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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 OSTI2023

The Elevated-Temperature Cyclic Properties of Powder Metallurgy-Hot Isostatic Pressed 316H and 316L Stainless Steel

Section III, Division 5 of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code covers construction rules for elevated-temperature nuclear components. Microreactor developers have expressed a need for advanced manufacturing processes to fabricate microreactor components to reduce manufacturing costs. Components fabricated using manufacturing processes other than conventional techniques are not currently qualified in Section III, Division 5. An expeditious approach to qualifying an advanced manufacturing process for alloys whose wrought-product form is already qualified in Division 5 is to demonstrate the resultant properties from the advanced manufacturing process are equivalent or superior to the wrought-product form. Powder metallurgy-hot isostatic pressing (PM-HIP) is a mature technology that offers many advantages that are attractive to the microreactor industry. Preliminary data show that the elevated-temperature creep-fatigue properties of PM-HIP 316H stainless steel (SS) are reduced compared to the Wrought 316H SS, which is qualified in Section III, Division 5. Work is ongoing to identify the mechanisms responsible for the reduced creep-fatigue properties and to establish acceptance criteria to confirm the adequacy of the component for service.

316H stainless steel↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-Fidelity Arc-Discharge Model for Hydrogen-Plasma-Smelting-Reduction of Iron Ore

Electrification and use of renewable hydrogen is currently a necessity for decarbonizing the iron-and-steel industry. In this regard, hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR) is a novel pathway that is being explored for reduction of iron ore. HPSR provides several decarbonization merits compared to conventional blast furnaces. Firstly, the use of renewable hydrogen drastically reduces the CO2 emissions compared to the use of coke. Secondly, renewable electricity in the form of a thermal plasma for making reactive hydrogen species (radicals, ions) are more efficient at reducing iron ore compared to neutral H2. Thirdly, a molten product compatible with downstream processes is obtained from the intense heat transfer from the plasma. However, the scale-up of this technology requires fundamental exploration of hydrogen plasma dynamics and its interaction with complex solid material that include phase changing iron-ore and slag. In this work, we present a first principles continuum scale model for thermal plasmas in Ar/H2 gas mixtures typically used for HPSR. The thermal plasma governing equations for mass, momentum and energy with Lorentz force and Joule heating source terms are solved along with electromagnetic equations for electrostatic and magnetic vector potential. Our solver will be based on Pele, a suite of reacting flow solvers designed for advanced scientific computing architectures (Henry De Frahan et al., Proceedings of SIAM Parallel Processing, 13-25, 2024), and will utilize adaptive mesh generation for enhanced resolutions at locations of intense physicochemical interactions. This study will present the impact of Ar to H2 ratios on excited/dissociated hydrogen species concentrations, plasma temperature and conductivity along with the impact of outgassed species (water, metal vapor, O, OH radicals) from ore surface on gas phase chemistry. Furthermore, the heat and species flux to the surface will be quantified as a function of applied voltages in a transferred arc configuration.

hydrogen plasma↗
DOE OSTI2025

Geothermal well testing pressure prediction by using a hybrid transformer model system: FORGE well use case

Geothermal has huge potential to become an indispensable component in achieving the goal of sustainable energy economy, given its capability to provide consistent baseload power to the electric grid. Injection tests are crucial in geothermal energy system as they naturally help to evaluate reservoir properties, understand fluid flow and even enhance reservoir performance. In this research, we developed a hybrid model system that integrates machine learning (ML) regression, a physics-based mathematical model, and transformer deep learning. Trained and validated using FORGE injection test dataset, this system can forecast the pressure variations both upward and downward over time. The pressure prediction achieved prediction accuracy within 3-6% variance of true pressure values. The system can significantly save time and reduce costs by testing only a few cycles and then using model predictions for further analysis, instead of conducting additional real injection cycle tests. The developed model system also holds promise for designing injection test processes and maintaining well production in geothermal energy. Presented at the IMAGE ‘25 Conference led by Shell.

FORGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Arctic Cloud‐Base Ice Precipitation Properties Retrieved Using Bayesian Inference

Abstract Cloud‐climate feedbacks are still the greatest source of uncertainty in current climate projections. Arctic clouds, which are predominantly stratiform and supercooled, often long‐lived, and nearly continuously precipitate ice particles, contribute roughly 10% of the uncertainty attributed to the global cloud feedback. This Arctic cloud uncertainty is driven by incomplete observational and theoretical knowledge required to estimate and explain the state and active processes occurring in those clouds. A focus on ice precipitation properties at Arctic cloud base rather than the surface deconfounds the product of cloud condensate sink processes from the influence of the atmospheric thermodynamic state below cloud base, rendering cloud‐base properties a more appealing target for inference and evaluation of model simulations. Here I describe an inverse model for the estimation of cloud base ice precipitation properties over Utqiagvik, North Slope of Alaska, using the synthesis of ground‐based radar and lidar measurements. By leveraging a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm as the core of the inverse model, a wide range of particle size distributions are sampled, and different combinations of ice habit models are examined, both of which are typically fixed in other retrieval methods. Results show intriguing links between different cloud base thermodynamic and ice precipitation properties. Apparent ice number concentration enhancements at temperatures of −5 and −15°C suggest possible secondary ice production (SIP). The analysis alludes to an overestimation of SIP occurrence and intensity, especially in studies relying only on radar or lidar measurements. Finally, reflectivity‐dependent ice precipitation rate and ice water content parameterizations are presented.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Sustainable Critical Minerals: Mining, Production, and Legacy

Critical minerals (CMs) are required in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, electronics, and national defense. Global demand has increased rapidly due to energy and digital transitions, and the United States has become increasingly reliant on vulnerable supply chains. Geological scarcity, trade barriers, environmental hurdles, and processing challenges impede domestic CM production growth. Emerging strategies, including circular economy practices and advanced sustainable mining and processing techniques, can mitigate supply chain and economic risks. To advance these approaches, consistent research priorities, policy revisions, and technology investments are required to develop a resilient CM supply. Doing so with a focus on sustainability goals can simultaneously advance domestic economic and technological goals while limiting environmental impacts and supporting global environmental goals.

biomining↗
DOE OSTI2022

Numerical and experimental investigation of the geometry dependent layer-wise evolution of temperature during laser powder bed fusion of Ti–6Al–4V

Abstract Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is currently the additive manufacturing process with the widest industrial use for metal parts. Yet some hurdles persist on the way to a widespread industrial serial production, with reproducibility of the process and the resulting part properties being a major concern. As the geometry changes, so do the local boundary conditions for heat dissipation. Consequently, the use of global, geometry-independent processing parameters, which are today’s state of the art, may result in varying part properties or even defects. This paper presents a numerical simulation as a method to predict the geometry-dependent temperature evolution during the build. For demonstration, an overhang structure with varying angles towards the build platform was manufactured using Ti–6Al–4V. A calibrated infrared camera was integrated into a commercial L-PBF system to measure the temperature evolution over time for a total build height of 10 mm, and the results are used for validation of the simulation. It is shown that the simulation is capable of predicting the temperature between layers. The deviations between simulation and measurement remain in single digit range for smaller overhang structures (90°, 60° and 45°). For large overhang structures (30°), the simulation tends to over-predict the temperatures up to 15 °C. Experiments with varying process parameters showed the feasibility of energy reduction as compensation of the heat accumulation produced by overhang structures.

Li, Gefei (ORCID:0000000174837952)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding slurry formulations to guide solution-processing of solid electrolytes

Scalable processing of thin solid electrolytes is crucial for engineering solid-state batteries with practical energy densities. To leverage existing battery production infrastructure, pathways for solution processing of solid electrolyte films must be investigated. Here, roll-to-roll compatible film preparation of aluminum-doped lithium lanthanum zirconate oxide was studied. Four slurry configurations accounting for different solvent properties and solid loadings were evaluated to investigate the ternary interactions within the dispersions. Rheological and coating stability analyses were carried out on the processed slurries. The analysis and characterization indicated that improved component interactions within the ethanol/toluene system result in homogenized distribution of the particles, binder, and plasticizer, and enable the extraction of free-standing thin films with thicknesses of 20 μm and large area (>15 in. 2 ). The drawbacks and opportunities of several protocols for high temperature sintering of the dried green films were investigated. This study highlights the importance of engineering dispersions during the development of processing protocols for solid electrolytes and provides guidelines for the best practices that can be leveraged for solution processing–based fabrications for a wide range of solid electrolyte materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for charged-lepton flavor violation in the production and decay of top quarks using trilepton final states in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV

A search is performed for charged-lepton flavor violating processes in top quark (𝑡) production and decay. The data were collected by the CMS experiment from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 . The selected events are required to contain one opposite-sign electron-muon pair, a third charged lepton (electron or muon), and at least one jet of which no more than one is associated with a bottom quark. Boosted decision trees are used to distinguish signal from background, exploiting differences in the kinematics of the final states particles. The data are consistent with the standard model expectation. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are placed in the context of effective field theory on the Wilson coefficients, which range between 0.024–0.424 TeV −2 depending on the flavor of the associated light quark and the Lorentz structure of the interaction. These limits are converted to upper limits on branching fractions involving up (charm) quarks, 𝑡 → 𝑒⁢𝜇⁢𝑢 (𝑡 → 𝑒⁢𝜇⁢𝑐), of 0.032⁢(0.498) × 10 −6 , 0.022⁢(0.369) × 10 −6 , and 0.012⁢(0.216) × 10 −6 for tensorlike, vectorlike, and scalarlike interactions, respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Arctic Mixed-Phase Cloud Base Ice Precipitation Properties During the M-PACE Field Campaign

Cloud-climate feedbacks are still the greatest source of uncertainty in current climate projections. Arctic clouds, which are predominantly stratiform and supercooled, often long-lived, and nearly-continuously precipitate ice particles, contribute roughly 10% of the uncertainty attributed to the global cloud feedback. This Arctic cloud uncertainty is driven by incomplete observational and theoretical knowledge required to estimate and explain the state and active processes occurring in those clouds. A focus on ice precipitation properties at Arctic cloud base rather than the surface deconfounds the product of cloud condensate sink processes from the influence of the atmospheric thermodynamic state below cloud base, rendering cloud-base properties a more appealing target for inference and evaluation of model simulations. This dataset provides a set of 25 samples from the M-PACE field campaign, all of which were retrieved using the synthesis of ARM radar and lidar measurements. The retrieved ice precipitation variables in this dataset include, among others, the ice number concentration, water content, PSD parameters, precipitation rate, mass-weighted fall velocity, vertical air motion, and effective radius, all of which are highly valuable for model evaluation and a general understanding of polar cloud sink processes. Each variable sample includes its mean value and associated uncertainty. Additional variables based on ARM measurements (liquid layer statistics, etc.) are included in this dataset as well. The retrieval algorithm and analysis of this dataset are described in Silber (JGR, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD038202).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Arctic Mixed-Phase Cloud Base Ice Precipitation Properties Over the NSA Site

Cloud-climate feedbacks are still the greatest source of uncertainty in current climate projections. Arctic clouds, which are predominantly stratiform and supercooled, often long-lived, and nearly continuously precipitate ice particles, contribute roughly 10% of the uncertainty attributed to the global cloud feedback. This arctic cloud uncertainty is driven by incomplete observational and theoretical knowledge required to estimate and explain the state and active processes occurring in those clouds. A focus on ice precipitation properties at arctic cloud base rather than the surface deconfounds the product of cloud condensate sink processes from the influence of the atmospheric thermodynamic state below cloud base, rendering cloud-base properties a more appealing target for inference and evaluation of model simulations. This data set provides more than 1800 samples of cloud-base ice precipitation properties over Utqiagvik, North Slope of Alaska, all of which were retrieved using the synthesis of ARM radar and lidar measurements. The retrieved ice precipitation variables in this data set include, among others, the ice number concentration, water content, PSD parameters, precipitation rate, mass-weighted fall velocity, vertical air motion, and effective radius, all of which are highly valuable for model evaluation and a general understanding of polar cloud sink processes. Each variable sample includes its mean value and associated uncertainty. Additional variables based on ARM measurements (liquid layer statistics, etc.) are included in this data set. The retrieval algorithm and analysis of this data set are described in Silber (JGR, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD038202).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Abstract for CRADA between NETL and West Virginia University Research Corporation

The National Energy Technology Lab (NETL) will collaborate with West Virginia University to develop and demonstrate a dynamically operated modular, microwave-enhanced catalytic process for the co-production of ammonia and olefins. Ammonia and olefins (e.g., ethylene) are the most widely produced chemicals in the U.S. by volume, but their processes are also the most carbon and energy intensive as they rely on fossil-based feedstocks and combustion of fossil fuels for heating. The project will leverage the unique ability of microwaves to intensify process heating by providing pulsed, targeted energy to active sites of a mixed catalyst bed to convert a mixture of CH 4 /N 2 into ethylene and ammonia. The collaboration will facilitate the development of microwave technology that has the potential to utilize distributed waste resources like shale gas or biogas as well as renewable electricity to produce these valuable chemicals. It is expected that the results will decarbonize chemical production by using renewable energy and waste feedstocks, improve efficiency by reducing unit operations (H 2 production), and de-risk microwave technology for chemical production by demonstrating long-term and dynamic operability. This project was funded by an award from the Department of Energy’s EERE IEDO.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Challenges in Postprocessing of Hybrid Manufacturing of Magnet Polymer Composites to Enhance the Energy Product of NdFeB Bonded Magnets

Bonded permanent magnets need to process magnetic filler particles and binder together which is a form of hybrid or composite manufacturing that needs to simultaneously process multimaterials. Polymer bonding of the permanent magnets decreases the energy product of the bonded magnets which varies with square of loading fraction of magnetic materials. However, due to high viscosity of bonding polymer prohibits loading higher than 80 volume % of magnetic materials in most efficient loading process such as compression molding. To further increase the loading of magnetic fraction in the bonded permanent magnets, it is expected to be beneficial to introduce a fraction of nonreacting thermally sacrificial polymer along with permanent bonding polymer in the least permissible of about 20 volume % of the polymer. This process of first adding the sacrificial polymer for higher processability for composites and later removing it via post processing such as heat treatment provides a simple example of inclusion of both the additive and the subtractive stages of hybrid manufacturing. These hybrid composite magnets can be heat treated to remove the sacrificial polymer to further increase the density and energy product which might require to implement hot isostatic pressing for compaction. Although the identification of such ideal polymer requires an extensive polymer chemistry research, we have compression molded several permanent bonding polymers such as nylon, polycarbonate (PC) and polyphenyl sulfide (PPS) and potential sacrificial polymer such as polyoxymethylene (POM), polystyrene (PS), and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and heat treated to remove the sacrificial polymers. It is discovered that oxygen free low temperature pyrolizable polymers could be the potential candidates for increasing the magnet particles loading for achieving high energy products.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Potential of electrolytic processes for recovery of molybdenum from molten salts for 99 Mo production

Molten salt reactor (MSR) technologies are receiving significant interest for commercialization because of their potential safety features and efficient energy production. In addition to producing reliable and clean energy, high-value radioisotopes could be harvested from MSRs as an additional revenue stream. Although significant quantities of 99 Mo will be produced in MSRs through fission, how accessible 99 Mo will be for direct recovery from a fuel salt is unclear. Electrolytic processes in fused salts have been used extensively for processing molten salts and have the potential to enable the extraction of 99 Mo directly from the fuel salt. This paper reviews the behavior of 99 Mo in the molten salt reactor experiment and summarizes theoretical aspects of the electrolytic process in high-temperature fused salt and the published experimental results on Mo extraction through electrolytic processes. Here, the general principle of fused-salt electrolytic processes is described, by electrodeposition of Mo with the following aspects: electrowinning, electrorefining, electroplating, and electroextraction with several experimental considerations. Finally, important considerations for recovery of 99 Mo from MSR relevant molten salts via electrodeposition are discussed.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Alkaline Oxidation of Lignin Using Reversibly-Soluble Bases

Production of oxidized aromatic monomers from lignin has been an intriguing process for decades, but widespread implementation has been inhibited by the high hydroxide:lignin ratios required for significant aldehyde yields. The high hydroxide loading in most scenarios renders the process uneconomical even for high-value products such as vanillin. In this work, we explore alkaline oxidation of a lignin-rich enzymatic hydrolysis residue isolated from corn stover, using alkaline earth metal hydroxides, such as Sr(OH)2 and Ba(OH)2 as base promoters. These materials are soluble at reaction temperature, but mostly insoluble at room temperature, allowing recovery and reuse by simple filtration. We show that monomer yields and profiles using these bases is similar to that obtained using NaOH as base, and that Sr(OH)2 can be recovered in yields above 90%. Preliminary TEA and LCA suggest that replacing NaOH with Sr(OH)2 can decrease monomer production costs by 40% and decrease global warming potential in lignin depolymerization by 30%, enabling a more economical and sustainable process.

BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Alkaline Oxidation of Lignin Using Reversibly-Soluble Bases

Production of oxidized aromatic monomers from lignin has been an intriguing process for decades, but widespread implementation has been inhibited by the high hydroxide:lignin ratios required for significant aldehyde yields. The high hydroxide loading in most scenarios renders the process uneconomical even for high-value products such as vanillin. In this work, we explore alkaline oxidation of a lignin-rich enzymatic hydrolysis residue isolated from corn stover, using alkaline earth metal hydroxides, such as Sr(OH)2 and Ba(OH)2 as base promoters. These materials are soluble at reaction temperature, but mostly insoluble at room temperature, allowing recovery and reuse by simple filtration. We show that monomer yields and profiles using these bases is similar to that obtained using NaOH as base, and that Sr(OH)2 can be recovered in yields above 90%. Preliminary TEA and LCA suggest that replacing NaOH with Sr(OH)2 can decrease monomer production costs by 40% and decrease global warming potential in lignin depolymerization by 30%, enabling a more economical and sustainable process.

alkaline oxidation↗
DOE OSTI2022

Synergistic Electrocatalytic Syngas Production from Carbon Dioxide by Bi‐Metallic Atomically Dispersed Catalysts

Abstract The production of syngas by traditional processes such as steam methane reforming is energetically intensive and produces a large amount of CO 2 emissions. In contrast, the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) enables the carbon neutral production of syngas at ambient conditions. Among non‐precious metal catalysts, metal‐nitrogen‐carbon electrocatalysts are inexpensive and highly selective towards syngas production. This study examined the selectivity of mono‐ and bi‐metallic (M−N−C, M=Fe, Mo or FeMo) electrocatalysts towards syngas production. The ratio of the CO : H 2 in the syngas was tuned by modifying the ratio of the metallic precursors in the bi‐metallic FeMo−N−C catalysts, tailoring the catalysts’ selectivity towards the CO 2 RR or the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The catalyst synthesis temperature(s) were considered as they influence the catalyst morphology and activity. Further, the dependence of the ratio of CO : H 2 in the syngas as a function of the potential was explored for the different bi‐metallic catalysts. This work showed that by tailoring both the ratio of Fe : Mo in the bi‐metallic catalyst and optimizing the reductive potential, a CO : H 2 ratio between 0.25 to 5 was achievable. This study demonstrated a novel approach in which the ratio of the product syngas composition could be tailored in a single reaction, without the need for further downstream processing to reach a desired composition.

Delafontaine, Laurent↗
DOE OSTI2024

Colorado State University (CSU) X-Band Precipitation Radar Plan Position Indicator Data Processed with Corrected Moments in Antenna Coordinates (CMAC) Value-Added Product Report

In 2010 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility procured 3- and 5-cm wavelength radars for documenting the macrophysical, microphysical, and dynamical structure of precipitating systems. To maximize the scientific impact, ARM supported the development of an application chain to correct for various phenomena in order to retrieve the “point” values of moments of the radar spectrum and polarimetric measurements. We have now used the lessons learned from the processing of the 3- and 5-cm wavelength radars obtained by ARM to help process X-band radar data from the Surface Atmospheric Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) field campaign. This report details the motivation, science, and progress to date as well as charting a path forward.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Life-cycle analysis of lithium chemical production in the United States

To achieve its ambitious national decarbonization goals, the United States has incentivized the domestic production of materials critical to decarbonization technologies, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These materials include battery-grade lithium chemicals (Li-chemicals), for which the U.S. is encouraging domestic production from resources (sedimentary clays and low Li-content brines (LLCBs)) that differ substantially from conventional sources (Salar brines and spodumene ores). Here, we conduct the first-ever comparative life-cycle analysis of Li-chemical production from all alternative resources (in the U.S.) and conventional sources based on data from company literature for U.S.-related production efforts. Two energy sources (electricity and natural gas), four material inputs (HCl, NaOH, Na 2 CO 3 , and CaO), and process carbon emissions dominate the life-cycle impacts (≥90% share) of U.S.-based Li-chemical production. Comparatively, the life-cycle impacts of alternative sources-based Li-chemicals lie between those for Li-chemical production from Salar brines and from spodumene ores. At the battery level, the shift in Li-chemical sourcing causes a notable change in LIB's life-cycle impacts (by ~5–15%), independent of the cathode chemistry employed. Our study highlights the relevance of a decarbonized electric grid and the capture and sequestration of process carbon emissions generated during Li-chemical and upstream material production in decarbonizing Li-chemical production from alternative sources. Further decarbonization would necessitate using decarbonized material inputs and a shift away from natural gas towards renewable energy for alternative resource-based Li-chemical production processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗