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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 1,729 records · Page 96
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

A review of artificial intelligence applications in manufacturing operations

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can improve manufacturing efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. However, using AI in manufacturing also presents several challenges, including issues with data acquisition and management, human resources, infrastructure, as well as security risks, trust, and implementation challenges. For example, getting the data needed to train AI models can be difficult for rare events or costly for large datasets that need labeling. AI models can also pose security risks when integrated into industrial control systems. In addition, some industry players may be hesitant to use AI due to a lack of trust or understanding of how it works. Despite these challenges, AI has the potential to be extremely helpful in manufacturing, particularly in applications such as predictive maintenance, quality assurance, and process optimization. It is important to consider the specific needs and capabilities of each manufacturing scenario when deciding whether and how to use AI in manufacturing. This review identifies current developments, challenges, and future directions in AI/ML relevant to manufacturing, with the goal of improving understanding of AI/ML technologies available for solving manufacturing problems, providing decision‐support for prioritizing and selecting appropriate AI/ML technologies, and identifying areas where further research can yield transformational returns for the industry. Early experience suggests that AI/ML can have significant cost and efficiency benefits in manufacturing, especially when combined with the ability to capture enormous amounts of data from manufacturing systems.

Plathottam, Siby Jose↗
DOE OSTI2017

Review of the Theoretical Description of Time-Resolved Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy in Electron-Phonon Mediated Superconductors

Here. we review recent work on the theory for pump/probe photoemission spectroscopy of electron-phonon mediated superconductors in both the normal and the superconducting states. We describe the formal developments that allow one to solve the Migdal-Eliashberg theory in nonequilibrium for an ultrashort laser pumping field, and explore the solutions which illustrate the relaxation as energy is transferred from electrons to phonons. We also focus on exact results emanating from sum rules and approximate numerical results which describe rules of thumb for relaxation processes. Additionally, in the superconducting state, we describe how Anderson-Higgs oscillations can be excited due to the nonlinear coupling with the electric field and describe mechanisms where pumping the system enhances superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technical Routes to Achieve High Circular Polarized Luminescence in Chiral Perovskites: A Mini‐Review

Chiral hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) have emerged as promising materials for optoelectronic and spintronic applications, leveraging unique properties such as circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), circularly polarized nonlinear optical (NLO) emission, and chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS). However, challenges remain in stabilizing these materials under environmental stresses and precisely controlling chirality for scalable use. This review summarizes five main strategies to induce chirality in HOIPs, i.e., direct incorporation of chiral cations, surface modification with chiral ligands, ion doping, template-induced chirality, and chiral metasurfaces. Each approach offers distinct advantages for optimizing CPL efficiency and device stability, paving the way for next-generation applications in CPL detectors, information encryption, spintronic devices, etc.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

The costs of sugar production from different feedstocks and processing technologies: Review of Industrial Sugar Production Costs

Sugar production is essential for the production of foods, biochemicals, and biofuels via biochemical or catalytic routes. Sugar-containing crops, and starch-based and cellulosic feedstocks are resources for sugar production via juice extraction, starch saccharification, and pretreatment and hydrolysis, respectively. Technologies have been developed to attain a high sugar yield; however, production costs are a major consideration in commercializing newly developed approaches to the production of sugars. In this review, the fixed capital and production costs of sugar produced from first- and second-generation crops are summarized. As expected, first-generation crops provide the lowest fixed capital costs, ranging from 0.01 to 0.13 $ kg -1 feedstock, and have production costs ranging from 0.22 to 0.55 $ kg -1 sugar. For cellulosic crops, because of their recalcitrant structure and complex processing, the fixed capital and production costs are higher, ranging from 0.02 to 1.10 $ kg -1 feedstock and 0.10 to 3.37 $ kg -1 sugar, respectively.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Material selection and manufacturing for high‐temperature heat exchangers: Review of state‐of‐the‐art development, opportunities, and challenges

Abstract Many energy systems demand heat transfer at high temperatures to keep up with high demand for power, so high‐temperature material that can perform and last under these harsh conditions is needed for heat exchangers. The engineering requirements for these high‐temperature heat exchanger material call for high thermal conductivity, high resistance to fracture, high resistance to creep deformation, environmental stability in environments associated with the application, and high modulus of elasticity while maintaining low cost to make and maintain. Naturally, ceramics are a good solution for this endeavor. In the past, high‐temperature heat exchangers made from ceramics have been used. We provide examples of ceramics in relevant heat exchange applications and provide motivation where additive manufacturing (AM) can improve efficiency. AM for the relevant material is under development, and we provide insight on the AM of ceramic materials and examples of AM heat exchangers keeping cost in mind. The motivation of the review paper is to provide a framework for material and manufacturing selection for high‐temperature heat exchangers for AM to keep up with the demand for better efficiency, better material, better manufacturing, and cost moving forward with AM technology in high‐temperature ceramic heat exchangers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Language games: Advanced R & R packages: Book Review

Readers who wrangle answers from data by extended refinement of available computational tools have many options and resources available. Inevitably, they will develop their own methods tailored to the problem at hand.Two new books have recently been published, each of which is useful addition to the library for a scientist who programs with data. The two books reviewed are both written by H. Wickham. The titles are ''Advanced R'' and ''R Packages'', both published in 2015.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress on Photo‐, Electro‐, and Photoelectro‐Catalytic Conversion of Recalcitrant Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene ‐ A Review

Abstract Recalcitrant waste plastics such a polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene are difficult to recycle and are mostly disposed of in landfills and eventually leached into the environmental as micro‐ and nano‐plastics. This review explores how photo‐, electro‐, and combined photoelectro‐catalytic processes can assist in the degradation and upcycling of waste plastic into different chemicals and mitigate their release to the environment. In this work, we discuss how the different reaction mechanisms proceed, explore the current relevant literature, and highlight the developments needed to advance the field.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Negative Emission Energy Production Technologies: A Techno‐Economic and Life Cycle Analyses Review

Negative emission technologies (NETs) are of growing importance for society to meet the atmospheric carbon levels required to maintain global temperatures under sustainable limits. A wide range of NETs have been proposed, but there are limited NET assessments that integrate life cycle analysis (LCA) and techno‐economic analysis (TEA). This Review gathers NET TEA/LCA findings and compares their costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Eight different NET‐producing transportation fuels and power‐generation technologies are considered: anaerobic digestion (lignocellulosic), fermentation, torrefaction, combustion, fast pyrolysis, gasification, and hydrothermal liquefaction. Most of these technologies sequester carbon either as carbon dioxide or as biochar. Some are carbon negative by virtue of avoided or displaced emissions. Overall, results indicate that NET energy production costs range between $20 and $80 GJ −1 and have emissions from −400 to 100 kg CO 2,eq GJ −1 . These results suggest that there are potential tradeoffs to consider when developing NETs. These results also show that future TEA/LCA studies of NETs are needed to decrease their uncertainty and improve their technology readiness level.

Li, Wenqin↗
DOE OSTI2016

Geologic carbon sequestration injection wells in overpressured storage reservoirs: estimating area of review

The Area of Review (AoR) under the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Class VI CO 2 injection permit is defined as the region surrounding the geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) project where underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) may be endangered. Estimation of the AoR is based on the calculated reservoir pressurization due to CO 2 injection and the associated potential to lift saline water into potable groundwater aquifers through open flow paths (e.g. wells) assuming the system is hydrostatic. In cases where the storage reservoirs are not initially hydrostatic, and in particular where they are overpressured, AoR estimation methods need to be altered. Here in this paper, we present and apply an approach to evaluating potential endangerment of USDW based on comparing brine leakage through a hypothetical open flow path in a no-injection scenario and brine leakage in a CO 2 -injection scenario. We present six possible ways to normalize injection-related leakage relative to no-injection leakage. We calculate leakage using semi-analytical solutions for single-phase flow and model reservoir pressurization and flow up (single) leaky wells located progressively farther from the injection well. For an example case of relative overpressure and using an injection-rate-based approach, results show 50-60% larger open-well-leakage rates for wells located at 2 km and 10% increase for wells located at 10 km from the injection well relative to the no-injection case. If total brine leakage is considered, the results depend strongly on the assumed pre-injection to post-injection time frames and on the methods of normalization used to calculate incremental leakage.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

JAMES BUTTLE REVIEW: Interflow, subsurface stormflow and throughflow: A synthesis of field work and modelling

Interflow, throughflow and subsurface stormflow are interchangeable terms that refer to the lateral subsurface flow above a restricting layer of lower hydraulic conductivity that occurs during and following storm events. Interflow (used here) is a more dominant process in steeper catchments with high infiltration capacity soils overlying a more impermeable soil or geologic layer. Interflow as a runoff process was first recognised in the early 1900s, yet hydrologists still struggle to predict its occurrence, persistence, importance, interaction with other streamflow generation processes, and potential to connect to valleys and streams during and following storms. We review the history of interflow research and address some of the challenges in understanding its role in runoff production. We argue that characterising the controls on interflow initiation and occurrence relies on detailed field observations of subsurface properties, which exist only in limited experimental settings. This data shortcoming contributes to our inability to predict interflow or determine its contribution to streamflow more broadly. There remain many opportunities to advance our understanding of interflow that include both modelling and experimental or observational approaches in hydrology.

hillslope hydrology↗
DOE OSTI2020

Review and construction of interatomic potentials for molecular dynamics studies of hydrogen embrittlement in Fe─C based steels

Abstract Reducing hydrogen embrittlement in the low‐cost Fe─C based steels have the potential to significantly impact the development of hydrogen energy technologies. Molecular dynamics studies of hydrogen interactions with Fe─C steels provide fundamental information about the behavior of hydrogen at microstructural length scales, although such studies have not been performed due to the lack of an Fe─C─H ternary interatomic potential. In this work, the literature on interatomic potentials related to the Fe─C─H systems are reviewed with the aim of constructing an Fe─C─H potential from the published binary potentials. We found that Fe─C, Fe─H, and C─H bond order potentials exist and can be combined to construct an Fe─C─H ternary potential. Therefore, we constructed two such Fe─C─H potentials and demonstrate that these ternary potentials can reasonably capture hydrogen effects on deformation characteristics and deformation mechanisms for a variety of microstructural variations of the Fe─C steels, including martensite that results from γ to α phase transformation, and pearlite that results from the eutectic formation of the Fe 3 C cementite compound.

Zhou, Xiaowang↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comprehensive review of combustion ion chromatography for the analysis of total, adsorbable, and extractable organic fluorine

Poly‐ and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants whose high stability and appreciable water solubility have led to near‐global contamination. PFAS are bioaccumulative toxins that have been linked to a myriad of disorders and have been detected nearly universally in human blood. Liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry is the most frequent method used for quantitation, though this typically only measures a few dozen of the >14 000 known PFAS and has been shown to account for a small portion of the total organic fluorine present. Sum parameter methods such as total, extractable, and adsorbable organic fluorine have emerged as alternative measurements for PFAS determination. Combustion ion chromatography has become the preferred method for organofluorine measurement where the sorbent or extract containing PFAS is combusted and the emitted hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a measure of the cumulative organofluorine present. Herein we critically review the types of organofluorine measurement, their separation from the sample matrix, and key parameters of the analytical instrument that affect sensitivity, reproducibility, and recovery with regards to PFAS analysis.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Review of Approaches for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Regional River Habitat Restoration Programs

Abstract Large regional programs to restore riverine habitat for fish and aquatic organisms have become common throughout North America, Europe, and elsewhere. Evaluating the effectiveness of projects implemented under these programs—sometimes called programmatic monitoring and evaluation—has proven challenging, and little guidance exists on programmatic monitoring and evaluation approaches and their effectiveness. In this paper, we review different approaches for evaluating the effectiveness of river restoration projects implemented across a region. These programmatic monitoring and evaluation approaches include case studies, meta-analyses, multiple before–after control–impact (mBACI), extensive posttreatment (EPT), intensively monitored watersheds (IMWs), and hybrid programmatic approaches that use a combination of different experimental designs. For each approach, we discuss the pros and cons as well as provide examples. The most appropriate approach depends in part on the questions that the programmatic monitoring and evaluation strives to address, the spatial and temporal scale at which detection of a response is expected, and the scale of inference. Case studies and mBACI approaches can answer questions about individual projects but have several limitations in terms of cost, timely results, and feasibility. A meta-analysis, which can provide broadly applicable results, is dependent upon a large number of case studies being completed. The EPT approach can provide relatively quick and easy-to-interpret results, but it requires a large population of completed projects and careful selection of controls. The IMW approach has been broadly applied in western North America but has had limited success and appears to be tractable only in small catchments where restoration and monitoring can be well controlled. Based on results from recent efforts in the USA and Europe, the most feasible programmatic monitoring and evaluation approach in terms of cost, implementability, and production of timely results appears to be a hybrid approach that uses a combination of the EPT and mBACI approaches.

Roni, Philip↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effects of Livestock Exclusion on Stream Habitat and Aquatic Biota: A Review and Recommendations for Implementation and Monitoring

Abstract To inform riparian restoration, research, and monitoring and to provide management recommendations, we reviewed published studies evaluating the physical and biological effectiveness of livestock exclusion and grazing reduction on various metrics in riparian and aquatic areas. We identified 95 North American studies that reported the effects of livestock grazing reduction on physical habitat (channel morphology, mesohabitats, substrate, and bank stability), biological assemblages (riparian vegetation, macroinvertebrates, fish, and birds), and water quality metrics (temperature, nitrates, phosphorus, and turbidity). Most studies reported that methods to reduce or exclude livestock decreased channel width, width-to-depth ratio, bank erosion, soil bulk density, bare ground, water temperature, nitrogen, and phosphorus and increased riparian vegetation (cover, height, productivity, biomass, and abundance), riparian bird abundance, and young-of-the-year fishes. Results for channel depth, instream substrate, mesohabitats, water depth, juvenile and adult fishes, and macroinvertebrates showed no consistent response to exclusion. Project success was influenced by the time since exclusion; whether there was complete exclusion or continued grazing; and local climate, geology, and soils. Apart from bank erosion and stability, most of the physical and biological metrics took more than a decade to respond to livestock exclusion. However, coupling exclusion with planting and other restoration measures decreased the recovery time. Complete exclusion of livestock produced more consistent improvements in riparian condition and other metrics than rest–rotation or other grazing management strategies. Understanding how physical and biological metrics respond to livestock exclusion will require (1) focused, long-term studies using before–after or before–after, control–impact designs; and (2) monitoring of metrics that most consistently respond to exclusion. Ultimately, the design of exclusions should be driven by local climate, geology, biophysical conditions, and management history. Our results highlight the need for watershed-scale approaches to excluding livestock from broad areas and the need for implementation monitoring to ensure that fencing and other exclusion measures continue to exclude livestock and produce the desired responses.

Krall, Michelle↗
DOE OSTI2026

Persistence and potential of soil organic carbon in nature‐based climate solutions: A review of managed disturbances

Societal Impact Statement Implementing nature-based climate solutions is important for mitigating climate change, which is a global issue, but requires local adjustments in management practices. Using the association between soil carbon and minerals as a proxy for carbon persistence, we evaluated the effect of different management regimes on soil carbon sequestration and loss. We identified areas where management practices that increase carbon inputs should be prioritized and areas where management should focus on avoiding severe disturbances. Using this storage-potential-and-persistence framework to identify how to increase or maintain soil organic carbon storage locally will increase the effectiveness of nature-based climate solutions globally. Summary Increasing soil organic carbon storage could reduce the pace of climate change, but the longevity of this nature-based climate solution depends on the persistence of carbon in soils, not just the input rates into soils. We apply a framework for considering how soil carbon persistence—namely, via the association with minerals—sheds light on soil carbon sequestration. We review how management of disturbances, such as prescribed burning, forestry, and grazing, can change soil carbon storage, persistence, and potential. Past work demonstrated that management of disturbances can sequester soil carbon, but it remains unclear how the potential stabilization of that accrual and vulnerability to loss varies across disturbance types and geographies. We found that there is substantial geographical heterogeneity in the overlap among estimates of carbon accrual, disturbance occurrence, and potential stabilization: Fire-prone grasslands and intensively grazed rangelands occur in areas estimated to have high potential to store mineral-associated organic carbon, and studies also find that adjusted fire and grazing can promote mineral-associated organic carbon. Plantation forestry and burned area span large regions where particulate organic matter is the dominant form, and studies find that particulate organic carbon is disproportionately lost following intense wildfires and forest harvests. Thus, areas with high mineral-associated organic carbon deficits should be prioritized for practices that increase carbon inputs; whereas areas with high proportions of particulate organic carbon should be prioritized for practices that help to avoid severe disturbances. Taken together, the distribution of and changes in persistence mechanisms shed light on the durability of nature-based climate solutions.

fire↗
DOE OSTI2022

Review of the Effects of Polymer Binder Properties on Microstructure and Irreversible Volume Growth of Plastic Bonded Explosives Formulations

The rational design of effective polymeric binders for the formulation of plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) is challenging due to their inherent compositional complexity. The composites comprise irregularly shaped energetic material (EM) powders coated with low weight fractions of polymer via non-equilibrium processes such as slurry coating. Defects can deleteriously affect PBX stability and performance: nano- to micrometer-scale voids can act as loci for hot spots, lowering deflagration and detonation temperatures in unpredictable ways. Furthermore, some nominally desirable polymer properties are at odds with each other: e. g. good flow characteristics are desirable for coating and adhesion, but mechanical stiffness is needed to prevent deformation and cracking of PBX under mechanical stress. Good binder adhesion is critical, but the best means to predict and measure adhesion in PBX is not obvious. Experimental methods of determining binder adhesion on model surfaces may not capture polymer structural configurations relevant to deposition during coating. Molecular dynamics-based computational models have predicted key observables in PBX formulation, suggesting that they may be powerful tools for binder selection. In this review, primarily recent (~2006 and later) literature on polymeric binders for insensitive HE (IHE) is surveyed. We focus on how binder properties influence observable PBX properties as resistance to irreversible volume growth and void formation in PBX formulations mainly (but not exclusively) featuring 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) as the EM (e. g. PBX 9502, LX-17 and others). Conclusions from these studies yield useful guidelines for choosing HE binder candidates, as well as for the general design of highly-filled polymer composite materials. Finally, studies describing challenges in PBX formulation with the newer and more energetically dense high explosive, LLM-105, will be discussed.

adhesion↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Comprehensive Review of Selected Major Categories of Lithium Isotope Separation Techniques

The ability to generate materials with an enriched isotopic abundance, that is one that differs from natural abundance, is critical in terms of technology. Isotopes are used in a wide range of applications, including radioactive tracers, nondestructive tests, radiotherapy in human medicine, nuclear fuels, and isotope‐substituted compounds for chemistry and biology research, as well as environmental geochemical signature tracers. A commonly discussed research topic is the isotopic separation of various elements—uranium, hydrogen, lithium, and iodine, among many others. Among these isotopes, lithium isotopes are especially important in various applications including strategic areas. These isotopes are light and hence their separation techniques are not very obvious. Herein, all the main categories of Li isotope separation are reviewed in depth with a focus on electrochemical technologies for stable lithium isotope separation.

Murali, Arun↗