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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 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Rate capability and Ragone plots for phase change thermal energy storage

Phase change materials can improve the efficiency of energy systems by time shifting or reducing peak thermal loads. The value of a phase change material is defined by its energy and power density—the total available storage capacity and the speed at which it can be accessed. These are influenced by material properties but cannot be defined with these properties alone. In this work, we show the close link between energy and power density by developing thermal rate capability and Ragone plots, a framework widely used to describe the trade-off between energy and power in electrochemical storage systems (that is, batteries). Our results elucidate how material properties, geometry and operating conditions influence the performance of phase change thermal storage. This research sets a clear framework for comparing thermal storage materials and devices and can be used by researchers and designers to increase clean energy use with storage.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Examining transport and integrated modeling predictive capabilities for negative-triangularity scenarios

This paper investigates the predictive capabilities of TGYRO and TGLF models in assessing the performance of negative triangularity (NT) plasmas compared to positive triangularity (PT) plasmas in fusion devices. TGYRO predicts kinetic profiles, while TGLF analyzes turbulent transport. The study reveals that TGYRO reasonably predicts NT profiles similar to PT, although it overpredicts the high-power scenarios where there is increased experimental MHD activity. TGLF analysis finds reduced linear growth rates in NT and altered flux spectra relative to PT. Additionally, the TGLF SAT0 saturation model is observed to predict high-k transport and a reduction of particle transport with the electron temperature gradient. These findings are further corroborated by core-pedestal modeling using the Stability Transport Equilibrium Pedestal workflow, showing stronger confinement improvements in NT, particularly at higher power densities for the SAT0 saturation model. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of accurately capturing turbulence saturation mechanisms for NT in order to project its performance accurately in fusion reactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Temperature-Dependent Short-Circuit Capability of Silicon Carbide Power MOSFETs

Our paper presents a comprehensive short-circuit ruggedness evaluation and numerical investigation of up-to-date commercial silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. The short-circuit capability of three types of commercial 1200-V SiC MOSFETs is tested under various conditions, with case temperatures from 25 to 200 degrees C and dc bus voltages from 400 to 750 V. It is found that the commercial SiC MOSFETs can withstand short-circuit current for only several microseconds with a dc bus voltage of 750 V and case temperature of 200 degrees C. Moreover, the experimental short-circuit behaviors are compared, and analyzed through numerical thermal dynamic simulation. Specifically, an electrothermal model is built to estimate the device internal temperature distribution, considering the temperature-dependent thermal properties of SiC material. Based on the temperature information, a leakage current model is derived to calculate the main leakage current components (i.e., thermal, diffusion, and avalanche generation currents). Finally, numerical results show that the short-circuit failure mechanisms of SiC MOSFETs can be thermal generation current induced thermal runaway or high-temperature-related gate oxide damage.

4H↗
DOE OSTI2018

Lagoon Seepage Testing Plan for the Specific Manufacturing Capability (SMC) Complex Sewage Lagoons at Idaho National Laboratory, Butte County, Idaho

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) operates the Specific Manufacturing Capability (SMC) Complex located in Butte County, Idaho at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The SMC Complex has an existing wastewater system to collect and treat sanitary wastewater and boiler condensate water from the facility. The existing treatment facility consists of three cells: Cell #1 has a surface area of 1.6 acres, Cell #2 has a surface area of 3.2 acres, and Cell #3 has a surface area of 1.6 acres. If the three existing cells are to ever reach capacity, there is a stub out to the northeast for future expansion of the lagoons. The Lagoons were installed in 1994, and were last tested in 2009. All three cells were within the acceptable limit, which at the time was one-quarter inch per day or less. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) is requiring that the seepage tests at SMC be repeated every 10 years.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Report on the Use and Function of the Integrated Operations Capability Analysis Platform (ICAP) and the LWRS Innovation Portal (IP)

The commercial nuclear power industry has achieved excellent safety and reliability performance but is struggling to survive in an electricity market that is increasingly dominated by subsidized renewables and cheap natural gas. These challenges have forced utilities to explore previously uncharted avenues to drastically reduce the operations and maintenance costs of their plants which are the primary drivers of the total cost to produce electricity. The petrochemical industry faced similar challenges some years ago as the costs of extraction and processing were rising while their reservoirs were being depleted along with a drop-in commodity prices that resulted in unsustainable operations. In this challenging climate, they developed a business model called Integrated Operations (IO) that sought to utilize technology to enable news ways of working through the integration of people, technology, process and governance changes. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program, working with IFE have developed an operating model via transferable learnings from the North Sea O&G industry. This framework is termed “Integrated Operations for Nuclear” (ION). ION is a transformation model that integrates the benefits and features of four principal factors: People, Technology, Process and Governance. The purpose of this report is to describe how to generate an ION business process analysis and utilize this information to reduce O&M costs. In order to make this job easier, DOE LWRS has created a suite of tools that will allow a person who is involved in a transformation effort at their company to build a solid documented business case for embarking on a major transformation effort. These tools, the Integrated Operations Capability Analysis Model (ICAP) and the LWRS Innovation Portal (IP) are described herein with instructions on their use. Instructions on how the interface with the EPRI Business Case Analysis Method (BCAM) are also provided.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multilayer Electrodes with Metalized Polymer Current Collector for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries with Extreme-Fast-Charging Capability

The pursuit of batteries capable of extreme fast charging (XFC), that also satisfy high energy and safety criteria, poses a significant challenge to current lithium-ion battery technologies. Additionally, the increasing demand for aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) in electrification, and vehicle light weighting is driving these metals towards near-critical status in the medium term. This study introduced metalized polymer films by depositing an Al or Cu thin layer onto two sides of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film – named mPET/Al and mPET/Cu, as lightweight, cost-effective alternatives to traditional metal current collectors in LIBs. We have utilized current collectors that significantly reduce weight (by 73%), thickness (by 33%), and cost (by 85%) compared to traditional metal foil counterparts. We conducted an extensive evaluation of their mechanical and electrical properties, including in-plane and through-plane resistivities, affirming their suitability for the roll-to-roll battery manufacturing process. Additionally, a novel XFC testing protocol was employed to thoroughly assess the cells' (both half and full-cell) performance across various C-rates and under long-term tests. These advancements have the potential to enhance energy density to 280 Wh/kg at the electrode level under 10-minute charging at 6C. Through testing, including a novel XFC protocol across various C-rates and long-term cycling (up to 1000 cycles) in different cell configurations, we have demonstrated the superior performance of these metalized polymer films. Notably, mPET/Cu and mPET/Al foils exhibited comparable capacities to conventional cells under XFC, with the mPET cells showing a 27% improvement in energy density at 6C and maintaining significant energy density after 1000 cycles. This study underscored the potential of mPET foils to revolutionize the roll-to-roll battery manufacturing process and significantly advance the performance metrics of LIBs in EV applications. Moreover, our results suggest that there is potential to enhance the performance of mPET foils, especially mPET/Al, by optimizing the manufacturing process to achieve higher conductivity.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA NTRS2006

Capability Investment Strategy to Enable JPL Future Space Missions

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) formulates and conducts deep space missions for NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration). The Chief Technologist of JPL has responsibility for strategic planning of the laboratory's advanced technology program to assure that the required technological capabilities to enable future missions are ready as needed. The responsibilities include development of a Strategic Plan (Antonsson, E., 2005). As part of the planning effort, a structured approach to technology prioritization, based upon the work of the START (Strategic Assessment of Risk and Technology) (Weisbin, C.R., 2004) team, was developed. The purpose of this paper is to describe this approach and present its current status relative to the JPL technology investment.

investment strategies↗
NASA NTRS2018

Aircraft Capability Management

This presentation presents an overview of work performed at NASA Ames Research Center in 2017. The work concerns the analysis of current aircraft system management displays, and the initial development of an interface for providing information about aircraft system status. The new interface proposes a shift away from current aircraft system alerting interfaces that report the status of physical components, and towards displaying the implications of degradations on mission capability. The proposed interface describes these component failures in terms of operational consequences of aircraft system degradations. The research activity was an effort to examine the utility of different representations of complex systems and operating environments to support real-time decision making of off-nominal situations. A specific focus was to develop representations that provide better integrated information to allow pilots to more easily reason about the operational consequences of the off-nominal situations. The work is also seen as a pathway to autonomy, as information is integrated and understood in a form that automated responses could be developed for the off-nominal situations in the future.

airplane capabilities↗
NASA NTRS2018

Managing Complex Airplane System Failures Through a Structured Assessment of Airplane Capabilities

This report describes an analysis of current transport aircraft system-management displays and the initial development of a set of display concepts for providing information about aircraft system status. The new display concepts are motivated by a shift away from the current approach to aircraft system alerting that reports the status of physical components, and towards displaying the implications for mission capability. Specifically, the proposed display concepts describe transport airplane component failures in terms of operational consequences of aircraft system degradations. The research activity described in this report is an effort to examine the utility of different representations of complex systems and operating environments to support real-time decision making during off-nominal situations. A specific focus is to develop display concepts that provide more highly integrated information to allow pilots to more easily reason about the operational consequences of the off-nominal situations. The work can also serve as a foundational element to autonomy-supported decision making since we are developing ideas for integrating information from the airplane and the operational environment to support decision making.

operational decision making↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of Exploration Medical Capability Systems Engineering Level 4 Requirements for Medical Level-of-Care IV in Space Lunar Orbit Habitat

This paper presents how the Exploration Medical Capability Element of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’sHuman Research Program usingModel-Based System Engineering is defining Level 4 Foundational Requirements to provide Medical Level-of-Care IV in a space Habitat during exploration missions.

Space Habitat Medical System Engineering Requireme↗
NASA NTRS1996

Capabilities of Printed Reflectarray Antennas

This article presents an advanced antenna technology, namely the printed reflectarray, that has the potential for providing an enhanced communication capability with relatively low cost, small size and small mass. It has applicaiton in the commercial and military arenas as well as in space exploration.

advanced↗