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DOE OSTI2021

Welding of Haynes 282 to Steels to Enable Modular Rotors for Advanced Ultra Super-Critical Steam Turbines

Steam turbines for an Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) fossil fired power plant will operate at temperatures well above those of current commercial steam cycles with inlet temperatures more than 760 C , which is beyond the capabilities of alloy steels presently used for steam turbine applications and requires advanced materials. Large components such as steam turbine rotors may be made of nickel based super alloys such as Haynes 282 (H282). However, monolithic forgings of superalloys in the sizes required for large steam turbines rotors can be prohibitively expensive besides many technical challenges. To minimize cost and alleviate the related technical challenges, superalloy use needs to be limited to locations on the steam turbine rotor where strength and temperature requirements cannot be met by conventional steels. This is possible if nickel-based superalloys can be successfully welded to steels and the related technical challenges - machining parts made of dissimilar welded materials, non-destructive examination of such welds for flaw detection; and, material properties of such hybrid components – are sufficiently addressed. In this technology development project, we successfully welded H282 to plates up to ~ 75 mm (~ 3 inches) to a 3.5NiCrMoV steel of similar thickness. Advanced ultrasonic inspection technique called Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) was employed to examine the dissimilar H282-Steel welds, into which flat bottomed side drilled holes (SDH) of various diameters were introduced, to determine the minimum detectable feature sizes; it was shown that with PAUT SDH of dia. down to 0.5 mm could be detected in the base alloys and SDH with dia. down to 2.4 mm could be detected in the weld metal under multiple orientations successfully. An autonomous machining process monitoring system was developed and demonstrated whereby the forces acting on the cutting tool could be actively monitored as the cutting tool transitioned from H282 to Steel across the weld using which the machining parameters can be potentially altered without interruption to extend tool life. This project successfully achieved its objectives of - i. Developing a welding methodology and viable welding geometries, to successfully join H282 to steel 3.5CrMoNiV steel to enable manufacture of modular steam turbine rotors for AUSC applications (conditions of at least 760 °Celsius and 3,100 psia (pounds per square inch absolute pressure) and evaluate the material properties of the welded specimen. ii. Employ the advanced ultrasonic inspection technique to the dissimilar weld metal joint and determine the minimum detectable feature sizes. iii. Develop effective machining techniques to machine such hybrid structures with online tool force monitoring and effect machine state metrics for optimal results.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Amount and reactivity of dissolved organic matter export are affected by land cover change from old-growth to second-growth forests in headwater ecosystems

Headwater forest ecosystems of the western USA generate a large portion of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) transported in streams across North America. Land cover changes that alter forest structure and species composition affect the quantity and composition of DOM transferred to aquatic ecosystems. Clear-cut harvesting affects ~1% of the forest area of North America annually, leaving most western forests in varying stages of regrowth and the total area of old-growth forest is decreasing. The consequences of this widespread management practice on watershed carbon cycling remain unknown. We investigated the role of land cover change, because of clear-cut harvesting, from mixed-species old-growth to lodgepole pine-dominated second-growth forest on the character and reactivity of hillslope DOM exports. We evaluated inputs of DOM from litter leachates and export of DOM collected at the base of trenched hillslopes during a 3-year period (2016–2018) at the Fraser Experimental Forest in north-central Colorado, USA. Dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen were higher in lateral subsurface flow draining old- versus second-growth forest. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the DOM exported from the old-growth forest was more heterogeneous and aromatic and that proteinaceous, microbially processed DOM components were more prevalent in the second-growth forest. Biological oxygen demand assays revealed much lower microbial metabolism of DOM in litter leachate and subsurface exports from the old-growth forest relative to second growth. Old-growth and second-growth forests are co-mingled in managed ecosystems, and our findings demonstrate that land cover change from a mixture of conifer species to lodgepole pine dominance influences DOM inputs that can increase the reactivity of DOM transferred from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

2022 Agnew and Metropolis Postdoc Fellow Showcase Event Book

Agnew National Security Postdoc Fellows pursue cutting-edge experimental, theoretical, computational science, and engineering research aligned with the national security mission. Metropolis Postdoc Fellows pursue cutting-edge research in the areas of computational and computer science, physics, and engineering. Computer simulation capabilities are developed in support of the stockpile stewardship program together with broader national nuclear security needs. Fellows have access to some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world to perform pioneering research.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY2021) Appendix J: Leaching of High Burnup Used Nuclear Fuel in De-ionized Water

As a part of the DOE NE High Burnup Spent Fuel Data Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing destructive examinations (DEs) of high burnup (HBU) (>45 GWd/MTU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods from the North Anna Nuclear Power Station operated by Dominion Energy. The SNF rods, called sister rods or sibling rods, are all HBU and include four different kinds of fuel rod cladding: standard Zircaloy-4 (Zirc-4), low-tin Zirc-4, ZIRLO, and M5. The leaching experiment was a part of a larger study by Yadukrishnan Sasikumar in defending his doctoral thesis at The Open University, School of Engineering and Innovation [13]. It utilized post-CIRFT Sister Rod test specimens that were slated for disposal. The leaching experiment aims to understand the trends in the radiolytic dissolution of High Burnup Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) when exposed to water (e.g., in-reactor or in-pool cladding failures). Specimens from a baseline M5-clad rod and a heat-treated M5 rod were cut from the fractured CIRFT specimens and placed in 100 mL de-ionized water for a period of 128 days. Both radial and axial sections were cut to provide different surface areas of fuel in contact with the leachate. During the four-month exposure period, aliquot samples of the leachate were analyzed gamma spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analysis quantified the amount of fuel leached into the solutions and provided individual isotopic release fractions (of 30+ isotopes) which were compared as a function of time and surface area of fuel exposed.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Compressor is A Sensor: A Universal Refrigerant Charge Fault Detection and Diagnostics Method Based on Pump Down Operation

The primary goal of this report is to develop a universal charge fault detection method that requires only a few experimental data with high prediction accuracy. Currently, pump-down operations is typical practices by HVAC technicians when they need to open the refrigerant circuit to make a repair. In addition, compressors have a built-in low-pressure cut-off protection function, and the compressor performance maps are commonly available from manufacturers. The new charge fault detection and diagnostics method innovatively utilizes the typical pump down operation, the compressor’s 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.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rod (TPBAR) Cutterhead Test Report

The Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) Target Rod Preparation (TRP) Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rod (TPBAR) Cutterhead is a specialized remote tubing cutter used to breach TPBARs (approximately 0.381 inch outside diameter x 0.336 inch inside diameter 316 stainless steel tubing). The cutterhead was originally designed by an external engineering firm - RTS Wright Industries. The bearing housing and drive plate, the main drive components, are designed to be fabricated from Nitronic 60, an anti-galling stainless steel, and coated with Dicronite® (Tungsten Disulfide) lubricating coating. These parts have galled after a limited number of cycles, damaging the fine 3.25-32 UN threads which drive the system. In some cases, destructive sectioning is required to remove the failed parts from the cutterhead. Cutterheads have been fabricated by multiple machine shops, with some cutterheads failing very quickly and some lasting more than 1,000 cuts. In 2019, Emery Corporation, now Toner Machining Technologies (TMT) was contracted to fabricate four (4) new complete sets of cutterheads. The newly fabricated cutterheads have not been able to pass the required acceptance test without the bearing housing and drive plate threads galling. TMT has tried multiple sets of Nitronic 60 bearing housing and drive plates; all have galled after less than 10 cuts.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Reliability Evaluation of Bifacial and Monofacial Glass/Glass Modules with EVA and non-EVA Encapsulants

The market share for bifacial modules is projected to be doubled from 30% to 60% in the next ten years. For the monofacial crystalline silicon glass/backsheet (G/B) modules, extensive reliability data has been available for over 40 years. However, practically little/no long-term field or accelerated reliability test data is available for the new generation glass/glass (G/G) bifacial modules and glass/transparent (G/T) bifacial modules. Therefore, the primary motivation of this project was to identify the reliability strengths and weaknesses of new generation G/G modules compared to G/B modules. In this 3-year project, the goal was to objectively recommend the best construction materials for the new generation G/G (bifacial) modules through a systematic experimental approach with appropriate tasks including: Evaluation of field retrieved old-generation G/G modules; Inspection of new-generation G/G modules installed in the plants; Evaluation of new-generation G/G, G/B and G/T modules using EAST (Extended Accelerated Stress Testing), CAST (Combined Accelerated Stress Testing) and FAST (Field Accelerated Stress Testing); and, dynamic literature search and review. Major accomplishments and outcomes of this project are: Accomplishments: Evaluated more than 60 field retrieved modules and constructed and characterized more than 135 mini-modules with three substrate types (G, B, and T), two encapsulant types (EVA and POE), and two cell types (monofacial and bifacial) as well as evaluated more than 30 commercial G/G and G/B modules; Subjected all the modules to multitude characterization tests and various indoor and outdoor accelerated stress tests including FAST (Field Accelerated Stress Testing), EAST (Extended Accelerated Stress Testing), and CAST (Combined Accelerated Stress Testing) to identify and correlate the failure modes in both field and lab tests. Outcomes: Based on the accelerated test results and handling/mounting experience obtained in this project, the recommended best construction for the glass/glass modules is: “Framed GG modules with cut-cells and POE encapsulant (UVpass front; UVpass back).” However, from a statistical and manufacturing point of view (along with stakeholders surveys), the following cautionary notes are added to the above-mentioned recommendation: (i) Cut cells could introduce a higher level of manufacturing issues, including a higher number of cell interconnects; (ii) POE encapsulant is more expensive than EVA and could present a delamination risk and lower throughput during manufacturing due to lower adhesion strength. Other encapsulants, such as coextruded EPE (EVA/POE/EVA), are also recommended to be investigated. The potential public benefit of the proposed project is to present the strengths and weaknesses of glass/glass modules, so an informed procurement decision can be made.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Performance Assessment for the E-Area Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at the Savannah River Site: Appendix B

The total relative uncertainty, U, reported for each isotope in each waste cut is given by (Eq. 2-2) in Section 2.3.5.3. Waste Cut 1 of Container SD00003950 has a total activity of 737.990 Ci distributed among the isotopes H-3 and Am-241. Table B-1 summarizes the calculation results for the best-effort analysis example presented in Section 2.3.5.9.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2023

SAS4A/SASSYS-1 Commercial Grade Dedication Example Report for a Generic Sodium Pool-Type Fast Reactor Application

In the U.S., a key component of the commercialization of advanced reactors is completion of a license application, which must ultimately be approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The approval of the license application by the NRC is contingent on satisfactory demonstration of the design basis and the response of the advanced reactor design to transient and accident scenarios using accepted codes and methods. This report describes the qualification and dedication requirements that the advanced reactor safety analysis system software SAS4A/SASSYS-1 are expected to need to fulfill to be used for sodium-cooled pool-type fast reactor licensing. The qualification and dedication requirements are identified through performance critical characteristics and evaluation model acceptance criteria representative of the advanced reactor design considered for licensing. This document captures, additionally, the verification process developed to demonstrate that the software fulfills the qualification and dedication requirements for a generic sodium-cooled pool-type fast reactor as part of the commercial grade dedication process. Like most software that has primarily existed in the research and development space, the most significant challenge facing SAS4A/SASSYS-1 for use in a licensing framework is the availability of a documentation basis describing the code pedigree. SAS4A/SASSYS-1 has been used for licensing of the fast flux test facility (FFTF) and the JOYO sodium-cooled fast reactor in Japan, as well as the design of the CRBR Plant. However, the historical verification and validation (V&V) activities supporting SAS4A/SASSYS-1 development do not align with modern software quality assurance (SQA) and V&V requirements. Two approaches to use of SAS4A/SASSYS-1 in a commercial licensing framework have been identified: commercial-grade dedication (CGD) and software qualification. The methods and requirements prescribed in the ASME NQA-1-2008/2009 Standard and Regulatory Guide 1.203 on the evaluation model development and assessment process (EMDAP) have been used as guidance to define the CGD and qualification processes, respectively. A qualification and dedication requirements matrix has been developed which utilizes fundamental software verification. In this process, software verification is defined as a software quality process aimed at defining software requirement specifications, developing software design documentation, and performing and documenting acceptance testing of the code against requirements. A key element of software qualification and dedication includes determination of software acceptance with respect to critical characteristics relevant to the functional requirements of the software. To assist with identification of cross-cutting transient phenomena and functional requirements, domestic SFR vendor designs have been reviewed to identify a reference SFR design. For this report, the reference design is defined as a pool-type reactor with metal alloy fuel, a liquid-metal intermediate heat transport system, and passive decay heat rejection systems. Given this reference, a series of high-level cross-cutting phenomena was identified for a general class of single-fault undercooling or reactivity insertion transients that scopes the design basis space, with the goal of assisting with prioritization of documentation development efforts for key transient models in SAS: 1) Reactivity feedback response prior to scram; 2) System-wide thermal inertia; 3) Transition in natural circulation flow regime in heat removal systems; 4) Decay heat generation; 5) Steady-state fuel characterization; 5) Clad/fuel behavior at elevated temperatures; 6) Point kinetics and decay heat; 7) Pump coastdown behavior; 8) Core flow redistribution in loss of forced convection; 9) Pool stratification. As a demonstration of CGD of SAS4A/SASSYS-1 for a sodium pool reactor, a software qualification and dedication gap analysis as it relates to code documentation has been performed. This effort leverages the framework established as part of the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 SQA Program. This CGD demonstration provides a framework that vendors can build upon to demonstrate the applicability of the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 software for licensing a sodium-cooled pool-type fast reactor.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY22) Appendix J: Leaching of High Burnup Used Nuclear Fuel in Deionized Water

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Exhibit D Scope of Work and Technical Specifications MOX Rod Reduction

PROJECT/PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), here after referred to as the CONTRACTOR, plans to provide NQA-1 service and support for the disposition of PF-4 basement inventory of Areva fuel rods. These fuel rods need to be reduced in length for proper shipping and disposition. The objective of this acquisition is to enter into an agreement with a SUBCONTRACTOR that shall provide expertise, materials, input for procurement of specialized tooling to be identified, and mockups for size reduction and FS65 disposition. Handling and size reduction of the Areva rods would take place at LANL. Physical work at LANL will be performed by the CONTRACTOR’s field execution team, portions of this work will have expertise provided by the SUBCONTRACTOR. As cited below via an add alternative and supplemental site visit(s) to LANL the CONTRACTOR may request the SUBCONTRACTOR to ship the necessary transportation, handling and packaging equipment at the SUBCONTRACTOR’s location to the CONTRACTOR’s facility for size reduction activities at LANL by the CONTRACTOR’s self-perform field execution team. In addition, the SUBCONTRACTOR shall provide subject matter expertise to CONTRACTOR personnel cutting the mockup Areva Fuel Rod at LANL as a rehearsal prior to CONTRACTOR cutting the actual MOX Fuel Rod if this add alternative is exercised.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Collaborative Research: Vlasov-Maxwell Simulations to Resolve Electron Heating and Dissipation, in Quasi-Perpendicular Shocks (Final Report)

Collisionless shocks are a grand challenge problem in plasma physics and have been the subject of study for more than six decades. Shocks are ubiquitous phenomena in the universe and are responsible for transforming high energy and momentum flows into thermal energy and energetic particles. Understanding how shocks operate is of primary importance to understand the sun-earth coupling, protecting manned missions and spacecrafts from high energy particles, inertial confinement fusion, and radiation observed from astrophysical plasmas, such as supernova remnants and astrophysical jets. A major unanswered question on this frontier is, how does a collisionless plasma transform flow energy and momentum into electron thermal energy? Many potential mechanisms have been proposed to perform the conversion between flow and thermal energy in a collisionless plasma, but the answer has been elusive. To solve the mystery, non-relativistic perpendicular and quasi-perpendicular shocks are studied via a coordinated approach employing cutting-edge numerical simulations with the continuum kinetic code Gkeyll and spacecraft observations supplied by NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. In both sets of data, we employ novel techniques to identify how and where energy is exchanged between electromagnetic fields and plasma particles. By combining cutting-edge spacecraft data and numerical simulations with these diagnostics, we have been able to identify some of the primary mechanisms responsible electron heating and dissipation in heliospheric shocks. In addition to electron dynamics, we have complete access to proton simulation and in situ data, enabling us to characterize proton heating and acceleration in quasi-perpendicular shocks. Many astrophysical quasi-perpendicular shocks have similar parameters to those in this study, including supernova remnants and shocks in galaxy clusters. Additionally, the simulation code, Gkeyll, and associated analysis scripts are openly available for community use. This award has supported a collaborative effort between Princeton University, the University of Arizona - Tucson, and the University of Maryland - College Park. The award funded three early career scientists, including the funding and training of one female postdoctoral researcher, who was involved in all aspects of the MMS data analysis and some portions of the simulation analysis.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY23): Appendix J: Leaching of High Burnup Used Nuclear Fuel in Deionized Water

The leaching experiment aims to understand the trends in the radiolysis-enhanced dissolution of HBU SNF when exposed to water (e.g., in-reactor or in-pool cladding failures). Specimens from a baseline M5-clad rod and a heat-treated M5 rod were cut from the fractured CIRFT specimens and placed in 100 mL deionized water for a period of 128 days. Both radial and axial sections were cut to provide different surface areas of fuel in contact with the leachate. During the four-month exposure period, aliquot samples of the leachate were analyzed using gamma spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analysis quantified the amount of fuel leached into the solutions and provided individual isotopic release fractions (of 30+ isotopes) which were compared as a function of time and surface area of the fuel exposed. Consistent with existing literature, the leaching followed a trend in which isotopes of certain elements such as Cs and Mo were among the first species in the matrix to dissolve, and with the highest release rates. This was followed by a gradual matrix dissolution consisting of uranium and other actinides and a slower-than-matrix release from some isotopes, including Ru and Rh. It was also observed that the circumferential samples having less exposed fuel surface area (to begin with) leached more than the axial samples for a majority of the isotopes during the timespan of the study. Previous experiments were conducted by decladding or exposing the pellet-clad surface completely, but the samples used in this study retained the cladding. One possible explanation for the higher leaching rate of the circumferential samples is that the pellet-clad interface, which has a greater density of grain boundaries and defects, may be the most vulnerable area to leaching of fuel in the presence of water.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2024

Status Report on Characterization of High Burnup Fuel with Advanced Nondestructive Pulsed Neutron PIE

Characterizing irradiated or spent nuclear fuels with pulsed neutron techniques provides microstructural data such as phase fractions as well as crystallographic data, e.g. lattice parameters, from diffraction analysis. Diffraction characterization is complemented by spatially resolved mapping of isotope densities from energy-resolved neutron imaging, in particular neutron absorption resonance imaging, and overall bulk isotope assay with better sensitivity for minority isotopes from neutron absorption resonance spectroscopy without spatial resolution. Furthermore, after characterization at ambient condition, heating of irradiated or spent fuel will allow to characterize differences of e.g. lattice thermal expansion or phase transition temperature and kinetics compared to fresh fuel as well as enable the study of disappearance of irradiation defects. This data enables benchmarking of predictions of properties of irradiated fuels for which otherwise experimental data is sparse. The effort described here strives to characterize a section cut from a high-burnup fuel. Volumes smaller than entire fuel pellets or rodlets as proposed here, e.g. sections cut from a fuel pellet, to pave the way to characterize entire pellets or rodlets in the future.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Acoustic-based monitoring and machine learning of component status for microreactor applications

This report provides a description and assessment of recent efforts to couple acoustic-based experimental measurements and characterization with machine learning models in order to enhance structural health monitoring capabilities for nuclear microreactors. With resilient embedded sensors in development by others supported by programs funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, the work described herein builds upon ongoing efforts to improve non-destructive testing technology that relates measured acoustic signatures to component stresses and/or structural defects, using a combination of new experimental measurements and machine learning architectures. The experimental procedure remained similar to that developed for the previous year’s demonstration of damage detection by the authors, with the same damaged sample tested under similar applied stress conditions. Notably, a new mounting fixture was designed and implemented to improve measurement consistency and a more sophisticated laser Doppler vibrometer was employed to make high-fidelity vibration measurements. Two nominally identical sets of training data were collected for each experimental setup to better understand the repeatability of the experiment and to better test the generality of trained neural network models. Additionally, we obtained new high-quality 3D mode shapes of the damaged test article at various stress and excitation levels, providing greater insights into the physical response of the sample during testing. Previously, we demonstrated that a machine learning model based on a convolutional neural network can predict structural details of an artificially introduced interface (intact, rough cut, smooth cut), and the applied torque level. In this study, we have transitioned to graph-based neural network architectures to better develop and test a flexible framework that is more suitable to being transferred away from controlled benchtop experiments and into more applied settings where less-structured data inputs may be expected. In general, performance testing of a graph neural network on frequency-domain representations of the data indicates strong and consistent identification of test conditions for datasets recorded on damaged components. With goals of predicting damage location and other changing experimental conditions using limited datasets, predictive models using a graph neural network architecture correctly predicted the applied torque level with an accuracy of 85% using only a single measurement point and predicted within one torque level in 95% of test windows. Predictions of damage location had limited success due to the symmetry and minimal number of the damage scenarios presented during model training. Results were ambiguous as to whether the model could detect the location of the artificial damage, or if it was instead learning the location of a given measurement point on the part and subsequently detecting which points were closest to the location of the damage. This finding will be factored into upcoming planned work on damaged graphite components, where new experimental tests with a larger number and variety of damage scenarios are expected to provide improved validation of recent developments in monitoring methodology.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Wabash Hydrogen Negative Emissions Technology Demonstration

The objectives of the Wabash Hydrogen Negative Emissions Technology Demonstration Project (Wabash Project) are to develop and design all aspects of the scope, cost, characteristics and investment case of a world class flexible gasification, net negative carbon, hydrogen co-products power plant. The outcome of this undertaking is a complete set of deliverables that has been produced by a preeminent team of engineers, constructors, operators, and developers, building upon previous technology, utilizing cutting edge technology, and thoroughly defining all aspects of this fully integrated 21st Century Powerplant. The Wabash Project encapsulates several cross-cutting initiatives within the US Department of Energy, such as 100% hydrogen powered combustion turbine, geological carbon sequestration, coal with biomass gasification and hydrogen energy storage. The flexible gasifier at the Wabash Valley Resources plant is a slurry-fed, entrained flow, high-temperature, oxygen-blown gasifier that has been proven commercially to operate successfully on various coals and petroleum coke (petcoke). The ability to be fuel flexible and feed various biomass (woody biomass and agriculture residue) and petroleum waste (plastics) was evaluated during BP 1 (BP1). This involved the preparation and testing of feedstocks into slurries to determine what fuels can be fed to the gasifier. By utilizing a flexible oxygen-blown gasifier, the ability to address operational issues common to lower temperature biomass gasification, such as the handling of tars, can be mitigated. The overall goal is to achieve a design capable of carbon-negative emissions while leveraging the substantial investments made and operating experience already gained at the Wabash site.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Characterization to Inform Sustainable Recovery of Critical Minerals from Fossil Energy Waste Feedstocks

Rare earth elements (REE) and other critical minerals (CM, e.g., Co, Li) have important uses in green energy and modern technologies, yet are vulnerable to potential supply chain disruptions. One potential domestic source of CM is fossil energy wastes, such as acid mine drainage (AMD) and treatment solids (AMD solids), coal combustion ash, and Oil and Gas (O&G) drilling wastes (drill cuttings and produced waters). CM recovery from these waste feedstocks is promising due to their abundances and fast availability as waste products. On the other hand, the CM occurrence in these wastes is in small quantities compared to traditional ore bodies. Thus, novel and strategic separation and extraction processes are under exploration. Researchers at DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) are collecting and analyzing CM data for aforementioned fossil energy wastes, and utilizing advanced geochemical characterization (e.g., synchrotron microprobe and sequential extraction) to understand the CM speciation and binding environments in these materials to better inform sustainable and effective recovery. Successful examples discussed in this talk include: (1) the discovery of easily mobile REE phases in Ca-rich coal combustion ash and developing a patented REE recovery process from Ca-rich Powder River Basin coal ash; (2) the successful identification of REE/Co/Ni/Zn hosting phases in acid mine drainage treatment solids (AMD solids) with diverse chemical composition (Al, Mn, or Fe-rich) informing the sequential recovery of different REE/CMs from AMD solids; (3) the recovery potential of Li and other CMs in O&G produced waters and drill cuttings. The innovations driven by characterization have the potential to offset the cost of waste management and wastewater treatments while reducing the cost and environmental footprint of CM extraction.

characterization and extraction↗

DOE OSTI2023

Geochemical characterization of lithium deposition in fossil energy wastes

Lithium is a critical mineral used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and future modernization of electric grids with sensitive supply chains that are subject to volatility. Therefore, methods to recover lithium from domestic unconventional sources are actively being pursued in the United States. Herein, we report on the lithium recovery potential from four fossil energy waste feedstocks: oil and gas drill cuttings (sample number n = 16); oil and gas produced waters (n > 200) from Marcellus, Bakken and Permian basins; coal byproducts (n>20), such as coal ash; and acid mine drainage treatment solids (AMD solids). Select solid samples underwent sequential extraction to explore lithium hosting phases and simple organic and inorganic acid extraction to explore lithium recovery potential. Our preliminary results found lithium concentrations up to 440 mg/kg in select AMD treatment solids and up to 300 mg/L in Marcellus Shale produced waters, demonstrating these sources have lithium yield potentials comparable to conventionally mined lithium ores and brines. Sequential extractions revealed that lithium is mostly associated with clay and silicate phases in shale drill cuttings, whereas lithium resides in Fe,Mn-oxide reducible phases in AMD solids. Further, the lithium content in produced waters has a strong linear relationship with total dissolved solid (TDS) levels in three separate oil and gas basins. At the same TDS level, Marcellus Shale produced waters contain more lithium compared to Bakken Shale and Permian Basin waters, with higher percentages of Ca and Mg, major cations that might impact lithium recovery efficiencies. Our study demonstrates the heterogeneity of lithium hosts from different fossil energy wastes. Characterization results will inform future lithium recovery from these different feedstocks.

Stuckman, Mengling↗