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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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NASA NTRS1983

Advanced single permanent magnet axipolar ironless stator ac motor for electric passenger vehicles

A program was conducted to design and develop an advanced-concept motor specifically created for propulsion of electric vehicles with increased range, reduced energy consumption, and reduced life-cycle costs in comparison with conventional systems. The motor developed is a brushless, dc, rare-earth cobalt, permanent magnet, axial air gap inductor machine that uses an ironless stator. Air cooling is inherent provided by the centrifugal-fan action of the rotor poles. An extensive design phase was conducted, which included analysis of the system performance versus the SAE J227a(D) driving cycle. A proof-of-principle model was developed and tested, and a functional model was developed and tested. Full generator-level testing was conducted on the functional model, recording electromagnetic, thermal, aerodynamic, and acoustic noise data. The machine demonstrated 20.3 kW output at 1466 rad/s and 160 dc. The novel ironless stator demonstated the capability to continuously operate at peak current. The projected system performance based on the use of a transistor inverter is 23.6 kW output power at 1466 rad/s and 83.3 percent efficiency. Design areas of concern regarding electric vehicle applications include the inherently high windage loss and rotor inertia.

Beauchamp, E. D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Cost and schedule estimation study report

This report describes the analysis performed and the findings of a study of the software development cost and schedule estimation models used by the Flight Dynamics Division (FDD), Goddard Space Flight Center. The study analyzes typical FDD projects, focusing primarily on those developed since 1982. The study reconfirms the standard SEL effort estimation model that is based on size adjusted for reuse; however, guidelines for the productivity and growth parameters in the baseline effort model have been updated. The study also produced a schedule prediction model based on empirical data that varies depending on application type. Models for the distribution of effort and schedule by life-cycle phase are also presented. Finally, this report explains how to use these models to plan SEL projects.

Condon, Steve↗

NASA NTRS1999

Composition and Origin of Martian Surface Material, Remote Detection of Minerals, and Applications to Astrobiology

Martian surface composition and processes are under study through analysis of spectral, magnetic and chemical data from Mars and analysis of laboratory analog materials. The focus of this study is on potential lander/rover measurements of weathered volcanic tephra and hydrothermal rocks because these samples resulted from processes that may have occurred on Mars. Fine-grained particles from these sources may be responsible for origination of the dust/soil on Mars that is shaping the planet's surface character. Alteration on the surface of Mars likely includes both chemical and physical interactions of soil particles and rock surfaces. Many of the minerals present in hydrothermal samples may be associated with organisms and may be useful as indicators of life or environments supportive of life on Mars. Characterization of the spectroscopic properties in the visible/near-infrared (VIS/NIR) and mid-infrared (IR) regions using reflectance, emittance and Raman, as well as the thermal properties of minerals thought to be present on Mars are being performed in order to identify them remotely. Particular interest is directed toward locating minerals, and hence landing sites, important to Astrobiology.

Bishop, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Cancer Risk Estimates from Space Flight Estimated Using Yields of Chromosome Damage in Astronaut's Blood Lymphocytes

To date, cytogenetic damage has been assessed in blood lymphocytes from more than 30 astronauts before and after they participated in long-duration space missions of three months or more on board the International Space Station. Chromosome damage was assessed using fluorescence in situ hybridization whole chromosome analysis techniques. For all individuals, the frequency of chromosome damage measured within a month of return from space was higher than their preflight yield, and biodosimetry estimates were within the range expected from physical dosimetry. Follow up analyses have been performed on most of the astronauts at intervals ranging from around 6 months to many years after flight, and the cytogenetic effects of repeat long-duration missions have so far been assessed in four individuals. Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been validated as biomarkers of cancer risk and cytogenetic damage can therefore be used to characterize excess health risk incurred by individual crewmembers after their respective missions. Traditional risk assessment models are based on epidemiological data obtained on Earth in cohorts exposed predominantly to acute doses of gamma-rays, and the extrapolation to the space environment is highly problematic, involving very large uncertainties. Cytogenetic damage could play a key role in reducing uncertainty in risk estimation because it is incurred directly in the space environment, using specimens from the astronauts themselves. Relative cancer risks were estimated from the biodosimetry data using the quantitative approach derived from the European Study Group on Cytogenetic Biomarkers and Health database. Astronauts were categorized into low, medium, or high tertiles according to their yield of chromosome damage. Age adjusted tertile rankings were used to estimate cancer risk and results were compared with values obtained using traditional modeling approaches. Individual tertile rankings increased after space flight and analysis of follow up samples indicated that the tertile rankings remained in the high category for more than 50% of the individuals assessed so far. Crewmembers that shift and remain in the high category are projected to have increased life-time cancer risk.

George, Kerry A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

The Pathway to a Safe and Effective Medication Formulary for Exploration Spaceflight

PURPOSE: Exploration space missions pose several challenges to providing a comprehensive medication formulary designed to accommodate the size and space limitations of the spacecraft; while addressing the individual medications needs and preferences of the Crew; the negative outcome of a degrading inventory over time, the inability to resupply before expiration dates; and the need to properly forecast the best possible medication candidates to treat conditions that will occur in the future. METHODS: The Pharmacotherapeutics Discipline has partnered with the Exploration Medical Capabilities (ExMC) Element to develop and propose a research pathway that is comprehensively focused on evidence-based models and theories, as well as on new diagnostic tools and treatments or preventive measures aimed at closure of the Med02 “Pharmacy” Gap; defined in the Human Research Program’s (HRP) risk-based research strategy. The Med02 Gap promotes the challenge to identify a strategy to ensure that medications used to treat medical conditions during exploration space missions are available, safe, and effective. It is abundantly clear that pharmaceutical intervention is an essential component of risk management planning for astronaut healthcare during exploration space. However, the quandary still remains of how to assemble a formulary that is comprehensive enough to prevent or treat anticipated medical events; and is also chemically stable, safe, and robust enough to have sufficient potency to last for the duration of an exploration space mission. In cases where that is not possible, addressing this Gap requires exploration of novel drug development techniques, dosage forms, and dosage delivery platforms that enhance chemical stability as well as therapeutic effectiveness. RESULTS: The proposed research pathway outlines the steps, processes, procedures, and a research portfolio aimed at identifying a capability that will provide a safe and effective pharmacy for any specific exploration Design Reference Mission (DRM). The proposed approach to building this research portfolio is to seek research projects that concentrate on four major focus areas; (1) Formulary selection, (2) Formulary potency and shelf life, (3) Formulary safety and toxicity, and (4) Novel technology and innovation such as portable real-time chemical analysis innovative drug therapies and dosage and delivery platforms. CONCLUSION: The research pathway has been completed and presented to the HRP. In spring 2017, it is scheduled to be reviewed by a panel of pharmaceutical and clinical experts that will evaluate the scientific merit and operational feasibility of the research pathway, as well as make suggestions for any warranted additions or improvements. Once finalized, the ExMC Element will proceed with the execution of this research pathway with the goal of gathering as much data, and learning as much as possible, to provide a safe and effective pharmaceutical formulary for use during exploration missions.

Daniels, V. R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

OpenNEX: An open collaboration platform for the earth science community

Satellite data from the past several decades provide the most consistent record of land-surface processes that form the basis for scientific assessments of the impacts of climate variations and changes on the environment and human social-economical activities. During this time, scientific research on the characterization and assessment of environmental changes had tended to focus on large-scale land-surface changes with significant social-economic impacts. Increasingly, attention is shifting toward changes that occur more locally and that most directly relate to the everyday life of the majority of the population. In addition, there has been needs to develop management and policy decision support systems that are based on local environmental information. Almost at the same time, the advancement in sensor technology has allowed us to collect an unprecedented volume of environmental data. These data must be curated and analyzed to extract useful information for research and decision support purposes. Established in 2013 and funded by NASA, the Open NASA Earth eXchange (OpenNEX; https://opennex.org/ , Jia et al., 2019 ) project partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to make available a large amount of Earth observing data, modeling results, and analysis tools on the AWS. OpenNEX provides researchers, developers, educators, and ordinary users with easy access to an integrated Earth science computational and data platform, enabling citizen scientists and application developers to realize the full value of NASA data assets and software tools. To encourage the public's engagement in this project, NASA ran virtual workshops and prize competitions. The virtual workshops provided online lectures and tutorials about how prominent scientists used the data in their research and the tutorials gave examples how to use the tools to interrogate the data in the Amazon cloud. Finally, the prize competitions allowed much wider participation in the OpenNEX project and enable testing the non-traditional projects and out-of-box ideas. OpenNEX has continued to evolve and mature. Here, we highlight new features and functionalities available to the community.

Jian Zhang↗

DOE OSTI2020

Activity Time-Use Patterns and Experienced Satisfaction: Travel Behavioral Dynamics from the 2010–2013 American Time-Use Survey Data

Central to the theory of activity-based approaches is the role of time-use and its impacts on various decision processes related to individual activity-travel patterns, thereby determining ones’ daily well-being. This research aims at quantifying and investigating the underlying correlation of time-use and happiness using the repeated cross-section data from the 2010-2013 American Time Use Survey Well-Being module. The survey specifically records reported levels of activity satisfaction as measured through – happiness, meaningfulness, tiredness, sadness and stress experienced from activity participation. Using these scores, we first construct a composite degree of activity satisfaction that a person experiences using latent class cluster analysis. A series of regression models are then estimated to jointly analyze episodic duration and satisfaction separately for each of years from 2010-2013, by controlling for socioeconomics, household lifecycle stages (29-groups based on age, gender, marital status and presence of children), activity characteristics and global life and health assessment measures. Overall, model estimation results reveal a strong negative correlation between episodic duration and happiness from individual activity engagement patterns. This correlation pattern is temporally stable for the years 2010-2013, with minor variations. Results also suggest that household lifecycle stage has a major impact on activity time-use and satisfaction behavior. Further, single parent and younger couples (25 years to 45 years) with children are more likely to engage in longer and less happy episodes due to family commitments. The model findings also show a strong correlation between health conditions and activity happiness.

Ravulaparthy, Srinath↗

DOE OSTI2015

WE-AB-BRB-10: Filmless QA of CyberKnife MLC-Collimated and Iris-Collimated Fields

Purpose: Current methods of CK field shape QA is based on the use of radiochromic film. Though accurate results can be attained, these methods are prone to error, time consuming, and expensive. The techniques described herein perform similar QA using the FOIL Detector (Field, Output, and Image Localization). A key feature of this in-house QA solution, and central to this study, is an aSi flat-panel detector which provides the user with the means to perform accurate, immediate, and quantitative field analysis. Methods: The FOIL detector is automatically aligned in the CK beam using fiducial markers implanted within the detector case. Once the system is aligned, a treatment plan is delivered which irradiates the flat-panel imager using the field being tested. The current study tests each of the clinically-used fields shaped using the Iris variable-aperture collimation system using a plan which takes 6 minutes to deliver. The user is immediately provided with field diameter and beam profile, as well as a comparison to baseline values. Additionally, the detector is used to acquire and analyze leaf positions of the InCise multi-leaf collimation system. Results: Using a 6-minute plan consisting of 11 beams of 25MU-per-beam, the FOIL detector provided the user with a quantitative analysis of all clinically-used field shapes. The FOIL detector was also able to clearly resolve field edge junctions in a picket fence test, including slight over-travel of individual leaves as well as inter-leaf leakage. Conclusion: The FOIL system provided comparable field diameter and profile data when compared to methods using film; providing results much faster and with 5% of the MU used for film. When used with the MLC system, the FOIL detector provided the means for immediate quantification of the performance of the system through analysis of leaf positions in a picket fence test field. Author is the President/Owner of Spectrum Medical Physics, LLC, a company which maintains contracts with Siemens Healthcare and Standard Imaging, Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In-Time Safety Assessment & Risk Prediction for Unmanned Aerial Systems

One of the critical challenges in emerging autonomous systems is timely mitigation of hazards encountered during operation which may not be known or accounted for at the time of design. Efficient execution of unmanned systems therefore demands a paradigm shift from scheduled periodic maintenance to predictive risk analysis that includes condition-based-monitoring, real-time reliability assessment and hazard mitigation. Particularly, the state-of-health parameters needs to be computed at the component level, unit level as well as the integrated system level. While in the former two levels, the physics of health propagation may be based on underlying electro-mechanical properties, system level prognostics often relies on data-driven models. Further, uncertainty from model, measurements and input sources should be accurately quantified to generate meaningful prediction results that can be fed into reliable decision making processes. Finally, the expected risk and time to failure has to be computed based on the current state-of-health of the overall system. This talk presents a conceptual design of such an in-time safety assurance approach for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) operating at low altitudes near and over populated areas. Typical in-flight hazard incidents include unplanned detour, proximity to obstacles, mid-flight component faults, limited battery life and poor quality of GPS measurements. Safety assessment therefore comprises trajectory generation and re-plan, battery RUL computation, distributed fault diagnostics and uncertainty management of predicted trajectory based on GPS measurement noise. The entire monitoring framework will be demonstrated on simulated as well as real UAV flight experiments conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center. This tutorial will therefore guide the audience through a step-by-step tracking of an autonomous system with focus on in-time risk prediction in the presence of unforeseen hazards and uncertain environment.

diagnostics↗

NASA NTRS2007

Full Life-Cycle Defect Management Assessment: Initial Inspection Data Collection Results and Research Questions for Further Study

It is often the case in software projects that when schedule and budget resources are limited, the Verification and Validation (V&V) activities suffer. Fewer V&V activities can be afforded and moreover, short-term challenges can result in V&V activities being scaled back or dropped altogether. As a result, too often the default solution is to save activities for improving software quality until too late in the life-cycle, relying on late-term code inspections followed by thorough testing activities to reduce defect counts to acceptable levels. As many project managers realize, however, this is a resource-intensive way of achieving the required quality for software. The Full Life-cycle Defect Management Assessment Initiative, funded by NASA s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance under the Software Assurance Research Program, aims to address these problems by: Improving the effectiveness of early life-cycle V&V activities to make their benefits more attractive to team leads. Specifically, we focus on software inspection, a proven method that can be applied to any software work product, long before executable code has been developed; Better communicating this effectiveness to software development teams, along with suggestions for parameters to improve in the future to increase effectiveness; Analyzing the impact of early life-cycle V&V on the effectiveness and cost required for late life-cycle V&V activities, such as testing, in order to make the tradeoffs more apparent. This white paper reports on an initial milestone in this work, the development of a preliminary model of inspection effectiveness across multiple NASA Centers. This model contributes toward reaching our project goals by: Allowing an examination of inspection parameters, across different types of projects and different work products, for an analysis of factors that impact defect detection effectiveness. Allowing a comparison of this NASA-specific model to existing recommendations in the literature regarding how to plan effective inspections. Forming a baseline model which can be extended to incorporate factors describing: the numbers and types of defects that are missed by inspections; how such defects flow downstream through software development phases; how effectively they can be caught by testing activities in the late stages of development. The model has been implemented in a prototype web-enabled decision-support tool which allows developers to enter their inspection data and receive feedback based on a comparison against the model. The tool also allows users to access reusable materials (such as checklists) from projects included in the baseline. Both the tool itself and the model underlying it will continue to be extended throughout the remainder of this initiative. As results of analyzing inspection effectiveness for defect containment are determined, they can be shared via the tool and also via updates to existing training courses on metrics and software inspections. Moreover, the tool will help satisfy key CMMI requirements for the NASA Centers, as it will enable NASA to take a global view across peer review results for various types of projects to identify systemic problems. This analysis can result in continuous improvements to the approach to verification.

Shull, Forrest↗

DOE OSTI2025

Contaminant Investigation and Pre‐Processing Opportunities for Textile‐To‐Textile Recycling

Millions of metric tons of textiles are landfilled or incinerated each year in the United States, with less than 1% of textiles recycled into new clothing or fabrics. To counter this trend, a growing number of companies and researchers are exploring how a circular economy can be applied to support textile‐to‐textile recycling. A significant barrier they face comes down to quickly and efficiently extracting pure feedstock material from post‐consumer garments that feature a mix of natural and synthetic fibers. Textile recyclers prefer pure feedstocks, as working with mixed sources typically means lower throughput, higher risk of equipment failure, and diminished business margins. To facilitate a circular economy for textiles, methods, and technologies are needed that can efficiently separate out materials and contaminants from end‐of‐life textiles to increase the flow of pure feedstocks to recyclers. This paper summarizes findings from interviews with a cross section of textile recyclers and from a review of literature to define basic feedstock requirements. In addition to our qualitative research, we deconstruct a bale of post‐consumer textiles and analyze them using computer‐vision imaging, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and machine learning. The resulting data are used to set system‐level design inputs for an automated contaminant removal system to process post‐consumer clothing into appropriate feedstocks for recycling. To set the system's levels for automated real‐time near‐infrared analysis, we identify the minimum percentage of primary material that any single garment in a load of used clothing must contain for the average of the full output stream to meet the target purity levels of recyclers. Here, the envisioned automated system can also address undesirable trace materials that might contaminate the processed stream by using imaging cameras coupled with artificial intelligence to identify sections of clothing for de‐trimming. Proof‐of‐concept machine learning algorithms are evaluated to locate and identify trims or garment areas with hidden contaminant materials. Integrating these methods into automated textile cutting systems can provide a cost‐effective means for increasing feedstock purity from used clothing, which can advance circularity for textiles by helping recyclers to reach production volumes and quality targets that were not possible solely with manual dismantling operations.

Parsons, Ryan [Rochester Institute of Technology, ↗

DOE OSTI2018

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Analysis of All-Solid Li-Ion Battery Electrode Using Synchrotron Transmission X-ray Microscopy Tomography

A synchrotron transmission X-ray microscopy tomography system with a spatial resolution of 58.2 nm at the Advanced Photon Source was employed to obtain three-dimensional morphological data of all-solid Li-ion battery electrodes. The three-phase electrode was fabricated from a 47:47:6 (wt %) mixture of Li(Ni 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 )O 2 as active material, Li 1.3 Ti 1.7 Al 0.3 (PO 4 ) 3 as Li-ion conductor, and Super-P carbon as electron conductor. Furthermore, the geometric analysis show that particle-based all-solid Li-ion battery has serious contact interface problem which significantly impact the Li-ion transport and intercalation reaction in the electrode, leading to low capacity, poor rate capability and cycle life.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Giant kelp genetic monitoring before and after disturbance reveals stable genetic diversity in Southern California

Given the impacts of climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on marine systems, there is a need to accurately predict how species respond to changing environments and disturbance regimes. The use of genetic tools to monitor temporal trends in populations gives ecologists the ability to estimate changes in genetic diversity and effective population size that may be undetectable by traditional census methods. Although multiple studies have used temporal genetic analysis, they usually involve commercially important species, and rarely sample before and after disturbance. In this study, we run a temporal analysis of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera , genetic diversity over the scope of 10 years (2008-2018) using the same microsatellite marker panel to assess the genetic consequences of disturbance in several populations of giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera ) in the Southern California Bight. The study is a rare pre- and post-disturbance microsatellite analysis that included declines to giant kelp caused by the 2015/16 El Nino Southern Oscillation event. We used canopy biomass estimated by remote sensing (Landsat) to quantify the extent of disturbance to kelp beds, and sea surface temperature data to understand how kelp was pushed towards its temperature limits during this period. Despite prolonged periods with decreased canopy at several sites, no changes in genetic structure and allelic richness were observed. We argue that giant kelp in the region is best described as a “patchy population” system where true extinctions are rare. We discuss how deep refugia of subsurface sporophytes and cryptic microscopic life stages could have kept genetic diversity through disturbance. Given the increasing effects of climate change and uncertainty in modeling impacts of species with cryptic life history stages, we suggest further investigation to reveal the role such stages play in species resilience. Genetic monitoring studies of sites selected by remote census demographic and climate surveys should be continued in the future given the predicted impacts of climate change.

Klingbeil, III, William H.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Comparisons and Contrasts Between Mediterranean Flood-Producing Orographic Storms and Tropical Cyclones Modified by Complex Orography

Often, late-year, flood-producing storms in the Mediterranean Alps region arise from baroclinic disturbances developing on westerly longwaves, with the incipient storm circulations appearing well west of the flood zone. Regardless of the genesis locations and before the storms begin their flow interactions with the orography of the Mediterranean Alps, a process which can produce intense long-lived rainfall over the mountainous terrain of Italy and France, most of their moisture is drawn from warm Mediterranean waters while important elements of their thermodynamic structure are derived from airmass properties originating in north Africa and the Mediterranean basin itself. In fact, because of strong thermodynamic contrasts between the baroclinic zone producing the incipient disturbance and high potential temperature air from the south advecting into and wrapping around the storm center, a Mediterranean storm whose origins are from an evolving shortwave baroclinic perturbation, can become a quasi-warm core hybrid in term of its energetics composition, a process somewhat akin to the development of polar lows. This process begs the question of whether there are similarities between the autumn-winter season flood producing storms of the Mediterranean Alps and warm core tropical cyclones which become altered dynamically and thermodynamically by landfall over steep orographic terrain. This study investigates, from a comparison and contrast perspective, how the similarities and differences between the two types of storms manifest themselves over their respective life cycles. Before the orographically-induced precipitation-release stage in which both types of storm have evolved to the same hydrometeorlogical conclusion, the two storm categories are transforming from entirely distinctive origins, i.e., the classic eastward traveling, baroclinic mid-latitude cyclone forming in western Europe, and the classic eastward-traveling, warm core tropical cyclone developing in the western Pacific. The analyses use high resolution, nonhydrostatic model simulations, satellite data, and various types of ground data to conduct the study. The flood events of Piemonte- 2000 in northern Italy and Typhoon Rusa-2002 in South Korea are selected to focus the analysis on well documented meteorological events.

Smith, Eric A.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Systems Analysis of Biomass and Coal Co-firing Power Plants with Deep Carbon Capture Toward Net-zero Emissions

Achieving a net-zero emission economy in the United States requires integrating diverse low-carbon and negative-emission technologies into the existing fossil fuel-dominant power fleet. Potential technologies from the low-carbon portfolio include renewable power, fossil power with carbon capture and storage (CCS), bioenergy with CCS (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC). Renewable power is a clean energy source but has to pair with costly battery storage to provide dispatchable electricity. Fossil power with CCS offers dispatchable electricity yet still relies on DAC to offset residual emissions, even when deploying deep CCS with more than 90% CO2 capture. Coal-biomass co-firing with CCS, a subset of BECCS, is a reliable energy production technology that can be retrofitted from existing electricity generation units (EGUs). Power plant retrofit maximizes the use of the current U.S. coal power fleet without the need for large-scale deployment of new renewable power, battery storage, or DAC. Retrofitting coal-biomass co-firing with deep CCS in EGUs is a promising option, but not a universal solution. Biomass co-firing at a power plant introduces economic challenges and indirectly poses pressure on land and water resources. Meanwhile, retrofitting deep CCS affects plant efficiency and raises electricity generation costs. Overall, the technical feasibility and economic viability of plant retrofits vary across EGUs, as they are contingent upon the regional availability of biomass, unit-specific characteristics, site-specific fuel supply costs, and adjacent CO2 storage potential. Government incentives like 45Q can improve the retrofit viability, though the impact requires further quantification. A comprehensive analysis at the unit level is essential to address the question regarding the fate of the U.S. coal-fired electricity generation fleet toward the net-zero emission goal. This study conducts a systematic techno-economic-environmental assessment of EGUs to identify the viability of biomass co-firing and deep CCS retrofits in the U.S. coal-fired power fleet. Specifically, it characterizes the techno-economic performance of deep carbon capture, estimates life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and conducts a fleet-level assessment on retrofit viability. The key objectives are (1) to estimate the unit-specific performance and retrofitted cost under various biomass co-firing levels and CO2 capture rates; (2) to determine the possibility of reaching net-zero emission at the fleet level; (3) to quantify the cumulative capacities that are suitable for plant retrofits under current and future biomass supply scenarios; and (4) to improve the understanding of policy impacts on such retrofits to help the power sector’s transition to a net-zero economy. Techno-economic Model of Deep Carbon Capture. This study develops the performance and economic models for Monoethanolamine-based post-combustion CO2 capture at 95–99% capture rates. The process is simulated in Aspen Plus, analyzing the performance of carbon capture technology by varying the plant sizes, solvent lean loading, CO2 concentrations, and flue gas inlet temperature. Based on the key inputs and output parameters of CO2 capture, a reduced-order performance model of deep carbon capture is formulated. In addition, an engineering-economic model integrating the performance metrics is developed to estimate the capital as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. Capital cost estimations follow the framework of the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) and incorporate data regressions from three technical reports by IECM, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The O&M cost estimation utilizes the actual inventory consumption rate and labor requirements. Both performance and cost models are embedded into IECM v13.0-beta, a fossil-fuel power plant modeling tool. Life Cycle Assessment of Power Plants. This study estimates the GHG emissions of power plants through life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA scope includes fuel supply, combustion-based power generation, and CO2 transport and storage. The fuel-based life cycle module is designed following the framework of the NETL Unit Process Library and CO2U LCA Guidance Toolkit. The module is then incorporated into IECM v13.0-beta. The process-based LCA is applied to estimate the GHG emissions of coal and biomass supply, coal- and coal-biomass co-firing power plant operation, as well as CO2 pipeline transport and geographical sequestration. An uncertainty analysis is conducted to quantify the variability and uncertainty associated with the LCA using the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method. Fleet-level Assessment. This study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of selected coal-fired EGUs, examines the role of tax credits in retrofit viability, and assesses the competitiveness of retrofitted units against other low-carbon options. Unit screening identifies EGUs for the study, focusing on new, efficient baseload units with air pollution controls. The power plant databases are then established to organize unit-specific information on performance and operating conditions from the relevant public databases. Biomass for co-firing retrofits is selected based on home and neighboring county availability, ensuring sustained operation with at least a 5% co-firing level. The CO2 storage site is determined by state-level storage potential, with ArcGIS Pro and NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model used to identify the optimal balance between the nearest transport distances and affordable storage costs. The latest IECM v13.0-beta is then employed to configure and evaluate the eligible EGUs with or without the deployment of deep CCS and biomass co-firing. A supply curve is established to illustrate the cumulative installed capacity suitable for retrofits at different cost levels. A sensitivity analysis on tax credits for carbon sequestration is performed. Finally, a unit-level cost comparison is conducted among retrofitted plants, renewable power with battery storage, and abated fossil fuels with DAC. Expected Results. This study evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental metrics of each EGU across an array of CO2 capture rates and biomass co-firing level scenarios. Unit-level comparisons will identify critical factors influencing technical performance. The supply curves with and without tax incentives will provide insights into the impact of tax credits on biomass co-firing and CCS deployment. The cost comparisons with renewables and DAC-retrofit will assess the competitiveness of the retrofitted units. Life cycle emissions from each unit will be assessed to identify the scenarios under which net-zero emissions can be achieved. These analyses are expected to determine the total coal-fired capacity suitable for serving as a low-carbon energy source with or without tax incentives. The study results are novel in identifying optimal unit-specific strategies for producing carbon-neutral power, whether through retrofitting EGUs with deep CCS, biomass co-firing, DAC, or installing renewable power with battery. The findings will provide insight into nationwide efforts to ensure reliable, affordable, and low-carbon electricity. It also will inform investment decisions and policies in the deployment of deep carbon capture and negative emission technologies for a net-zero energy future.

Biomass Co-firing↗

DOE OSTI2018

Citrus bioflavonoids dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition compared with gliptin antidiabetic medications

Highlights: • The citrus bioflavonoids may possess dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition activity similar to gliptins. • Various citrus bioflavonoids may have a variable DPP-4 inhibition activity. • The measurement of the DPP-4 inhibition activity can be done using DPP-4 inhibition kit. • Commercial citrus bioflavonoid supplements contain various citrus bioflavonoids with different DPP-4 inhibition activities. This study compared dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory activity of citrus bioflavonoid nutraceuticals compared with three gliptins. Citrus bioflavonoid standards and three commercially available citrus bioflavonoid supplements (Thompson's Super Bioflavonoid Complex{sup ®}(SB), Ethical Nutrients Bioflavonoids Plus Vitamin C{sup ®}(EN), and Country Life Citrus Bioflavonoids and Rutin{sup ®}(CB)) were considered in this study. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis was undertaken to identify and quantitate the citrus bioflavonoids present in each supplement. The DPP-4 inhibitory activity was determined by fluorometric assay. All of the tested individual citrus flavonoids demonstrated DPP-4 inhibitory activity, with IC{sub 50} values ranging from 485 μM (rutin) to 5700 μM (hesperitin and eriodictyol). Similarly, the flavonoid supplements had IC{sub 50} values of 16.9 mg/mL (EN), 3.44 mg/mL (SB) and 2.72 mg/mL (CB). These values compare with gliptin IC{sub 50} values of 0.684 μM (sitagliptin), 0.707 μM (saxagliptin) and 2.286 μM (vildagliptin). The supplement flavonoid content varied from 11.98% (CB) to 5.26% (EN) and 14.51% (SB) of tablet mass, corresponding to daily flavonoid doses of around 300, 150 and 400 mg, respectively, with CB and SB containing rutin at levels of 7.0% and 7.5% of tablet mass, respectively. While our data demonstrated that citrus bioflavonoid based supplements do possess DPP-4 inhibitory activity, they are several orders of magnitude less potent than gliptins. Further studies using higher concentrations of citrus bioflavonoids, as well as investigations into antioxidant properties which may add additional benefit are warranted.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

MC{sup 2}-3/DIF3D Analysis of the ZPPR-15 Axial Expansion Experiments

The Zero Power Physics Reactor (ZPPR) fast critical facility at the Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANLW) site in Idaho was built in 1969 to obtain neutron physics information necessary for the design of fast breeder reactors. The ZPPR-15 phases A through D were part of a series of cores intended to model a 330 MWt Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept. The ZPPR-15 assembly consisted of an inner core zone, an outer core zone of higher fissile content, a thin radial blanket and a thick steel reflector. The inner and outer core zones were of approximately equal volumes. The core zones simulated a sodium-cooled, metal-fueled fast reactor with approximately 10 wt.% zirconium in the target fuel composition. Phases A and B simulated an equilibrium cycle UPu-Zr fuel core where plutonium created in the blankets was sufficient to negate the need for enriched {sup 235}U feedstock. Phase D simulated a beginning of life U-Zr fuel core with enriched uranium fuel although approximately 10% of the fuel in the outer zone of the Phase D core was plutonium because {sup 240}Pu was required to provide a neutron source for the modified source multiplication technique used for many reactivity worth measurements such as sodium void worth in ZPPR. Phase C simulated the intermediate state between beginning of life and equilibrium cycle conditions with 50% enriched uranium fuel and 50% plutonium fuel in the inner and outer core zones. These configurations represent the various stages of reactor operating conditions. Phase A did not contain zirconium (metal fuel is typically alloyed with Zr) while Phases B, C and D did contain zirconium although the limited plate inventory restricted the zirconium zone to the inner core zone. This set of experiments was performed between April 1985 and July 1986 and focused on validation of both the concept and modeling. In each phase, there were multiple loadings for sub-critical, critical, and with regard to this manuscript, axial expansion worth measurements. Combined, these cores can be used to assess the accuracy of physics codes and evaluated cross section data for IFR concept reactors. This paper presents a recent effort that was made on retrieving validation data from the ZPPR-15 experiments and on deterministic modeling and analysis using MC{sup 2}-3/DIF3D for code validation. Axial expansion experiments and ZPPR-15D loading 206 were selected for this analysis. An explicit modeling of the axial expansion (introduction of gaps between sections of drawer) of ZPPR-15D loading 206 yielded a 32% over-prediction in the worth of the axial expansion with the MC2-3/DIF3D models. This indicates a consistent bias between ZPPR-15B and ZPPR-15D with regard to the deterministic modeling of the experiments. As part of future work, we intend on investigating whether the cross section processing or homogenization model is to blame, but we note with such small changes in k-effective in a large model, it is rather difficult to obtain zero errors as is typical for other worth measurements. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

NASA NTRS2015

Strategic Map for Exploring the Ocean-World Enceladus

Among the many "ocean worlds" of our solar system, Enceladus appears unique in its combination of astrobiologically relevant, exploration-worthy attributes: extensive liquid-water ocean with high-temperature hydrothermal activity, containing salts and organics expressed predictably into space. The Enceladus south polar plume allows direct access to telltale molecules, ions, isotopes, and potential cytofragments in space. Plume mass spectroscopy and sample return, in situ investigation of surface fallback deposits, direct vent exploration, and eventually oceanographic exploration can all be envisioned. However, building consensus to fund such ambitious exploration hinges on acquiring key new data. A roadmap is essential. It could start with cost-capped onramps: 1) flythrough analysis of the plume, following up on Cassini measurements with modern instruments; 2) sample return of plume material for analysis on Earth. A methodical mission sequence in which each step depends on emergent results from prior missions would push in situ oceanographic exploration into the second half of this century. Even for this scenario, prioritization by the next planetary Decadal Survey would be pivotal.

Cassini↗