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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Smart Labs Final Report Summer 2021

The Smart Labs Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is an initiative derived from The University of California, Irvine and is part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Challenge. These carbon abatement strategies aim to reduce energy consumption of laboratories while also maintaining health and safety requirements. Smart Labs designs incorporate seven key principles which are: digital control systems, demand-based ventilation, low power-density demand-based lighting, exhaust fan discharge velocity optimization, pressure drop optimization, fume hood flow optimization, and commissioning with automated cross-platform fault detection. As the ALDCP Smart Labs team for the summer of 2021, the scope of the project is to determine the energy savings within building 03-1698 (Material Science Laboratory - MSL). Over the past couple of years, the Sustainability Group has been adding Smart Labs upgrades into the MSL building and the summer team would like to understand the impact made for the overall energy consumption/demand and safety for the building, determine the overall return on investment (ROI), and recommend more Smart Labs upgrades that can be added to the MSL building. The goal is to enable the UI FOD (Utilities and Infrastructure Facility Operation Division) to promote more Smart Labs projects in the future and further the reputation LANL and DOE facilities have of being leading examples of developers of high performing buildings.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Smart Labs: Improving Lab Facilities to Meet Decarbonization Goals

Smart Labs enable safe and efficient world class science to occur in laboratories through high-performance methods. The Smart Labs Toolkit describes a systematic process to help laboratory owners and operators plan, assess, optimize, and manage laboratory facilities. This half-day workshop reviews the four phases of the Smart Labs Toolkit along with an interactive activity to complete a Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment. This session will also highlight the Lab Benchmarking Tool, which compares the energy use, emissions, and operational practices of lab buildings with similar facilities. Attendees will also discuss application as well as sharing tools and best practice guides.

assessment↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ushering in the New Age of Laboratories: Smart Labs in Practice; Preprint

Ventilation is the first line of defense against airborne hazards produced during research activities in laboratories. A vital component to maintaining healthy, safe, indoor air quality, laboratory ventilation systems are often victim to ineffective operation, posing a risk to an organization's most important asset - the researchers. Furthermore, system inefficiencies can lead to up to 50% wasted energy. By providing a framework to improve the safety and energy efficiency through optimized ventilation and operations, the Smart Labs Toolkit guides laboratory stakeholders through a straight-forward, holistic approach to achieving a dynamic Smart Labs program. A Smart Labs program employs a combination of physical, administrative, and management techniques to plan, assess, optimize, and manage high-performance laboratories. Grounded in the Smart Labs methodology, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) implemented a successful Smart Labs program to oversee the design, construction, maintenance, and operations of its laboratories. To accomplish this effort, NREL's key stakeholders created an internal partnership to align NREL's existing laboratories with Smart Labs principles and solidify organizational roles for the safe and efficient operation of laboratory assets. The program provides the groundwork for decarbonization strategies centered around building operation. This paper outlines best practices employed by NREL to develop a cross-cutting Smart Labs team, garner managerial support, and effectively communicate of goals around safety and energy. Strategies include specific Smart Labs best practices, such as implementing a Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment - a systematic process for identifying risk due to airborne hazards and informing dynamic, demand-based ventilation to optimize safety and efficiency.

decarbonization↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tackling the Giants: Applying Smart Labs Principles to Constant Air Volume Lab Buildings

Laboratories typically consume 3 to 10 times more energy than similarly sized commercial buildings, and as much as 50% of that energy is wasted by inefficient and poorly operating fume hoods and ventilation systems. One challenge faced by older laboratory buildings is the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems serving many of these buildings. The older systems are usually constant air volume (CAV) systems that maintain constant ventilation rates that cause excess airflow and inefficient energy use. Variable air volume systems can be more efficient systems with sensors to detect the need for a change in volumetric flow rate; however; renovation of ventilation systems can create disruption to ongoing research and operations along with considerable up-front costs. When a Smart Labs program is implemented, an organization has a systems-based management approach that yields a high-performing laboratory building. As decarbonization continues as a priority for sites, buildings with CAV systems are difficult to address. This work centers around practical guidance for improving lab buildings with CAV. In conjunction with industry input on top technology solutions and best practices, recommendations will include performing a laboratory ventilation risk assessment in conjunction with robust retro-commissioning work, which is a crucial step in the Smart Lab process. By applying Smart Labs principles, the aging laboratory building stock of 153,343 (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory [LBNL] 2017), comprising roughly 500,000 lab spaces in the United States, can be brought to safe and high-performance operations.

building↗
DOE OSTI2024

Laboratory Efficiency Strategies and the Smart Labs Program

Focusing on critical spaces, such as labs, will enable agencies to prioritize federal energy efficiency and decarbonization goals. FEMP's Smart Labs program is an example of emerging efficient laboratory building strategies. The benefits of this program include improved safety and health, reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions, lower operating costs, reduced degradation, and increased retention and recruitment of top talent researchers and sciences. In this session, with the help of our national lab partners, Sandia National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, you will learn about the steps to implement a Smart Labs program of your own and the methods behind the high-performance laboratory building. The partners will share best practices in implementation, practical advice for building a team, and how to address these critical facilities.

decarbonization↗
DOE OSTI2022

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Improving Energy Efficiency and Safety through Smarter Ventilation: Preprint

Ventilation is a key component to maintaining healthy, safe indoor air quality. Especially important in laboratories, ventilation is the first line of defense against airborne hazards produced during research activities. Though a vital component, laboratory ventilation systems are often victim to ineffective operation, posing a risk to the most important asset - the researchers. Furthermore, system inefficiencies can lead to up to 50% wasted energy. To improve both energy efficiency and safety in laboratories, we present the Smart Labs Toolkit - a resource developed by the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories that guides laboratory stakeholders through a straight-forward, holistic approach to achieve dynamic, high-performance laboratories. Smart Labs enable safe and efficient world class science to occur in laboratories through high-performance methods. A Smart Labs program employs a combination of physical, administrative, and management techniques to assess, optimize, and manage high performance laboratories. We will focus on a central component of the Smart Labs approach - the Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment, a systematic process for identifying risk due to airborne hazards to inform the operation of dynamic ventilation that optimizes safety and efficiency. Case studies of organizations who have successfully implemented Smart Labs ventilation management programs will also be shared. In learning ventilation strategies successful in critical laboratory environments, learn the tools and resources needed to successfully manage energy in any building through smarter, safer ventilation.

buildings↗
DOE OSTI2021

Optimizing Ventilation Using Low-Cost Sensors to Improve Health, Safety, and Energy Efficiency

Air is the primary carrier of hazards within a space, whether it be hazardous bi-products of research activities or airborne pathogens. As a result, building ventilation is the primary defense against unseen airborne hazards. Critical laboratory facilities already demand the need for effective mitigation of exposure to research-related, airborne hazards, providing a proving ground for effective ventilation strategies that optimize safety of occupants and reduce energy use. The heart of smart laboratory building operation is dynamic, analytics-based ventilation, which requires an intimate knowledge of building environmental conditions achieved through contaminant-detection systems. Unfortunately, currently available contaminant-detection solutions are expensive, elaborate systems that raise barriers for building managers on a limited budget. Through the successful deployment of a novel low-cost, modular sensor technology, we have developed a demand-control ventilation protocol effective in improving safety and reducing energy in the critical laboratory environment. In this session, we will highlight best practices and lessons learned through this deployment that can be applied beyond laboratories without breaking the bank. This paper describes a low-cost solution for providing a safe, healthy building environment and reducing energy use through effective, efficient ventilation.

ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

FY 2022 Site Sustainability Plan

The United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a recognized leader in sustainability, as evidenced by its ongoing optimization of resources in campus operations, including water, energy, waste, and purchasing, as well as continued commitment to meeting federal mandates and goals. NREL's dedication to sustainability supports the laboratory's success by applying what is learned through research and development to campus facilities and infrastructure systems. The Site Sustainability Plan provides a road map for all site planning and development. NREL drives the adoption of these initiatives to a global audience by conducting business operations that demonstrate the incorporation of clean energy practices. NREL will continue to develop a sustainable and resilient campus while growing greater technological capabilities to advance the national renewable energy marketplace.

climate change↗
DOE OSTI2024

Decarbonization Dilemmas: Deliberating Difficult Decisions in Laboratory Design

Dive into the depths of design and decision-making, while we discuss the decarbonization of laboratory buildings! Delve into the dense domain of laboratory design and operations, where every development presents a diverse array of dilemmas and delights. Join us for these dynamic sessions focused on decoding the secrets of sustainable success. Dig deep into the dynamic world of heat pump designs and the delicate balance of heating and cooling loads. Debate between constant and variable fume hood designs, where these decisions determine outcomes. Discover the divergent paths of HVAC system implementation, from the deployment of chilled beams to the diverse array of different terminal unit types. But don't delay; decisive action is demanded for these goals! Dare to dream of decarbonization as we direct discussions on retrofitting existing building stock versus innovative new design approaches. Delve into the depths of debate and emerge with a decisive strategy for sustainable success. Discuss recent discoveries in development from experts associated with existing laboratory buildings with decarbonization goals. These insights and lessons learned will help determine the path forward in our industry's drive for decarbonization designs. Decarbonization is no easy task, but with determination, dedication, and devotion, we can defy the odds and forge a brighter future for laboratory design and operations. Let's dare to decarbonize together!

decarbonization↗
DOE OSTI2021

FY2020 Energy Efficient Mobility Systems Annual Progress Report

EEMS Program activities during FY 2020 focused on analytical research and large-scale modeling and simulation to understand the impacts that new mobility technologies and services will have at the vehicle-, traveler-, and overall transportation system-level. This research included the development of a multi-fidelity, end-to-end transportation system models and tools to evaluate the complex interactions among the various actors within the mobility landscape, analysis of empirical data to characterize which solutions may provide the largest benefits, and development of new control systems and algorithms that use vehicle connectivity and automation to improve the performance and efficiency of individual vehicles as well as the overall traffic system. This document presents a brief overview of the EEMS Program and documents progress and results from projects within each of the EEMS activity areas. The Computational Modeling and Simulation key activity area summarizes work within the sub-areas of (1) the SMART (Systems and Modeling for Accelerated Research in Transportation) Mobility Lab Consortium, (2) Artificial Intelligence, High-Performance Computing, and Data Analytics, and (3) Core Simulation and Evaluation Tools. Additionally, the program’s advanced R&D projects are summarized within (4) the Connectivity and Automation Technology key activity area. Each of the individual progress reports provide a project overview and highlights of the technical results.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER ASSET MONITORING ON THE GRID EDGE USING SMART SENSOR DATA

As new loads such as rooftop photovoltaics, electric vehicles and other distributed energy resources become commonplace on the distribution grid, the stress on already aging assets begins to escalate. This increased loading and changing dynamics can exacerbate failure rates. While traditional monitoring efforts focus on transmission and generation assets, utilities are now beginning to pay close attention to distribution assets in order to increase reliability indices and reduce cost from unexpected outages. This research develops low-cost and scalable methods to monitoring the health of a critical distribution grid asset: the service transformer. Existing methods in literature are either invasive and thus difficult to implement or require the device to be tested offline in an expensive lab setting. Data from the ubiquitous smart meter as well as a novel Bluetooth based transformer monitor are leveraged to automatically notify the utility of deteriorating or damaged transformers. Voltage, temperature, and vibration are some of the signals measured and analyzed by the proposed algorithms to predict transformer failures. Furthermore, these algorithms are designed to keep the implementation and processing costs low by taking advantage of edge computing where possible.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Testing of Participant's Power Electronics Component for Circuit Performance and Efficiency (CRADA Final Report)

The "Solar SEED Smart Controller is a charge control device to condition solar power to load voltage with or without Battery (also called a "DC Power Platform") invented by David Gibbs and T4D Labs Inc. T4D Inc. and the SEED Smart Controller invention were selected for American Made Challenges Solar Prize, which includes voucher for NREL to provide technical assistance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

BENEFIT with Northeastern University: HVAC Hardware-in-the-Loop Experimental Testing of a Heat Pump and Air Conditioner

This dataset includes HVAC Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) experimental results for a single stage, SEER 16, HSPF 9.5, 3-ton single-speed air source heat pump with 15 kW of backup auxiliary heating tested in both cooling and heating mode, and a two stage, SEER 21, 2-ton central air conditioner tested in cooling mode for a set of outdoor temperatures and indoor setpoint temperatures. In addition to these tests, experimental tests focused on the operation of auxiliary heating for the heat pump for winter condition were also conducted. The laboratory experiments for transient testing of the heat pump and air conditioner were conducted using the two HIL systems in the Systems Performance Laboratory (SPL) at NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). Further information on laboratory design and capabilities of the SPL along with the architecture of HVAC HIL system can be found in: Sparn, B. F. 2018. Laboratory Resources and Techniques to Evaluate Smart Home Technology (No. NREL/CP-5500-71696). National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71696.pdf and the experimental setup and validation of HVAC HIL platform can be found in: Ramaraj, S. and Sparn, B. 2022. Validation of HVAC Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation for Advanced Control Strategies in Smart Homes (No. NREL/CP-5500-82562). National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82562.pdf. These experimental results can be used to validate how we currently model the cycling behavior of heat pumps and air conditioners. Additionally, many demand response programs implement heat pump and air conditioner control by changing the thermostat set point – these data may also be used to verify our models for heat pump and air conditioner demand response control are implemented correctly. The Test_Matrix file describes all the indoor and outdoor test conditions for heat pump and air conditioner and the file names of data sets include information about the test conditions. A wide range of outdoor air temperatures were chosen to accommodate summer and winter conditions. In addition to operating the HVAC equipment with different outdoor temperatures, we also operate the system with different indoor temperature set points to represent different grid signals or different operating conditions. For cooling conditions, the baseline set point is 72°F. To represent Load Up signals, the setpoint is changed to 68°F. The Load Shed set point is 76°F. For heating conditions, the baseline set point was assumed to be 68°F. The Load add set point is 72°F and the Load shed set point is 64°F. The starting indoor temperature for cooling conditions was set ~2°F above the indoor setpoint temperature so that the equipment turned on quickly. Similarly, the initial indoor temperature was set ~2°F lower than setpoint for heating mode tests to ensure that heating began quickly. The return air temperature was assumed to be equal to the indoor setpoint temperature in all cases. The experimental data are sampled at 1-second intervals. The data from ecobee thermostat at 5-minute interval are resampled and added to the corresponding file. The content of each data set is as follows: • T_Return (C): Measured return air temperature [C] • T_Return_SP (C): Return air temperature setpoint from E+ model, sent to HIL [C] • T_Supply (C): Measured supply air temperature at evaporator outlet [C] • T_Outdoor (C): Measured outdoor air temperature [C] • T_Outdoor_SP (C): Outdoor air temperature setpoint from weather file, sent to HIL [C] • T_Indoor (C): Measured indoor air temperature [C] • T_Indoor_SP (C): Indoor air temperature setpoint from E+ model, sent to HIL [C] • Outdoor Unit Power (W): Measured power of the outdoor unit [W] • Indoor Unit Power (W): Measured power of the indoor unit [W] • Evaporator Airflow Rate (CFM): Measured evaporator or indoor unit airflow rate sent to E+ model [CFM] • Cooling/Heating Capacity (kW): Calculated cooling/heating capacity sent to E+ model [kW] • T_SP_Thermostat (C): Thermostat cooling/heating setpoint temperature [C] • T_Indoor_Thermostat (C): Thermostat indoor air temperature [C]

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

NREL Infrastructure Perception and Control Workshop

A lack of highly reliable, full state-space awareness of roadway situations is the current bottleneck for the incremental introduction of smart infrastructure control. NREL's Infrastructure Perception and Control (IPC) lab applies advanced sensing and computation controls to the coordinated movement of vehicles on the road as well as people in large facilities and has produced field test results from a Colorado Springs intersection. In this presentation, NREL discusses the state of smart infrastructure control and opportunities for partnership.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dynamic Inverter Characterization for Modeling

The goal of the project was to develop data to be used for modeling the dynamic characteristics of smart inverters. The inverters were tested in both a lab setting, and a subset was deployed in residential homes for longer term data collection during real-world use.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Smart Charge Management and Vehicle Grid Integration Deep Dive

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Electric Vehicles at Scale Laboratory Consortium (EVs@Scale Lab Consortium) is accelerating research to support the establishment of a secure and scalable national network of charging infrastructure. Critical to this effort is an understanding of the potential grid impacts of EV charging and possible smart charge management (SCM) or vehicle-grid integration (VGI) capabilities that could mitigate these impacts. The EVs@Scale SCM/VGI Pillar is analyzing the impacts of EV charging and developing and demonstrating the capabilities of both SCM and VGI with many different vehicle use cases and grid scenarios. This deep dive discussion of the project encompasses the progress and future plans for the analysis components of the FUSE (Flexible charging to Unify the grid and transportation Sectors for Evs at scale) project.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Casing Annulus Monitoring of CO 2 Injection Using Wireless Autonomous Distributed Sensor Networks

Effective and secure carbon subsurface storage, involving the deep underground injection of CO 2 into geological formations where it is permanently trapped, is paramount to mitigating CO 2 emissions (Figure I). Ensuring the integrity of these storage sites and detecting potential leakage through the casing annulus necessitates robust monitoring. This work provides the first integrated demonstration of a wireless casing-annulus monitoring architecture that can operate in highly attenuating cement-brine environments relevant to CO 2 storage. This project focused on developing and validating a novel sensor system for integration with autonomous monitoring near the cement reservoir interface. The goal was a fully integrated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4/5 field validation of a distributed wireless intelligent sensor system providing real-time, direct subsurface formation measurements to enhance fluid movement monitoring in the cemented casing annulus. Achieving this objective required the development and integration of 1) wireless autonomous microsensor technology by California Institute of Technology (Caltech); 2) sensor packaging and emplacement technology by Research Triangle Institute (RTI); and 3) smart well completions using wireless active casing collars and NOV pipe by the Sandia National Lab (SNL). The collaboration with the Caltech team in this project aimed to develop millimeter-scale radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors capable of detecting CO 2 , pH, and/or methane levels. These sensors are engineered to be impervious to fluids, allowing them to be mixed with cement and installed within the casing annulus. They operate using RFID protocols at frequencies of 902–928 MHz for both power and communication. A Sandia National Laboratories’ team engaged their expertise in the development of a Smart Collar system designed for the wireless data collection from these RFID sensors embedded in the cement annulus and transmission of this information to the ground surface via IntelliPipe/IntelliServ NOV drill pipe. This is accomplished through inductive coupling at the collar, which facilitates data transfer through each segment of the pipe. Because the system cannot transmit a direct current signal to power the Smart Collar, both power and communication were implemented using alternating current and electromagnetic signals at varying frequencies. Furthermore, the developed microsensor technology had to be demonstrated and validated in comparison with reference transducer measurements in a field test site at The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin). Although the full sensor suite did not reach field-deployment readiness, the system-level integration achieved in this project establishes a validated pathway for future incorporation of advanced microsensors.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗