2020 – until our graduation from the program.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Cast Components for High Temperature Concentrated Solar Power Thermal Systems
Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power (CSP) components such as piping, valves fittings are required for use at temperatures up to 800°C. These are anticipated to be made using Nickel-based alloys such as Haynes ® 230 ® , Haynes ® 282 ® , or IN ® 740H ® and can contribute significantly to the cost of a CSP Gen 3 plant. Thus, there is a significant motivation to lower the cost of materials and components so that the capital costs can be minimized. In all these cases, the cost of the component has two contributions: 1. Materials cost, and 2. Manufacturing cost. Both materials cost and manufacturing costs must be kept low to attain the lowest possible cost. Materials cost can be lowered by using materials that have the ideal combination of properties at the lowest cost. Another avenue to lower cost is chose a manufacturing process that has the potential to lower the cost. Traditionally tubes are made from billets through a wrought process and can be expensive. An alternative process to consider is the centrifugal casting process where the tube is directly fabricated from molten metal. In this case, the molten metal is poured inside a cylindrical metallic mold with an insulating layer and is spun rapidly. A wide range of sizes (diameter, wall thickness, and length) can be cast using this process. The objective of this project was to develop the process for fabricating pipes and related components using a centrifugal casting process and to measure the properties of alloys fabricated using this process.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Approach to Analyzing VTR Core Performance Sensitivities to Fuel Manufacturing Uncertainties and Application to Fuel Slug Diameter
This report documents the initial effort to characterize sensitivity of VTR core performance to fuel manufacturing uncertainties. The effects of variation in the as-fabricated fuel slug diameter on VTR neutronics performance are evaluated, using both high-fidelity Monte Carlo (OpenMC) and the main core design solver (DIF3D) for all cases. This work and follow-on work will inform the VTR Project’s fuel manufacturing processes and associated acceptable criteria, as well as detailed uncertainty analysis in later stages of VTR development and deployment. In addition, this work demonstrates the approach to performing such evaluations and provides a basis for reducing the scope of calculations in future sensitivity analysis.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Chromium Tolerant, Highly Active and Stable Electrocatalytic Internal Surface Coating for Cathode of Commercial SOFCs (Final Report)
This project is aimed to develop a chromium (Cr) tolerant, highly active, and stable coating layer on the internal surfaces of the porous composite cathode from commercially available SOFCs. Such coating layer was developed using the additive manufacturing process of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and has been applied on the cathode consisting of either an electronic conductor of LaxSr 1-x MnyO 3-δ (LSM) or mixed ionic and electronic conducting La x Sr 1-x Co y Fe 1-y O 3-δ (LSCF). PI's work has demonstrated that the internal surface of cathode from the commercial cells, can be further tailored using ALD coating to dramatically enhance the cell performance. For instance, ALD layer consisting heterostructured nano composite of nano-Pt and nano-(Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 ) 3 O 4 oxide on the internal surface of porous LSM/YSZ cathode from SOFCs, has resulted in the large reduction of the cell polarizations resistance by up to 53%, and enormous increase of power density over 370%. For the cells with LSCF/Sm 2 O 3 doped CeO 2 (SDC) cathode, the conformal layer of nano-composite consisting of superjacent CoOx and subjacent minimum amount of Pt nano-grains has resulted in the power density enhancement by 126% for the large scale industry tubular cells at 750°C, and both the performance enhancement and nanostructure of the ALD layer are stable over ~ 2000 h continuous operation performed at industry test station. In the meanwhile, those ALD coating layer developed by PI's work is also inherently Cr-tolerant, and could act as physical barrier for preventing Cr diffusion into the cathode backbone, so as to mitigate the Cr poisoning effect on the cathode. In this project, the impact of Cr on the performance of those ALD coated commercial cells has been evaluated. Based on evolution of the cell performance, the ALD coating layer chemistry and ALD coating layer thickness has been optimized to maximize the overall Cr tolerance, cell power density and cell longevity. Different ALD coating has been applied onto the internal surface of LSM/YSZ and LSCF/SDC backbone respectively. The architecture/scaffold structures on the internal surface of different cathode, designed by this project, was catalogued and analyzed using High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), and cell power/durability performance are assured via comprehensive electrochemical performance testing in the industry operation relevant conditions. The impact of the electrochemical operation current density, the water humidity, the cell operation temperature, and cell operation duration on the Cr tolerance of ALD coated cells has been systematically investigated. There is completely different nanostructure degradation mechanisms between LSM and LSCF cells induced by Cr contamination. For the LSCF/SDC baseline cell, With the Cr source, there is no apparent Sr surface segregation phase even for the baseline cell operated for 3000 h at 750 °C. With the Cr source, there is significant amorphous (SrCr)Ox phase accumulated in the original pore region. For the commercial baseline cells, Cr contaminants on the LSM electrode severely impacted the entire cell's electrochemical performance and nanostructure degradation. Those degradations include (1). Peak power density loss of 64 % after 109 h of operation. The dramatic increase in Rp (2). They are cracking at LSM/SSZ interface, LSM grains. SSZ remains intact but with (CrMn)Ox. By contrast, ALD coating (MnCo)Ox/Pt dramatically improves the Cr resistance, as follows (1). ALD-coated cell with a power density is 280-380 % of the baseline cell, depending on the ALD layer thickness. (2). For a cell with a 20 nm thick ALD layer, there is a large performance enhancement (> 200 % power density) induced by ALD coating of Cr-tolerant Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 Ox. (3). For a cell with a 20 nm thick ALD layer, after 168 h at 750 °C power density of the ALD-coated cell is ~ 600% of that baseline cell upon operation with Cr contamination for 109 h. The ALD coating on the internal surface of cathode developed by this project integrated multi-functions. Those multi-functions include (1). Dramatically improving the cell power density for the commercial cells; (2). Dramatically improving contamination resistance of the cathode, for being an excellent protection coating layer sealing off Cr contamination. (3). Dramatically increasing the cell longevity by potentially preventing the microstructure evolution and grain coarsening of the cathode. Overall, this project will provide a simple solution to simultaneously enhance power density and increase the reliability, robustness, and endurance of commercial SOFCs, over the entire operating temperature range of 650-800 °C. For the inherently functional SOFC, the ALD coating of LSM based cathode mitigate the Cr-contamination. Power density of ALD-coated cell is ~ 600% of that baseline cell upon operation with Cr contamination. In addition to SOFCs, the novel on-demand design approach and creation of multifunctional heterogeneous architecture on the electrode surface presented in this work opens further research for their application in other types of fuel cells, batteries, and sensors for which electrochemical reactions on the surface are similarly critical.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Outgassing of casted and 3D printed silicones
Outgassing of 3D printed and casted silica-filled silicones was studied using a standard ASTM E-595 procedure and a modified Soreq’s method that allows very sensitive measurements of the outgassing kinetics even at low temperatures, 20 – 50 °C. We studied three different silica-filled silicones, non-porous cased M9787, and 3D printed LL50 and 40P materials. The present report shows that vacuum outgassing products of polysiloxane-based materials include multiple species. In addition to chemisorbed and physisorbed water outgassing, previously studied by TPD, polymer fragments of varying sizes evaporate as well. The chemical composition of the condensable volatile species collected on a Germanium substrate, was analyzed by FTIR. It was shown that all studied materials produce mostly PDMS-based outgassing products that form stable droplet-like structure on the Ge substrate. The highest amount of the condensable volatile species was measured for LL50. Isothermal TGA in nitrogen atmosphere of the LL50 material was compared to the standard vacuum outgassing. The results of TGA showed lower mass loss and higher water regain. The kinetics of the outgassing at relatively low temperatures of 20, 30 and 50 °C was studied using Thermoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalance (TQCM). The TQCM surface was held at -10 °C to enhance condensation of the outgassed moisture. The analysis presented here, when combined with the extensive previous work on moisture outgassing, provides a better understanding of the aging mechanism of polysiloxane-based materials. In this work we show that outgassing techniques, usually applied for qualification of polymers for space-related applications, may be used as a complementary method to study thermal degradation and aging of silica-based silicones. Our results indicate that the long-term degradation mechanics and thermal degradation products depend primarily on the chemical composition of silicone-based material and only slightly affected by the manufacturing process. Surprisingly, the surface-to-volume ratio of the 3D printed vs. casted/molded materials showed only minor effect on the outgassing kinetic parameters.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Microbial Curing of Cement for Energy Applications
Rutgers University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the University of Arizona executed this program over 36 months with a 4-Task Program: (M1)-Microbial Engineering (M2)-Microstructure Modelling, (M3) Cement and Concrete Formulation, (M4)-Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA). This program developed a new carbonate cement concrete manufacturing process called microbial curing (MBC). MBC utilizes in-situ microbial production of CO 2 that dissolves into pore-bound water to carbonate a cementitious material creating a bonding matrix of CaCO 3 and SiO 2 that hardens and densifies the material. This is the first work of this type where calcium silicate was used in microbial studies. All other work reported in the literature always used a soluble form of calcium. This final report describes the work done in the final quarter, the best procedures and results, and the final techno-economic and lifecycle analyses. This quarter, we cast and cured twenty-five (4”x8”) cylinder samples. The compressive strength, split tensile, Young’s modulus, chloride permeability, and creep measurements were performed. These measurements demonstrated that MBC of calcium silicate concrete exhibits scaling problems due to the escape of ammonia gas, a product of the microbial reaction to generate CO 2 . As curing proceeds, the ability for the gas to escape from within the cylinder is restricted by the outer cylindrical portions densifying, making the outer portion highly impermeable to gas flow. In contrast, the small samples cured are uniformly cured, forming materials whose mechanical properties are 7x better than the large samples. This problem needs to be solved before this technology can be commercialized. The techno-economic and lifecycle analyses indicate that the technology developed in this program exhibits a significant opportunity to reduce the cost of cement and CO 2 emissions associated with concrete, provided the curing issue associated with larger samples can be addressed.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
The role of native defects and their diffusivity in CdTe
CdTe is a leading thin-film technology for solar-cell applications. Basic features such as the optimum band gap of 1.5 eV and simple manufacturing process have been driving the research on improving the current record efficiency of 22% for CdTe solar cells toward the theoretical limit of 32%. Low p-type doping and short carrier lifetimes in the CdTe absorber have been suggested as the main limiting factors and attributed to defect compensation and carrier recombination. Understanding the role of point defects and impurities in CdTe is crucial to solving these problems. Despite many years of research, the sources of compensation and the microscopic recombination mechanisms are still unclear. By using hybrid density functional calculations with spin-orbit coupling and large supercells, we investigate the electronic properties, the formation energies, and the diffusivities of the native defects in CdTe. As possible sources of compensation for p-type conductivity, we discuss the structural and electronic properties of Cd interstitial, Te vacancies, and TeCd antisites. The stability of each defect is discussed in terms of both the defect formation energy and the migration barrier. We also address possible mechanisms that lead to non-radiative recombination.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Coal as Value-Added for Lithium Battery Anodes (Final Report)
Graphite is a basic material used for energy storage in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. More than 70% of worldwide graphite production and nearly 50% of the annual graphite supply for the United States comes from China. Potential economic and national security concerns exist because Li-ion batteries are used not only for the fast-growing electrical vehicle market (15.6% compound annual growth rate [CAGR] from 2018 to 2028 in North America), but also for defense applications including unmanned aerial and ground vehicles. Development of an alternative formulation for Li-ion batteries is key. Building upon previous research confirming the ability of silicon alloys to improve the energy density of anodes, Semplastics developed a novel material based on our X-MAT® polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) technology. The X-MAT anode material is a composite of chemically tailored silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and domestically sourced coal powder, designed to be a drop-in replacement for graphite within Li-ion battery anodes. Preliminary tests of this material showed more than twice the reversible capacity of graphite anodes (1,000 mAh/g vs. 372 mAh/g), with excellent stability and capacity retention, almost 100% coulombic efficiency, low voltage potential, and low thermal expansion. At full adoption in 2024, we expect the coal utilization to reach 27,300 tons. Through this project, Semplastics proposed to complete development and begin commercialization of this material. The objective was to determine the best formulation for technical performance and economic viability. At the end of the project, the X-MAT anode material is ready for implementation into existing battery manufacturing processes and can have a significant impact on the utilization of coal, with positive effects for the mining sector and the mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions.
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
Applying molecular dynamics simulations to the study of micro cold spray of yttria
Micro cold spray (MCS) is a novel manufacturing process with proven success depositing dense, thick films of technical ceramics without the need for elevated processing temperatures or chemical precursors. The process transforms a loose sub-micrometer powder into an adherent film with mechanical properties approaching that of the bulk material through a phenomenon known as room temperature impact consolidation. While this phenomenon has been demonstrated for a wide variety of ceramic materials and film substrates, yttria stands out as a material that is both well-characterized in experiments and of significant interest for industrial applications due to its excellent refractory properties. This dissertation seeks to investigate the fundamental mechanisms that enable room temperature impact consolidation by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of yttria particle impacts and characterizing the deformation behavior of the system.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Report Outlining Computed Tomography Strategy and Microscopy Approach to Qualifying AM 316 Materials
This report is part of work package CR-22OR0406012, Automated, High-Throughput Materials Characterization Techniques , under the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program (AMMT). The project’s primary objective is to leverage our AI-based rapid and high-throughput automated characterization framework to qualify additively manufactured 316 materials comprehensively, focusing on optimizing the additive manufacturing process and evaluating the performance of 3D-printed stainless steel components. This report outlines our strategy for leveraging the automated characterization process for qualifying 316H materials.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Cummins R-SOFC System Development
The overall purpose of this project was to reduce the Reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (R-SOFC) system cost by developing two technologies, an improved cell design and the incorporation of an ejector in the fuel recycle loop instead of a blower. A Simulink model of the baseline SOFC system was developed and calibrated with experimental test data. The R-SOFC system model was built by integrating GT Suite developed models of the steam generation components into the baseline Simulink SOFC system model. The ability to run the stack in SOEC operating mode was also added to the model. The system model was used to explore the ability of the R-SOFC system to meet operational constraints on Steam/Carbon ratio and H2 concentration on the fuel side electrode. A CFD ejector model was developed and used to explore a range of ejector design parameters, leading to the final ejector design that was prototyped for testing. A prototype steam ejector was first tested in a laboratory environment using room temperature air. The steam ejector was subsequently tested using the full hot recycle loop with all relevant heat exchangers and steam generation components. The test conditions utilized temperatures, pressures, and flow rates expected in an R-SOFC application. Throughout the experimental testing work, ejector performance test data was used to improve and then validate the CFD ejector model. A CFD cell model was developed and used to optimize thermal gradients, voltage, and cost of a new cell substrate design. A CFD comparison of co-flow and cross-flow cell designs informed the decision to use a co-flow design for the new cell substrate. Multiple rounds of CFD simulation were used to improve the cell design to minimize the variation in air and fuel distribution across cell channels and to minimize the variation in air and fuel distribution across different cells in the stack. A few prototypes of the new cell substrate design were produced and validated in a laboratory environment by thermally spraying and verifying that they met established manufacturing specifications. The cell manufacturing process was adjusted in order to bring these metrics within acceptable tolerances. Cummins’ internal calculations show that the new cell design reduces cost ~50% compared to the baseline cell, while the ejector + superheater/boiler concept reduces cost of the recycle loop by ~40%. The impact of these cost reductions on the cost of producing H2 will depend on the specific system where they are applied. Therefore, a Techno-Economic Analysis was completed using system cost as a variable, and showing how the NREL Current and Future system costs translate into H2 production cost.
Henrichsen, Lars↗
Mechanically Robust High Magnetic Performance Sm-Co Sintered Magnets (Final Report)
Samarium-cobalt based permanent magnets (SmCo 5 and Sm 2 Co 17 ) have excellent magnetic properties, good corrosion resistance, and long-term thermal stability. Sm-Co sintered magnets have been widely used in electric machines, telecommunication, biomedical devices, and magnetic sensors. They are the most preferred magnets for high-temperature applications (200 - 550 °C). However, Sm-Co sintered magnets are brittle. They cannot be used for applications subjected to high stress, vibration, or mechanical shock. Sm-Co sintered magnets are prone to chipping, and fracture in the course of block magnet manufacturing, part machining, assembly, and operation. The brittleness leads to a magnet production loss of up to 20-30% in volume and imposes limitations on part size and shape. Developing mechanically robust high-performance Sm-Co sintered magnets is of great scientific and technical significance. This project is in response to the current market need for mechanically robust high magnetic performance Sm-Co sintered magnets and their novel manufacturing processes. The project will focus on scaling-up, validation, and technology maturation study of the mechanically tough high magnetic performance Sm-Co magnets developed by Ames Laboratory at a lab-scale with the collaboration of the industry partner Electron Energy Corporation (EEC).
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis Report: Module D1-7 Contact-Handled Pelletized Pressurized Heavy Water (PHWR) UOX Fuel Fabrication (Rev.1)
In addition to literature-based pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) fuel price information in the 2017 AFC-CBR, the what-it-takes (WIT) unit cost data in this update is informed by new analysis and escalation of the 1978 PHWR-UOX fuel life cycle cost (LCC) data from ORNL reports prepared for the 1977–1980 Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP). (These reports are referenced and summarized in detail in Module D1-PR.) The PHWR fuel fabrication LCC data in these reports is scaled from a bottom-up cost estimate for a reference technology pressurized-water reactor (PWR)—uranium oxide (UOX) fuel fabrication plant by using algorithms that consider the manufacturing process complexity, fuel design complexity, plant floor space requirements, and the radiation and health, safety, and environmental (HS&E) regulatory environment of PHWR-UOX fuel production vis-à-vis light-water reactor (LWR)-UOX production (PWR fuel in this case). The module name has been changed from “Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU)” to the more generic PHWR fuel fabrication in recognition that not all power reactors that might use this fuel type are considered. Unfortunately, the detailed algorithms and their design bases were not archived at the end of the NASAP effort of the commercial CANDU concept specifically developed in the middle of the last century by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗