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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 1,351 records · Page 75
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Compressors for CO2-Based Power Cycles and Energy

Pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) is a cost-effective method for grid-scale, long-duration electrical energy storage (LDES). PTES uses a heat pump cycle to transfer thermal energy from a low temperature reservoir (LTR) to a high temperature reservoir (HTR), later using a heat engine cycle to reverse the process. A key component of the PTES system, the heat pump compressor, represents a significant driver to the cost, performance and operating characteristics of the PTES system. For grid-scale charging (>100 MW), traditional compressor scaling charts indicate that the operating conditions needed would be best served by a multistage axial compressor. While frame gas turbine compressors at these power ratings exist and operate at higher pressure ratios than needed for the CO2 PTES system, the inlet pressure and fluid density of this application exceed experience values. A conceptual design of a large-scale CO2 axial compressor was completed, including mean-line estimates of the compressor performance at full power conditions. The results of the conceptual design were used to refine the PTES cycle design, and updated operating conditions provided for further aero design optimization. A roughly one third scale of the first three stages of the 100 MW compressor was designed, built, and tested at relevant PTES charging conditions. Results of this test program are compared against high-resolution computational fluid dynamics models.

Compressor Heat↗
DOE OSTI2025

Potential Challenges of HyBlend Storage in a Methane Reservoir Located in Southwestern United States

Hydrogen has been identified as a flexible energy carrier with zero or negative emissions across multiple energy systems. It is possible to utilize hydrogen by storing Hyblend, or hydrogen gas blended with methane, in existing natural gas infrastructure. However, the compatibility of adapting the current CH4 storage strategies to include H2 injection has not been fully demonstrated. It is essential that we understand the impact of H2 gas on the naturally occurring microbial community of subsurface storage reservoirs before deploying large-scale H2-CH4 storage. We designed a series of experiments that allowed us to identify potential geochemical and microbial challenges of HyBlend Storage in existing methane reservoirs. First, we collected and characterized field fluid samples from a methane reservoir located in southwestern United States. Next, we used these field fluid samples to complete a series of short-term reactor experiments at reservoir conditions (80 °C and ~1,000 psi) for a natural gas (100% CH4) and HyBlend(80% CH4/20% H2) storage environment to measure the transformation of gas content. We conducted both biotic and abiotic (sterilized) measurements to accurately understand and decouple abiotic and microbially driven processes. Overall, we found that our field sample was characterized by a diverse microbial community with the metabolic capacity for sulfur reduction, iron reduction, and acetogenesis. Across our reactors, there was minimal change in geochemistry.

hydrogen storage↗
DOE OSTI2025

Potential Risks Associated with Short-Term Hydrogen Storage in Methane Reservoirs

Hydrogen (H2) has been identified as a flexible energy carrier with zero emissions. It is possible to utilize H2 by storing Hyblend, or H2 blended with CH4, in existing natural gas infrastructure. However, the compatibility of adapting the current CH4 storage strategies to include H2 injection has not been fully demonstrated. It is essential that we understand the impact of H2 gas on the naturally occurring microbial community of subsurface storage reservoirs before deploying large-scale H2-CH4 storage. We designed a series of experiments that allowed us to identify potential challenges of HyBlend Storage in existing methane reservoirs (Figure 1). First, we characterized two field fluid samples from a methane reservoir located in Western United States. Next, we used these samples to complete a series of short-term reactor experiments at reservoir conditions for a natural gas (100% CH4) and HyBlend (80% CH4/20% H2) storage environment.

geomicrobiology↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design and test of a special magnet for the Mu2e experiment

The Mu2e experiment (Muon-to-Electron Conversion Experiment) is looking for evidence that a muon can change into an electron without the emission of neutrinos. The experiment will search for the charged-lepton flavor violating (CLFV) neutrino-less conversion of a negative muon into an electron in the field of a nucleus. The conversion process results in a monochromatic electron with an energy of 104.97 MeV, slightly below the muon rest mass. The goal of the experiment is to improve the previous upper limit by four orders of magnitude and reach a SES (single event sensitivity) of 3 × 10 -17 on the conversion rate, a 90% CL of 8 × 10 -17 , and a 5σ discovery reach at 2 × 10 -16 . The experiment will use an intense pulsed negative muon beam, which is essential to reducing backgrounds. The other essential element is a sophisticated magnetic system composed of three consecutive solenoids (figure 1) that form the muon beam.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Self-Consistent Relativistic Electron Scattering using the Sherlock Scattering Model for X-ray Diagnostics

We present on a new, self-consistent, arbitrary-temperature Romberg integration scheme for modeling electron scattering in materials in a LANL Lagrangian Shock Hydro (LSH) code. Electron beam-target interactions are fundamental to a wide range of scientific and technological applications. When high-energy electron beams hit their target, they may scatter, deposit energy, or ionize the source. These processes govern the behavior and outcomes in nanotechnology manufacturing, electron microscopy, and modern X-ray diagnostics. Simulating these interactions is essential for interpreting experimental results, predicting material responses, and designing efficient tools and experiments. At Los Alamos, this is done using a LSH code, which is a multi-dimension, multi-material, massively parallel, multi-physics code used to simulate applications from asteroid impacts to electron beam interactions. By effectively and efficiently modeling the way that electrons scatter from the beam we can bolster these simulations and more accurately predict experimental outcomes. The model currently implemented in the LSH of interest is based on work by Papp and does not self-consistently preserve momentum in the slightly relativistic regime; here we adopt a model proposed by Braams and Karney and implement a Romberg integration scheme to compute the diffusion tensor. In this paper we will provide background on the Braams-Karney diffusion tensor as well as the Romberg integration scheme we employed to numerically solve for it. We will show that our integration scheme is accurate in solving for the set of scalar potentials used to re-express the diffusion tensor in differential form, and in solving for the diffusion coefficients in the larger LSH code. By using this diffusion tensor rather than the existing Papp one, and numerically integrating it with a Romberg method, we produce much more accurate, self-consistent results.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design Status and Experimental Strategy for Initial Molten Salt Irradiation Experiments in HFIR

The development and deployment of molten salt reactor (MSR) technologies require experimental capabilities that can evaluate molten fuel salt behavior and structural material performance under representative irradiation conditions. Although modeling and separate effects testing provide important insight, there remains a critical lack of in-pile data that capture the coupled effects of neutron irradiation, temperature, salt chemistry, and time. Informed by lessons learned from historical MSR programs and recent international irradiation efforts, this report presents a structured approach to addressing existing gaps in molten salt irradiation testing using the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). A phased irradiation strategy is presented that incrementally increases experimental complexity while managing cost, risk, and facility constraints. The framework progresses from passive, nonfueled static capsule experiments to fueled, instrumented, and ultimately circulating molten salt systems, providing a pathway for materials screening, mechanistic understanding, and qualification-relevant testing. The report defines a near-term Phase 1 passive capsule concept, associated irradiation conditions, and a conceptual post-irradiation examination strategy. Ongoing modeling, out-of-pile testing, and safety analysis activities are described to support continued capability maturation and to enable future phases of molten salt irradiation testing in support of MSR technology deployment.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Juvenile Salmon and Their Habitats in the Columbia River Estuary: A Review and Synthesis of Knowledge Development 2000–2025

[This is a 90% discussion draft.] This is the third Synthesis Memorandum funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and developed for the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP) on the topic of habitat restoration in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE) from Bonneville Dam to the river mouth. While the first two were developed by PNNL and NOAA without the benefit of stakeholder participation, for the current memo, two key activities were initiated: (1) review, by the Expert Regional Technical Group (ERTG), of status and trends monitoring and action effectiveness monitoring funded by CEERP, and (2) a workshop including representatives of the Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the action agencies [AAs]), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), major research agencies contributing to CEERP, and sponsors who implement CEERP restoration actions. A systematic literature review was conducted using ClarivateTM Web of ScienceTM database. The topics of interest for CRE relevant research included salmon ecology, physical processes, and wetland habitats, and therefore required the use of broad search terms. Our final search criteria included a combination of Boolean operators and an approach to combine different sets of search terms. The final search result yielded 669 records. The records were classified by groups and assigned to the relevant disciplinary expert for review. The review identified substantive advances in understanding the provision of salmon habitat functions through spatiotemporally dynamic physical and ecological processes, and the use of CRE habitats by numerous stocks of juvenile salmon. It also uncovered heretofore unincorporated historical documentation of riparian habitats across the CRE. The characterization of the structural components of floodplain habitat including plant associations and channel networks has advanced considerably, together with the understanding of seasonal changes and long-term trends. The relative influence of salmon-habitat location in the CRE as compared with temporal factors, mainly season, has been well described, which affects the prioritization of restoration. Stressors on the ecosystem and fish, and the drivers of these stressors, have been more carefully elucidated and predictive models are in various stages of development. The vision, aims, and design of restoration projects have advanced together with methods of data collection, analysis, and modeling that have seen substantial improvements. Experiments intended to inform the design of restoration projects are underway or have been completed. An important outstanding area of research that has lagged behind the advances in fundamental understanding of the ecosystem and salmon habitat functions remains the peer-reviewed documentation of the outcomes of restoration for both habitats and fish functions.

estuary↗
DOE OSTI2023

Exploring the High-Pressure Phases of Carbon through X-ray Diffraction of Dynamic Compression Experiments on Sandia’s Z Pulsed Power Facility

The carbon phase diagram is rich with polymorphs which possess very different physical and optical properties ideal for different scientific and engineering applications. An understanding of the dynamically driven phase transitions in carbon is particularly important for applications in inertial confinement fusion, as well as planetary and meteorite impact histories. Experiments on the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories generate dynamically compressed high-pressure states of matter with exceptional uniformity, duration, and size that are ideal for investigations of fundamental material properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an important material physics measurement because it enables direct observation of the strain and compression of the crystal lattice, and it enables the detection and identification of phase transitions. Several unique challenges of dynamic compression experiments on Z prevent using XRD systems typically utilized at other dynamic compression facilities, so novel XRD diagnostics have been designed and implemented. We performed experiments on Z to shock compress carbon (pyrolytic graphite) samples to pressures of 150–320 GPa. The Z-Beamlet Laser generated Mn-Heα (6.2 keV) X-rays to probe the shock-compressed carbon sample, and the new XRD diagnostics measured changes in the diffraction pattern as the carbon transformed into its high-pressure phases. Quantitative analysis of the dynamic XRD patterns in combination with continuum velocimetry information constrained the stability fields and melting of high-pressure carbon polymorphs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Accessible Real-Time Surveillance Radar System for Object Detection

As unmanned ground and aerial vehicles become more accessible and their usage covers a wider area of application, including for threatening purposes which can cause connected catastrophe, a surveillance system for the public places is being considered more essential to respond to those possible threats. We propose an inexpensive, lighter, safer, and smaller radar system than military-grade radar systems while keeping reasonable capability for use in monitoring public places. The paper details the iterative process on the system design and improvements with experiments to realize the system used for surveillance. The experiments show the practical use of the system and configuration for a better understanding of using the system. Cyber-physical systems for outdoor environments can benefit from the system as a sensor for sensing objects as well as monitoring.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lessons Learned from Three Agrivoltaic Installations in New Jersey

Agrivoltaics is a new technology that has the potential to positively impact commercial farming by combining agricultural practices with the generation of solar energy. While some yield reduction is to be expected, resulting from less sunlight reaching the plant canopy and ground occupied by support structures, the generated electricity provides a low-risk supplemental income to farmers. In order to combine farming with electricity generation, agrivoltaic systems use a lower ground coverage ratio compared to normal solar farms and the PV panels are often mounted higher above the ground in order to facilitate the movement of agricultural equipment and to reduce the contrast between shaded and non-shaded areas. With funding provided from the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), we designed and installed three unique agrivoltaic research systems at Rutgers/NJAES farms. These projects were recently completed and are generating electricity that is exported to the grid. This paper discusses the lessons we have learned along the way, including all the steps necessary to see an agrivoltaic project through to completion.

Both, A. J. (ORCID:0000000150845296)↗
DOE OSTI2020

Initial Assessment of Availability and Reliability for the PIP-II Superconducting Radio Frequency Linear Accelerator Facility

The Proton Improvement Plan -II (PIP-II) is a high intensity and high energy proton accelerator which will be used to support the neutrino program at Fermilab. The accelerator will deliver a 2 mA average beam current at a kinetic energy of 800 MeV. Due to the requirements from experiments, this accelerator is designed to be a highly reliable and available system. A target availability of the complete accelerator facility was prescribed to be 90%. An availability and reliability assessment of the accelerator was carried out to ascertain that the design can meet the target availability specification. The results were estimated for the nominal operational mode, when an 800 MeV beam is delivered on the target and for the critical operational mode, when a 600 MeV output beam was incident on the target. The design of a complete accel-erator system is a complex arrangement of a large number of components. To simplify the analysis, a few components were shortlisted and based on their functions, an accelerator model was created. The model is represented in the form of reliability block diagrams. Availability and reliability were estimated for each operational mode. To increase the availa-bility and reliability of the overall accelerator, redundancy of one cavity per section in the superconducting portion of the Linac was introduced.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

An upgraded cryogenic test stand for HL-LHC cryo-assemblies

The Fermilab horizontal test stand previously used for testing the LHC inner triplet quadrupoles has been upgraded to test cryo-assemblies for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade (HL-LHC). The test requirements of these new cryo-assemblies required additional capabilities of the test stand cryogenic system, including controlled cool-down and warm-up, helium recovery after a quench, and operation at higher pressures. Most of these upgrades were completed to support a zero-magnet test in late 2020, with the remainder of the upgrades completed to support the first pre-series cryo-assembly test in early 2022. An overview of the design and initial operating experience of the upgraded test stand cryogenic system and associated process controls system are presented in this paper.

Rabehl, Roger J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mu2e-II: Muon to electron conversion with PIP-II

An observation of Charged Lepton Flavor Violation (CLFV) would be unambiguous evidence for physics beyond the Standard Model. The Mu2e and COMET experiments, under construction, are designed to push the sensitivity to CLFV in the mu to e conversion process to unprecedented levels. Whether conversion is observed or not, there is a strong case to be made for further improving sensitivity, or for examining the process on additional target materials. Mu2e-II is a proposed upgrade to Mu2e, with at least an additional order of magnitude in sensitivity to the conversion rate over Mu2e. The approach and challenges for this proposal are summarized. Mu2e-II may be regarded as the next logical step in a continued high-intensity muon program at FNAL.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Universal Refrigerant Charge Fault Detection and Diagnostics Method Based on Pump Down Operation

The performance of the heat pump system varies greatly depending on the refrigerant charge amount. Improving the refrigerant charge fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) method of vapor compression systems have the potential for increasing energy efficiency and reducing service cost. Previous studies to predict refrigerant charge amount are mostly empirical methods which require significant amount of experimental data for high accuracy. The primary goal of this research is to develop a universal charge fault detection method which requires only a few experimental data with high prediction accuracy.Currently, pump down operations are typical practices by HVAC technicians when they need to open the refrigerant circuit to make a repairment. In addition, compressors have a built-in low-pressure cut-off protection function, and the compressor performance maps are commonly available from manufacturers. The proposed method innovatively utilizes the typical pump down operation, the compressor low-pressure cut-off protection, and the compressor performance map. It does not require any geometry information of heat exchangers, refrigerant lines, or charge buffers.The new charge prediction method is firstly formulated through theoretical analysis, then verified and calibrated by a quasi-steady-state simulation of the pump down process for a residential heat pump system. The quasi steady-state simulation uses an HVAC system simulation framework driven by DOE/ORNL Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM). Preliminary experiment validations with heat pump refrigerant leakage tests demonstrate the deviation of the proposed charge prediction method compared with measurement is within 8%. This technology makes refrigerant charge amount available at the technician’s fingertips and leads to shorter maintenance time and fewer site visits.

Li, Zhenning↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multiple Critical Unresolved Region Integral Experiment (MCURIE): A Proposed Integral Critical Experimental Framework for Unresolved Region and Intermediate Energies

The Critical Unresolved Region Integral Experiment (CURIE) critical experiment was performed at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) at the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the Nevada Nuclear Security Sites (NNSS) in 2020. The objective of CURIE was to improve the quality of integral nuclear data in the uranium-235 ( 235 U) unresolved resonance region (URR) by performing benchmark integral experiments that were sensitive to the URR energy ranges. The CURIE experiment was evaluated for the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) handbook and the benchmark evaluation was accepted in 2022. The URR is a region within the intermediate neutron energy range (the intermediate energy ranges from 0.7 eV to 100 keV). The observed resonance structure in neutron cross sections is due to discrete energy levels in the nucleus and are characterized by resonance parameters. In the URR region, the resonance parameters are only partially resolved as the resolution of the experiment techniques becomes comparable to the average width of the resonances themselves, and the resonances are so close to one another that the structure cannot be determined empirically. The ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 nuclear data libraries define the URR as beginning at 2.25 keV and continuing until 25 keV. There are minimal intermediate neutron energy benchmarks available in the ICSBEP benchmark handbook, and aside from CURIE there are none that are highly sensitive in the URR energy region. There is a current need for additional experiments sensitive to the URR energy region. There is a new proposed subgroup for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD NEA) Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC), so any new models or information will need experimental validation and testing. The NEA Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS) recent experimental needs and priority list includes intermediate energy 235 U and 238 U experiments, as does the recent Integral Experiments to Address Nuclear Criticality Safety Needs Meeting (May 2023). A variant on the original CURIE experiment called the Multiple Critical Unresolved Region Integral Experiment (MCURIE) is proposed to provide further investigation of the intermediate and URR energy region for uranium. MCURIE will utilize existing fuels at NCERC but use alternative moderators and reflectors to modify the neutron absorption, scattering, and fission spectra of the experiments, allowing for precise targeting of nuclear data sensitivities. The overall goal of MCURIE is to develop a framework for designing and performing integral benchmark experiments with high sensitivities in the intermediate and URR energy regions for nuclear data validation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lessons Learned from Three Agrivoltaic Installations in New Jersey

Agrivoltaics is a new technology that has the potential to positively impact commercial farming by combining agricultural practices with the generation of solar energy. While some yield reduction is to be expected, resulting from less sunlight reaching the plant canopy and ground occupied by support structures, the generated electricity provides a low-risk supplemental income to farmers. In order to combine farming with electricity generation, agrivoltaic systems use a lower ground coverage ratio compared to normal solar farms and the PV panels are often mounted higher above the ground in order to facilitate the movement of agricultural equipment and to reduce the contrast between shaded and non-shaded areas. With funding provided from the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), we designed and installed three unique agrivoltaic research systems at Rutgers/NJAES farms. These projects were recently completed and are generating electricity that is exported to the grid. This paper discusses the lessons we have learned along the way, including all the steps necessary to see an agrivoltaic project through to completion.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗