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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Evaluation of High Level Waste Sludge Processing Behavior

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site has 177 underground storage tanks that contain wastes from past nuclear fuel reprocessing and waste-management operations. Over 20% of this waste is in the form of an insoluble sludge that will require slurry modification before its transfer to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Specific WTP acceptance criteria for waste feed delivery describe the physical and chemical characteristics of the waste that must be met before the waste is transferred to the WTP. One challenging requirement relates to the undissolved solids (UDS) composition in a waste feed because the waste contains solid particles that settle, and their concentration and relative proportion can change during the transfer of the waste in individual batches. A key uncertainty is the ability to transfer and mix wastes with large variations in UDS concentrations and resulting settling rates. To address this uncertainty, a number of small scale mixing and settling tests have been conducted to determine the mobilization performance of variable chemistry simulants. Comparison of the size and density of the particulate for each simulant to that of southeast area Hanford sludge was made using metrics for particle mobilization, suspension, settling, and pipeline transfer where dependance on particle size and density may be different, including: 1. Settling velocity, 2. Critical shear stress for erosion, 3. Just-suspended impeller speed, and 4. Pipeline critical transport velocity. Existing high-level waste sludge data has shown the effect that increasing Al concentration has on resulting settled solids. This differential settling of particles in the sludge has the possibility of resulting in solids segregation during feed preparation and uneven particle distribution during pipeline transportation or mixer jet pump operations. Understanding the predictive capabilities of HLW solids settling and transport as well as potential remedies for addressing disparate sludge behaviors can help provide technical guidance during HLW flowsheet planning.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Next-Generation NGV Driver Information System

Measuring the amount of fuel contained in the tank of a Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) is not as straightforward as it is for a liquid-fueled vehicle. The fuel in an NGV is a compressed gas at pressures up to 4200psig, and its pressure changes with temperature. The current state-of-the-art, which is used on most NGVs, is a simple pressure gauge as a rough guide for remaining fuel. This presents a high degree of error because pressure varies widely depending on temperature. Immediately following refueling, the temperature in the vehicle’s cylinders is often greater than 150°F. As the driver pulls out of the fueling station and begins consuming gas, the pressure drops at a very fast rate due to expansion cooling of the gas. This pressure drop appears to the driver to be a very rapid decrease in fuel level, reducing trust in the fuel level indication and leading to concern about the distance the vehicle can travel before refueling again, which is known as “range anxiety.”

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development of an L-Edge X-ray Absorbance Spectrometer for Monitoring Dissolver Solutions in H-Canyon

Savannah River National Laboratory has developed a monitor to measure plutonium and uranium concentrations in solutions of dissolved nuclear fuel. The monitor will be installed in the sample aisle location for the 6.3D Dissolver in the Savannah River Site’s H-Canyon and used in support of the electrolytic dissolution such as Fast Critical Assembly fuel. The monitor is based on the atomic absorbance of x-rays. Elements are differentiated by the appearance of absorbance features at specific energies of the x-ray spectrum that correspond to L-edge transitions of inner core electrons. Hence, the technique is called L-Edge X-Ray Absorbance Spectroscopy (L-XRAS). The technique is suitable for nuclear fuel processing due to its relative insensitivity to other components of the dissolver solution, such as nitric acid, transition metals (Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn) such as those from stainless steel, particulates, and catalysts and additives. The instrumentation consists of a commercially available x-ray source and detector, a sample cell designed to interface with the airlift sampler associated with H-Canyon Tank 6.3D, and a stainless steel enclosure. SRNL wrote instrument control software and developed chemometric models to interpret x-ray intensity spectra and estimate analyte concentrations and uncertainties in real time.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Validation of HyRAM+ Version 5.1 Physics Models

The Hydrogen Plus Other Alternative Fuels Risk Assessment Models (HyRAM+) software has seen various improvements and additional physics capabilities since validation against experimental data was last published for HyRAM v3.1. Notably, HyRAM+ now includes four models allowing for the calculation of overpressure resulting from vapor cloud explosions from unconfined jet releases. As with the previous HyRAM validation report, validation data was gathered from available published literature and tested against HyRAM+ capabilities. The validation comparisons include tank blowdown, unignited dispersion jet plume, ignited jet flame, and enclosed accumulation and overpressure. The unconfined overpressure calculations in HyRAM+ v5.1.1 generally show good agreement with many of the experimental data sets for all four unconfined overpressure models, though HyRAM+ overpredicts the experimental data for small and cryogenic hydrogen releases. The comparisons for the other HyRAM+ physics models are largely unchanged from the previously published validation report.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

CalWave's xWave Design for PacWave (Final Technical Report)

CalWave Inc. (CalWave) is developing a wave energy converter (WEC) technology that can generate electricity from ocean waves. CalWave’s design offers a unique approach to wave energy conversion that operates fully submerged and can actively adjust the wave excitation. This capability gives the architecture enhanced survivability in ocean storms without adding significant costs. Prior to this project, CalWave had completed a demonstration of a fully functional WEC system in an open ocean demonstration at nominal 1:5 scale under FOA 1663. The goal of this project was the detailed design, following relevant standards and industry best-practices, of a variant of the xWave WEC technology that can safely and efficiently operate at the DOE’s PacWave South test site for a targeted deployment of up two years. The WEC design and associated review processes proceeded in two distinct project phases: a ‘Preliminary’ and a ‘Final’ design phase. The first phase of the project consisted of the systematic design of the WEC’s key features with regards to appropriate IEC standards. The work resulted in a preliminary design of the xWave hull including structural and Power Take-Off (PTO) load estimates, as well as performance estimates for all ocean conditions the WEC would operate in at PacWave South. Following the first open-water demonstration of CalWave’s small-scale “x1” device under FOA 1663, lessons learned were fed directly into a comprehensive review of the xWave design in the second design phase of this FOA project. CalWave’s work was supported by Sandia National Lab (SNL) and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) on the holistic WEC design, and detailed feedback from specialized partners on hull design, mooring and anchoring specification, and electrical grid interconnection. Optimization of the WEC system was performed using a novel numerical optimization tool developed by Sandia and optimization trends were confirmed via an experimental model scale tank test campaign. Performance estimates for PacWave and a detailed xWave design including integration of all relevant system components were concluded. The mooring design was also concluded in the Final design phase using the most up to date sea floor characterization (CPT) data.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2024

Recommendations for Updating Liquid Discharged Inventory and Transport Modeling Parameters for Cumulative Impacts Evaluation of Hexavalent Chromium in the 200 West Area

The purpose of this environmental calculation file (ECF) is to document information regarding hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) inventory discharged in 200 West Area at the Hanford Site and provide data to support predictive transport through the vadose zone and saturated zone for modeling efforts. This document provides a focused evaluation of historical waste stream data and studies to develop estimates of Cr(VI) inventory, discharge fractions, and transport parameters for the 200 West Area waste sites and tank farms during discharge events and for long-term contaminant releases.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Molten Salt Loop Operational Experience and Test Campaigns in FY24

The Facility to Alleviate Salt Technology Risks (FASTR) at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was developed to demonstrate technology for high-temperature chloride salt systems (Figure 1). FASTR is primarily constructed using alloy C-276 and is designed to operate at temperatures of up to 725°C. The facility is loaded with 250 kg of NaCl-KCl-MgCl 2 salt. This salt provides a relevant test environment for de-risking technology while avoiding the costs and hazards associated with beryllium-based or uranium-bearing salts. The facility’s major components include a centrifugal pump for salt circulation, an air-based heat exchanger to reject heat, a suite of instrumentation, and trace heating to prevent salt freezing. The salt was purified in 2020 and 2022, and the pumped loop first operated in December 2022. FASTR is a unique US capability for high-temperature molten halide salt testing. FASTR’s scale, co located purification system, and relatively large power (465 kW) differentiates it from other testing systems. Furthermore, access to the DOE-supported facility and efficient communication of results— which are generally disseminated publicly—distinguish FASTR as being broadly significant throughout the molten salt reactor community. FASTR is similar to ORNL’s Liquid Salt Test Loop (LSTL), although FASTR contains chloride-based salt instead of the fluoride-based salt (LiF-NaF-KF) found in LSTL. Furthermore, FASTR is approximately 2× larger than LSTL in terms of pipe size and length, power, salt volume, flow rate, and number of thermocouples. The LSTL first operated in 2016. At the end of FY23, there was a suspected gas leak in the LSTL that halted operation. At the start of FY24, a leak in the LSTL pump’s tank gas space was confirmed. Because the gas-space leak prevented operation of LSTL, FY24 efforts were focused on operation of FASTR. This report summarizes the progress made during FY24 in support of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) work package, AT-24OR070202 Salt Loop and Capability for Testing Sensors and Off Gas Components.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

April 2024 Semiannual Composite Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) Decontaminated Salt Solution (DSS) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) Results

The aqueous waste from the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) is sampled semiannually for transfers to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF). Salt solution is treated at SPF and disposed of in the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). Per request of customer, X-TTR-Z-00027, Revision 0, one SDF waste form (saltstone) sample was prepared in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) from the SWPF Decontaminated Salt Solution (DSS) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) sample and Z-area premix material for the April 2024 semiannual Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) sample. The sample contained 60:40 (by weight) of slag and fly ash (referred to as the “Cement-Free grout sample”). Results from the technical report support Task 2: ‘Grout Leaching Analyses’ of the Task Technical Request (TTR) prepared by Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC). After at least 28 days cured, a sample of the SDF waste form was collected and shipped to a certified laboratory for analysis using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The April 2024 semiannual Cement-Free grout sample met the South Carolina (SC) Code of Regulations for Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR) 61-79.261.24 and 61-79.268.48 requirements for a non-hazardous waste form with respect to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals and Underlying Hazardous Constituents (UHCs), and met the SPF WAC that was in effect at the time of the tank sampling.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

MSTL Re-Start Phase 1.5 Project Final Report

This document provides an overview of re-start efforts at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF), for the SNL Molten Salt Test Loop (MSTL). MSTL is one of the world’s only industrial-scale molten salt test systems, capable of testing commercial-scale thermal hydraulic equipment at an industrial scale, required for confident bankability of products. This work was facilitated as part of the Phase 1 re-start effort for facilitating forensics assessments to inform final refurbishments and upgrades costs and schedule information for revitalizing MSTL for use during a separate Phase 2 effort. This work was facilitated to further de-risk a Phase 2 effort pertaining to the tank and the pump, which were considered during Phase 1 to be high-risk items for a successful re-start. Impact from a successful re-start will allow SNL and other industrial molten salt systems companies, such as those in the Market Utilization Report provided in the Phase 1 submission package. An objective of this document is to also ensure longevity of utilization of MSTL after re start.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Summary of UMI Chemical Work

Our initial work for the Urban Modeling Integration (UMI) project was to validate the QUIC model dense gas dispersion of chlorine advection up a ramp. The validation task was to use QUIC to model an experiment done in a wind tunnel. Naturally the QUIC model uses a slumping cylindrical model where inside the cylinder the gas is treated as dense but outside ideal. In trying to validate using the wind tunnel experiment, due to the scale of the wind tunnel experiment and ramp, The model formed a very clear, discrete, concentration barrier at the edge of the cylinder that likely doesn’t line up well with the real dense gas advection/diffusion. This effect is much less noticeable at a larger scale such as an instantaneous release of a 25 ton tank.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – Illinois Rare Earth Novel Extraction and Supply (IRENES) - Report on Technology Down Select No. 1 - Acid Baking vs. Heap Leaching

An essential step for recovering rare earth and critical minerals from coal mine waste is one that achieves adequate dissolution of the target elements into a pregnant leachate solution. The simplest technical approach was thought to be heap-leaching that could proceed using mild acid dosing or naturally generated acid from biological activity. For this reason, the University of Kentucky at Lexington (UKY) undertook two efforts to evaluate feasibility, including a laboratory column leaching evaluation and a pilot heap-leaching demonstration. Later, the UK evaluated a pyrometallurgical approach using roasting combined with acid baking and tank leaching at elevated temperatures to improve extraction efficiencies. This report surveys the previously reported leaching yields and calculates the gross value of rare earth oxides as a basket in the pregnant leachate solution.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Determination of 2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) in Simulated Radioactive Waste by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

The River Protection Project (RPP) at Hanford, Washington is evaluating an alternative treatment method for low activity tank waste (LAW) disposition. Specifically, grout solidification/immobilization for LAW needs to demonstrate adequate treatment for Land Disposal Restricted (LDR) Organic chemicals. LDR organic chemical pretreatment, such as evaporations testing and oxidation decomposition, are under assessment to reduce the LDR organic chemicals concentration in the LDR waste. 2,4-dinitrophenol was spiked into LAW simulated waste and monitored in these studies using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The development and implementation of this HPLC method is discussed in this presentation.

Dekarske, John R. [Savannah River National Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design, Optimization, and Control of Floating Offshore Wind Farms for Optimal Energy Production (Final report)

The uncertainty and irregularity of ocean waves and the ocean environment is a major factor in the development of commercial scale floating wind turbines as the operation of floating structures in such an environment can lead to irregular and unpredictable loading, fatigue, and ultimately a reduction in the operational life of the turbine system which affects energy production over the lifetime of the turbine. Control solutions that can limit float motions and mitigate stressful events on the structure become essential for extending lifetime and limiting the operational uncertainty of a floating wind turbine. Digital twins are computational replicas of physical systems that operate in parallel with the operation of the physical system. Given advanced knowledge of a systems input, digital twins have the ability to predict the behavior of a system in advance, which can be valuable in the control of that system. In this project, we developed and assessed potential digital twin models developed in house and openly available (OpenFast) for use in the real time control of the six degree of freedom response motions of a floating wind turbine in ocean waves. Coupling these models with near-field real time irregular sea surface (wve) measurement/sensings and prediction models, we used the digital twin to predict how the floating turbine will respond to the incoming waves. Applying this information to a motion control system of the float, one can limit and control float motions to prevent undesirable loading events/large angular motions, thus increasing system life and ultimately contributing to optimizing energy production. Due to the computational intensity of operating a digital twin in real time, we investigated the use of artificial intelligence techniques to speed-up the processes of the digital twin, as well as the wave reconstruction/prediction models. Model tank testing at the University of Rhode Island and University of Maine both validated and demonstrated the developed techniques on simple float geometries and a scale model of the NREL 15 MW reference turbine.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scale-Up of Lithium Iron & Aluminum Nickelate Advanced Cathode and Fabrication of A Battery Pack Comprising The Same

Global battery manufacturers are increasingly worried about the serious supply chain constraint caused by rapid fluctuations in cobalt prices over the years. We present a novel cobalt-free, nickel-rich layered cathode material called NFA class (LiNixFeyAlzO2) to tackle this challenge. Spherical NFA(OH)2 precursors were successfully synthesized by incorporating Ni, Fe, and Al elements using a co-precipitation reaction in a continuous stirred tank reactor. The LiNFAO2 cathode, composed of LiNi0.85Fe0.05Al0.1O2, was synthesized and analyzed using X-Ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The material's electrochemical behavior was evaluated through various techniques at different lithiation/delithiation states in two voltage ranges. The cobalt-free material exhibits a high capacity of 190 mAh/g at 0.1C within the voltage range of 3V-4.5V, as demonstrated by electrochemical performance evaluations. Rate and cycling evaluations showed good rate capability and cycling stability, with 88% capacity retention after 100 cycles at C/3 within the voltage range of 3V-4.3V. Our research shows the great potential of cobalt-free NFA cathodes as a feasible option for developing cost-effective lithium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Creating a Salt Batch: Challenges and Lessons Learned

CONCLUSION • The overall Salt Batch system has been honed through each iteration of the process • Increased communication across facilities and work groups has enabled the salt team to react swiftly to emergent items and identify improvement opportunities • Even the best plans require backup options – Emergent items can appear at any time during the process – Flexibility to adapt to the unexpected is a must-have team mindset • To date, every salt batch compiled has been qualified and approved as feed for SWPF – No feed break has occurred between the Tank Farm and SWPF

Goldblatt, Joshua B. [Savannah River National Labo↗
DOE OSTI2023

The NASA Floater: 15MW Ultra-Light Concrete Hull with Sea-Water Ballast Tuned Mass Damper

In this project, UMaine developed the VolturnUS+ platform; a new 15MW+ ultra-light-weight, corrosion-resistant, concrete floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) equipped with novel patent pending Heel Tank damping technology. UMaine developed this damping technology to reduce FOWT motions using existing onboard sea-water ballast, which has been integrated into the concrete cruciform hull resulting in reduced platform rigid body motions leading to a lighter hull, increased turbine performance, and a lower LCOE.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Effluent Management Facility Stack Effluent Monitoring: Sampling Probe Location Qualification Evaluation

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Effluent Management Facility (EMF) stack monitor location was qualified using a combination of scale model stacks to mitigate the risk of identifying that the sampling location does not meet the qualification criteria on the full-scale stack. The LV-S1 scale model stack was used as a baseline, augmented by the LB-S1 and LV-S2 scale model stacks to address the Direct Feed Low Activity Waste Effluent Management Facility Vessel Vent Process (DVP) injection into the main Active Confinement Ventilation (ACV) system duct. As required by the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1-1999 standard, the scale model and its sampling locations were geometrically similar to the actual stack, and the Reynolds numbers for both the actual and model stacks were >10,000. An additional criterion is that the product of the hydraulic diameter and mean velocity (DV) of the full-scale stack must be between 1/6 DV and 6 DV of the scale model stack tests. The LV-S1, LB-S1, and LV-S2 scale model stack tests have met the criteria of the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard to demonstrate the stack sampling locations are well mixed. Verification tests of the EMF stack were performed at normal operating conditions. The minimum 1/6 DV value and the maximum 6 DV value from the scale model testing determine the range of stack flow rates for which the full-scale stack may be operated while remaining in compliance with the stack verification criterion. A practical range for the full-scale stack qualification uses the average DV through 6 DV from the scale model tests to compute the corresponding flow rates. Table S1 lists the operating flow rate along with the average and maximum qualified stack flow rate based on the LV-S1 scale model DV values. The operating flow is below the maximum qualified stack flow, which means that the scale model test results are acceptable for stack qualification. The remaining criteria for the stack verification to be considered valid involve the flow angle and velocity uniformity results. First, the flow angle at the full-scale stack must be ≤20°. Second, the velocity uniformity at the full-scale stack must be ≤20% coefficient of variance (COV). Finally, the velocity uniformity results for the actual and scale model stack tests must agree within 5% COV. These criteria were met through the full-scale stack test at the EMF. Flow angle results were <5°; all flow angle results were within the ≤20° criterion. The velocity uniformity results for each test condition ranged between 2.2% COV and 4.3% COV, all of which were within the range of the target % COV values from the scale model tests on the LV-S1, LB-S1, and LV S2 scale models. Based on these stack verification test results, the EMF filtered exhaust stack sampling location meets the qualification criteria provided in the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard for all planned fan operating configurations. This includes each combination of ACV fans with DVP exhausters. Further changes to the system configuration or operating conditions that are outside the qualified flow rates described in this report may require additional tests or analyses to determine compliance with the standard.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Macromolecules & Manufacturing Science

Outline • SRNL Overview • Mission overview • Polymers enabling the mission • R&D Highlights • Polymers in radiation environments • Tooling in shielded cells • Packaging for nuclear material shipments • Polymers supporting tank waste remediation • Ref electrode • Epoxy and polymer grout • Polymers for fusion energy • Deuterium labelling • Polymers for additive manufacturing • Coalescence and blends: experimental and predictive • Process modelling and sorting through big data (peregrine and latticeJ)

Chatham, Camden [Savannah River National Laborator↗