DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D&R International

South Dakota demonstrates its commitment to technology and efficiency through the Weatherization Program. Weatherization uses advanced technologies and techniques to reduce energy costs for low-income families by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes.

Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Commercial Lawn Equipment (Spanish version); Clean Cities, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) (in Spanish)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Erik

Powering commercial lawn equipment with alternative fuels or advanced engine technology is an effective way to reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum, reduce harmful emissions, and lessen the environmental impacts of commercial lawn mowing. Numerous alternative fuel and fuel-efficient advanced technology mowers are available. Owners turn to these mowers because they may save on fuel and maintenance costs, extend mower life, reduce fuel spillage and fuel theft, and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

Options for reducing carbon dioxide emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfeld, Arthur H.; Price, Lynn

1992-03-01

Improvements in energy efficiency can significantly reduce the annual growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Such improvements occur when energy intensity is reduced; no reduction in energy services is required. Using the concept of ``cost of conserved energy'' to develop conservation supply curves similar to resource supply curves, researchers consistently find that electricity and natural gas savings of nearly 50% of current consumption are possible for U.S. buildings. Such reductions in energy consumption directly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. To capture these savings, we must continue to develop energy-efficient technologies and strategies. This paper describes three recent energy-efficient technologies that benefitted from energy conservation research and development (R&D) funding: high-frequency ballasts, compact fluorescent lamps, and low-emissivity windows. Other advanced technologies and strategies of spectrally selective windows, superwindows, electrochromic windows, advanced insulation, low-flow showerheads, improved recessed lamp fixtures, whitening surfaces and planting urban trees, daylighting, and thermal energy storage are also discussed.

Efficiency improvements in US Office equipment: Expected policy impacts and uncertainties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koomey, J.G.; Cramer, M.; Piette, M.A.

This report describes a detailed end-use forecast of office equipment energy use for the US commercial sector. We explore the likely impacts of the US Environmental Protection Agency`s ENERGY STAR office equipment program and the potential impacts of advanced technologies. The ENERGY STAR program encourages manufacturers to voluntarily incorporate power saving features into personal computers, monitors, printers, copiers, and fax machines in exchange for allowing manufacturers to use the EPA ENERGY STAR logo in their advertising campaigns. The Advanced technology case assumes that the most energy efficient current technologies are implemented regardless of cost.

Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geller, Howard; Meyers, Jim

SWEEP worked with Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs to foster greater energy efficiency throughout the Southwest. SWEEP accomplished this through a combination of analysis and support; preparation and distribution of materials on best practice technologies, policies and programs; and technical assistance and information dissemination to states and municipalities in the southwest supporting BTO, AMO, OWIP for advancement of efficiency in products and practices. These efforts were accomplished during the period 2012 through 2017.

Advanced building energy management system demonstration for Department of Defense buildings.

PubMed

O'Neill, Zheng; Bailey, Trevor; Dong, Bing; Shashanka, Madhusudana; Luo, Dong

2013-08-01

This paper presents an advanced building energy management system (aBEMS) that employs advanced methods of whole-building performance monitoring combined with statistical methods of learning and data analysis to enable identification of both gradual and discrete performance erosion and faults. This system assimilated data collected from multiple sources, including blueprints, reduced-order models (ROM) and measurements, and employed advanced statistical learning algorithms to identify patterns of anomalies. The results were presented graphically in a manner understandable to facilities managers. A demonstration of aBEMS was conducted in buildings at Naval Station Great Lakes. The facility building management systems were extended to incorporate the energy diagnostics and analysis algorithms, producing systematic identification of more efficient operation strategies. At Naval Station Great Lakes, greater than 20% savings were demonstrated for building energy consumption by improving facility manager decision support to diagnose energy faults and prioritize alternative, energy-efficient operation strategies. The paper concludes with recommendations for widespread aBEMS success. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

Energy minimization strategies and renewable energy utilization for desalination: a review.

PubMed

Subramani, Arun; Badruzzaman, Mohammad; Oppenheimer, Joan; Jacangelo, Joseph G

2011-02-01

Energy is a significant cost in the economics of desalinating waters, but water scarcity is driving the rapid expansion in global installed capacity of desalination facilities. Conventional fossil fuels have been utilized as their main energy source, but recent concerns over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have promoted global development and implementation of energy minimization strategies and cleaner energy supplies. In this paper, a comprehensive review of energy minimization strategies for membrane-based desalination processes and utilization of lower GHG emission renewable energy resources is presented. The review covers the utilization of energy efficient design, high efficiency pumping, energy recovery devices, advanced membrane materials (nanocomposite, nanotube, and biomimetic), innovative technologies (forward osmosis, ion concentration polarization, and capacitive deionization), and renewable energy resources (solar, wind, and geothermal). Utilization of energy efficient design combined with high efficiency pumping and energy recovery devices have proven effective in full-scale applications. Integration of advanced membrane materials and innovative technologies for desalination show promise but lack long-term operational data. Implementation of renewable energy resources depends upon geography-specific abundance, a feasible means of handling renewable energy power intermittency, and solving technological and economic scale-up and permitting issues. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IECEC '84: Advanced energy systems - Their role in our future; Proceedings of the Nineteenth Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, San Francisco, CA, August 19-24, 1984. Volumes 1, 2, 3, & 4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Among the topics discussed are: advanced energy conversion concepts, power sources for aircraft and spacecraft, alternate fuels for industrial and vehicular applications, biomass-derived fuels, electric vehicle design and development status, electrochemical energy conversion systems, electric power generation cycles, energy-efficient industrial processes, and energy policy and system analysis. Also discussed are advanced methods for energy storage and transport, fossil fuel conversion systems, geothermal energy system development and performance, novel and advanced heat engines, hydrogen fuel-based energy systems, MHD technology development status, nuclear energy systems, solar energy conversion methods, advanced heating and cooling systems, Stirling cycle device development, terrestrial photovoltaic systems, and thermoelectric and thermionic systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mundaca, Luis; Neij, Lena; Worrell, Ernst

The growing complexities of energy systems, environmental problems and technology markets are driving and testing most energy-economy models to their limits. To further advance bottom-up models from a multidisciplinary energy efficiency policy evaluation perspective, we review and critically analyse bottom-up energy-economy models and corresponding evaluation studies on energy efficiency policies to induce technological change. We use the household sector as a case study. Our analysis focuses on decision frameworks for technology choice, type of evaluation being carried out, treatment of market and behavioural failures, evaluated policy instruments, and key determinants used to mimic policy instruments. Although the review confirms criticismmore » related to energy-economy models (e.g. unrealistic representation of decision-making by consumers when choosing technologies), they provide valuable guidance for policy evaluation related to energy efficiency. Different areas to further advance models remain open, particularly related to modelling issues, techno-economic and environmental aspects, behavioural determinants, and policy considerations.« less

International Collaboration on Offshore Wind Energy Under IEA Annex XXIII

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musial, W.; Butterfield, S.; Lemming, J.

This paper defines the purpose of IEA Annex XXIII, the International Collaboration on Offshore Wind Energy. This international collaboration through the International Energy Agency (IEA) is an efficient forum from which to advance the technical and environmental experiences collected from existing offshore wind energy projects, as well as the research necessary to advance future technology for deep-water wind energy technology.

Advanced Commercial Buildings Initiative Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, Sydney G.

The Southface Advanced Commercial Buildings Initiative has developed solutions to overcome market barriers to energy reductions in small commercial buildings by building on the success of four local and Southeast regional energy efficiency deployment programs. These programs address a variety of small commercial building types, efficiency levels, owners, facility manager skills and needs for financing. The deployment programs also reach critical private sector, utility, nonprofit and government submarkets, and have strong potential to be replicated at scale. During the grant period, 200 small commercial buildings participated in Southface-sponsored energy upgrade programs, saving 166,736,703 kBtu of source energy.

Data Center Energy Efficiency Standards in India: Preliminary Findings from Global Practices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raje, Sanyukta; Maan, Hermant; Ganguly, Suprotim

Global data center energy consumption is growing rapidly. In India, information technology industry growth, fossil-fuel generation, and rising energy prices add significant operational costs and carbon emissions from energy-intensive data centers. Adoption of energy-efficient practices can improve the global competitiveness and sustainability of data centers in India. Previous studies have concluded that advancement of energy efficiency standards through policy and regulatory mechanisms is the fastest path to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient practices in the Indian data centers. In this study, we reviewed data center energy efficiency practices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Using evaluation metrics, we identifiedmore » an initial set of energy efficiency standards applicable to the Indian context using the existing policy mechanisms. These preliminary findings support next steps to recommend energy efficiency standards and inform policy makers on strategies to adopt energy-efficient technologies and practices in Indian data centers.« less

Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences | Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

. Geothermal Energy Developing cost-competitive technologies to advance the use of geothermal energy areas of energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and renewable power. We provide engineering and scientific expertise to a variety of federal agencies, including the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and

Energy efficiency of high-rise buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhigulina, Anna Yu.; Ponomarenko, Alla M.

2018-03-01

The article is devoted to analysis of tendencies and advanced technologies in the field of energy supply and energy efficiency of tall buildings, to the history of the emergence of the concept of "efficiency" and its current interpretation. Also the article show the difference of evaluation criteria of the leading rating systems LEED and BREEAM. Authors reviewed the latest technologies applied in the construction of energy efficient buildings. Methodological approach to the design of tall buildings taking into account energy efficiency needs to include the primary energy saving; to seek the possibility of production and accumulation of alternative electric energy by converting energy from the sun and wind with the help of special technical devices; the application of regenerative technologies.

Energy conversion and storage program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairns, E. J.

1992-03-01

The Energy Conversion and Storage Program applies chemistry and materials science principles to solve problems in: (1) production of new synthetic fuels; (2) development of high-performance rechargeable batteries and fuel cells; (3) development of advanced thermochemical processes for energy conversion; (4) characterization of complex chemical processes; and (5) application of novel materials for energy conversion and transmission. Projects focus on transport-process principles, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, separation processes, organic and physical chemistry, novel materials, and advanced methods of analysis. Electrochemistry research aims to develop advanced power systems for electric vehicle and stationary energy storage applications. Topics include identification of new electrochemical couples for advanced rechargeable batteries, improvements in battery and fuel-cell materials, and the establishment of engineering principles applicable to electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Chemical Applications research includes topics such as separations, catalysis, fuels, and chemical analyses. Included in this program area are projects to develop improved, energy-efficient methods for processing waste streams from synfuel plants and coal gasifiers. Other research projects seek to identify and characterize the constituents of liquid fuel-system streams and to devise energy-efficient means for their separation. Materials Applications research includes the evaluation of the properties of advanced materials, as well as the development of novel preparation techniques. For example, the use of advanced techniques, such as sputtering and laser ablation, are being used to produce high-temperature superconducting films.

SEE Action Guide for States: Energy Efficiency as a Least-Cost Strategy to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution and Meet Energy Needs in the Power Sector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwartz, Lisa; Leventis, Greg; Schiller, Steven R.

This guide is designed to provide information to state decision makers and staff on options to advance energy efficiency through strategies designed or implemented at the state and local levels of government and in the private sector.1 The information in this guide is intended to be useful to a wide variety of partners and stakeholders involved in energy-related discussions and decision-making at state and local levels. These energy efficiency options, or “pathways” as they are identified in this guide, can assist states in using energy efficiency to meet air pollution reduction and other policy objectives such as energy affordability andmore » reliability. A pathway is a set of interdependent actions that results in measurable energy savings streams and associated avoided air emissions and other benefits over a period of time. These activities can include state, local, or private sector regulations, policies, programs and other activities. For each of five broad pathways that offer sizable cost-effective energy savings, the guide addresses likely questions policy makers and regulators face when screening for the best opportunities to advance energy efficiency in their state.« less

Energy efficient engine fan component detailed design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halle, J. E.; Michael, C. J.

1981-01-01

The fan component which was designed for the energy efficient engine is an advanced high performance, single stage system and is based on technology advancements in aerodynamics and structure mechanics. Two fan components were designed, both meeting the integrated core/low spool engine efficiency goal of 84.5%. The primary configuration, envisioned for a future flight propulsion system, features a shroudless, hollow blade and offers a predicted efficiency of 87.3%. A more conventional blade was designed, as a back up, for the integrated core/low spool demonstrator engine. The alternate blade configuration has a predicted efficiency of 86.3% for the future flight propulsion system. Both fan configurations meet goals established for efficiency surge margin, structural integrity and durability.

A Biomimetic-Computational Approach to Optimizing the Quantum Efficiency of Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Lisa M.; Holzenburg, Andreas

The most advanced low-cost organic photovoltaic cells have a quantum efficiency of 10%. This is in stark contrast to plant/bacterial light-harvesting systems which offer quantum efficiencies close to unity. Of particular interest is the highly effective quantum coherence-enabled energy transfer (Fig. 1). Noting that quantum coherence is promoted by charged residues and local dielectrics, classical atomistic simulations and time-dependent density functional theory (DFT) are used to identify charge/dielectric patterns and electronic coupling at exactly defined energy transfer interfaces. The calculations make use of structural information obtained on photosynthetic protein-pigment complexes while still in the native membrane making it possible to establish a link between supramolecular organization and quantum coherence in terms of what length scales enable fast energy transport and prevent quenching. Calculating energy transfer efficiencies between components based on different proximities will permit the search for patterns that enable defining material properties suitable for advanced photovoltaics.

Recent advances in plasmonic dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rho, Won-Yeop; Song, Da Hyun; Yang, Hwa-Young; Kim, Ho-Sub; Son, Byung Sung; Suh, Jung Sang; Jun, Bong-Hyun

2018-02-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are among the best devices in generating electrons from solar light energy due to their high efficiency, low-cost in processing and transparency in building integrated photovoltaics. There are several ways to improve their energy-conversion efficiency, such as increasing light harvesting and electron transport, of which plasmon and 3-dimensional nanostructures are greatly capable. We review recent advances in plasmonic effects which depend on optimizing sizes, shapes, alloy compositions and integration of metal nanoparticles. Different methods to integrate metal nanoparticles into 3-dimensional nanostructures are also discussed. This review presents a guideline for enhancing the energy-conversion efficiency of DSSCs by utilizing metal nanoparticles that are incorporated into 3-dimensional nanostructures.

RTU Comparison Calculator Enhancement Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, James D.; Wang, Weimin; Katipamula, Srinivas

Over the past two years, Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office (BTO) has been investigating ways to increase the operating efficiency of the packaged rooftop units (RTUs) in the field. First, by issuing a challenge to the RTU manufactures to increase the integrated energy efficiency ratio (IEER) by 60% over the existing ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standard. Second, by evaluating the performance of an advanced RTU controller that reduces the energy consumption by over 40%. BTO has previously also funded development of a RTU comparison calculator (RTUCC). RTUCC is a web-based tool that provides the user a way to compare energy andmore » cost savings for two units with different efficiencies. However, the RTUCC currently cannot compare savings associated with either the RTU Challenge unit or the advanced RTU controls retrofit. Therefore, BTO has asked PNNL to enhance the tool so building owners can compare energy and savings associated with this new class of products. This document provides the details of the enhancements that are required to support estimating energy savings from use of RTU challenge units or advanced controls on existing RTUs.« less

Building Technologies Office FY 2017 Budget At-A-Glance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-03-01

Buildings and homes use more than 73% of the electrical energy consumed in the United States. They also consume 40% of the nation’s total energy, with an annual energy bill of $430 billion. These energy bills can be cost effectively reduced by 20%–50% or more through various energy-efficient technologies and techniques. The Building Technologies Office (BTO) will continue to develop and demonstrate advanced building efficiency technologies and practices to make buildings in the United States more efficient, affordable, and comfortable.

Weatherization Plays a Starring Role in Mississippi: Weatherization Assistance Close-Up Fact Sheet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D&R International

2001-10-10

Mississippi demonstrates its commitment to technology and efficiency through the Weatherization Program. Weatherization uses advanced technologies and techniques to reduce energy costs for low-income families by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes.

Energy efficient transport technology: Program summary and bibliography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, D. B.; Bartlett, D. W.; Hood, R. V.

1985-01-01

The Energy Efficient Transport (EET) Program began in 1976 as an element of the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program. The EET Program and the results of various applications of advanced aerodynamics and active controls technology (ACT) as applicable to future subsonic transport aircraft are discussed. Advanced aerodynamics research areas included high aspect ratio supercritical wings, winglets, advanced high lift devices, natural laminar flow airfoils, hybrid laminar flow control, nacelle aerodynamic and inertial loads, propulsion/airframe integration (e.g., long duct nacelles) and wing and empennage surface coatings. In depth analytical/trade studies, numerous wind tunnel tests, and several flight tests were conducted. Improved computational methodology was also developed. The active control functions considered were maneuver load control, gust load alleviation, flutter mode control, angle of attack limiting, and pitch augmented stability. Current and advanced active control laws were synthesized and alternative control system architectures were developed and analyzed. Integrated application and fly by wire implementation of the active control functions were design requirements in one major subprogram. Additional EET research included interdisciplinary technology applications, integrated energy management, handling qualities investigations, reliability calculations, and economic evaluations related to fuel savings and cost of ownership of the selected improvements.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program. Bibliography, 1993 edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaughan, K.H.

1993-06-01

The Bibliography contains listings of publicly available reports, journal articles, and published conference papers sponsored by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and published between 1987 and mid-1993. The topics of Bibliography include: analysis and evaluation; building equipment research; building thermal envelope systems and materials; district heating; residential and commercial conservation program; weatherization assistance program; existing buildings research program; ceramic technology project; alternative fuels and propulsion technology; microemulsion fuels; industrial chemical heat pumps; materials for advanced industrial heat exchangers; advanced industrial materials; tribology; energy-related inventions program; electric energy systems; superconducting technology program for electric energy systems; thermalmore » energy storage; biofuels feedstock development; biotechnology; continuous chromatography in multicomponent separations; sensors for electrolytic cells; hydropower environmental mitigation; environmental control technology; continuous fiber ceramic composite technology.« less

CTOL Transport Technology, 1978. [conferences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Technology associated with advanced conventional takeoff and landing transport aircraft is discussed. Topics covered include: advanced aerodynamics and active controls; operations and safety; and advanced systems. Emphasis is placed on increased energy efficiency.

Energy Smart Schools--Applied Research, Field Testing, and Technology Integration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nebiat Solomon; Robin Vieira; William L. Manz

2004-12-01

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) in conjunction with the California Energy Commission, the Energy Center of Wisconsin, the Florida Solar Energy Center, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Energy Efficiency conducted a four-year, cost-share project with the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to focus on energy efficiency and high-performance technologies in our nation's schools. NASEO was the program lead for the MOU-State Schools Working group, established in conjunction with the USDOE Memorandum of Understanding process for collaboration among statemore » and federal energy research and demonstration offices and organizations. The MOU-State Schools Working Group included State Energy Offices and other state energy research organizations from all regions of the country. Through surveys and analyses, the Working Group determined the school-related energy priorities of the states and established a set of tasks to be accomplished, including the installation and evaluation of microturbines, advanced daylighting research, testing of schools and classrooms, and integrated school building technologies. The Energy Smart Schools project resulted in the adoption of advanced energy efficiency technologies in both the renovation of existing schools and building of new ones; the education of school administrators, architects, engineers, and manufacturers nationwide about the energy-saving, economic, and environmental benefits of energy efficiency technologies; and improved the learning environment for the nation's students through use of better temperature controls, improvements in air quality, and increased daylighting in classrooms. It also provided an opportunity for states to share and replicate successful projects to increase their energy efficiency while at the same time driving down their energy costs.« less

The Global Experience of Deployment of Energy-Efficient Technologies in High-Rise Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potienko, Natalia D.; Kuznetsova, Anna A.; Solyakova, Darya N.; Klyueva, Yulia E.

2018-03-01

The objective of this research is to examine issues related to the increasing importance of energy-efficient technologies in high-rise construction. The aim of the paper is to investigate modern approaches to building design that involve implementation of various energy-saving technologies in diverse climates and at different structural levels, including the levels of urban development, functionality, planning, construction and engineering. The research methodology is based on the comprehensive analysis of the advanced global expertise in the design and construction of energy-efficient high-rise buildings, with the examination of their positive and negative features. The research also defines the basic principles of energy-efficient architecture. Besides, it draws parallels between the climate characteristics of countries that lead in the field of energy-efficient high-rise construction, on the one hand, and the climate in Russia, on the other, which makes it possible to use the vast experience of many countries, wholly or partially. The paper also gives an analytical review of the results arrived at by implementing energy efficiency principles into high-rise architecture. The study findings determine the impact of energy-efficient technologies on high-rise architecture and planning solutions. In conclusion, the research states that, apart from aesthetic and compositional interpretation of architectural forms, an architect nowadays has to address the task of finding a synthesis between technological and architectural solutions, which requires knowledge of advanced technologies. The study findings reveal that the implementation of modern energy-efficient technologies into high-rise construction is of immediate interest and is sure to bring long-term benefits.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is involved in a variety of international initiatives, partnerships, and events that promote greater understanding and use of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) worldwide. In support of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), EERE is working with several Latin American countries to advance EE and RE deployment for economic growth, energy security, poverty relief, and disaster recovery goals. This fact sheet highlights those activities.

Advanced aerodynamics. Selected NASA research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

This Conference Publication contains selected NASA papers that were presented at the Fifth Annual Status Review of the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Energy Efficient Transport (EET) Program held at Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California on September 14 to 15, 1981. These papers describe the status of several NASA in-house research activities in the areas of advanced turboprops, natural laminar flow, oscillating control surfaces, high-Reynolds-number airfoil tests, high-lift technology, and theoretical design techniques.

A status report on the Energy Efficient Engine Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macioce, L. E.; Schaefer, J. W.; Saunders, N. T.

1980-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) Project is directed at providing, by 1984, the advanced technologies which could be used for a new generation of fuel conservative turbofan engines. This paper summarizes the scope of the entire project and the current status of these efforts. Included is a description of the preliminary designs of the fully developed engines, the potential benefits of these advanced engines, and highlights of some of the component technology efforts conducted to date.

The Garden State Flourishes with Weatherization (New Jersey): Weatherization Assistance Close-Up Fact Sheet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D&R International

2001-10-10

New Jersey demonstrates its commitment to technology and efficiency through the Weatherization Program. Weatherization uses advanced technologies and techniques to reduce energy costs for low-income families by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes.

Efficiency and cost advantages of an advanced-technology nuclear electrolytic hydrogen-energy production facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donakowski, T. D.; Escher, W. J. D.; Gregory, D. P.

1977-01-01

The concept of an advanced-technology (viz., 1985 technology) nuclear-electrolytic water electrolysis facility was assessed for hydrogen production cost and efficiency expectations. The facility integrates (1) a high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR) operating a binary work cycle, (2) direct-current (d-c) electricity generation via acyclic generators, and (3) high-current-density, high-pressure electrolyzers using a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE). All subsystems are close-coupled and optimally interfaced for hydrogen production alone (i.e., without separate production of electrical power). Pipeline-pressure hydrogen and oxygen are produced at 6900 kPa (1000 psi). We found that this advanced facility would produce hydrogen at costs that were approximately half those associated with contemporary-technology nuclear electrolysis: $5.36 versus $10.86/million Btu, respectively. The nuclear-heat-to-hydrogen-energy conversion efficiency for the advanced system was estimated as 43%, versus 25% for the contemporary system.

Advances in graphene-based semiconductor photocatalysts for solar energy conversion: fundamentals and materials engineering.

PubMed

Xie, Xiuqiang; Kretschmer, Katja; Wang, Guoxiu

2015-08-28

Graphene-based semiconductor photocatalysis has been regarded as a promising technology for solar energy storage and conversion. In this review, we summarized recent developments of graphene-based photocatalysts, including preparation of graphene-based photocatalysts, typical key advances in the understanding of graphene functions for photocatalytic activity enhancement and methodologies to regulate the electron transfer efficiency in graphene-based composite photocatalysts, by which we hope to offer enriched information to harvest the utmost fascinating properties of graphene as a platform to construct efficient graphene-based composite photocatalysts for solar-to-energy conversion.

Empirical Study on Total Factor Productive Energy Efficiency in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region-Analysis based on Malmquist Index and Window Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qiang; Ding, Shuai; An, Jingwen

2017-12-01

This paper studies the energy efficiency of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and to finds out the trend of energy efficiency in order to improve the economic development quality of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Based on Malmquist index and window analysis model, this paper estimates the total factor energy efficiency in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region empirically by using panel data in this region from 1991 to 2014, and provides the corresponding political recommendations. The empirical result shows that, the total factor energy efficiency in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region increased from 1991 to 2014, mainly relies on advances in energy technology or innovation, and obvious regional differences in energy efficiency to exist. Throughout the window period of 24 years, the regional differences of energy efficiency in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region shrank. There has been significant convergent trend in energy efficiency after 2000, mainly depends on the diffusion and spillover of energy technologies.

DOE/ NREL Build One of the World's Most Energy Efficient Office Spaces

ScienceCinema

Radocy, Rachel; Livingston, Brian; von Luhrte, Rich

2018-05-18

Technology — from sophisticated computer modeling to advanced windows that actually open — will help the newest building at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) be one of the world's most energy efficient offices. Scheduled to open this summer, the 222,000 square-foot RSF will house more than 800 staff and an energy efficient information technology data center. Because 19 percent of the country's energy is used by commercial buildings, DOE plans to make this facility a showcase for energy efficiency. DOE hopes the design of the RSF will be replicated by the building industry and help reduce the nation's energy consumption by changing the way commercial buildings are designed and built.

Advanced Manufacturing Office Clean Water Processing Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Advanced Manufacturing Office partners with industry, small business, universities, and other stakeholders to identify and invest in emerging technologies with the potential to create high-quality domestic manufacturing jobs and enhance the global competitiveness of the United States.

RM12-2703 Advanced Rooftop Unit Control Retrofit Kit Field Demonstration: Hawaii and Guam Energy Improvement Technology Demonstration Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doebber, I.; Dean, J.; Dominick, J.

2014-03-01

As part of its overall strategy to meet its energy goals, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) partnered with U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to rapidly demonstrate and deploy cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. This was one of several demonstrations of new and underutilized commercial energy efficiency technologies. The consistent year-round demand for air conditioning and dehumidification in Hawaii provides an advantageous demonstration location for advanced rooftop control (ARC) retrofit kits to packaged rooftop units (RTUs). This report summarizes the field demonstration of ARCs installed on nine RTUs serving a 70,000-ft 2 exchangemore » store (large retail) and two RTUs, each serving small office buildings located on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH).« less

Advanced lighting guidelines: 1993. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eley, C.; Tolen, T.M.; Benya, J.R.

1993-12-31

The 1993 Advanced Lighting Guidelines document consists of twelve guidelines that provide an overview of specific lighting technologies and design application techniques utilizing energy-efficient lighting practice. Lighting Design Practice assesses energy-efficient lighting strategies, discusses lighting issues, and explains how to obtain quality lighting design and consulting services. Luminaires and Lighting Systems surveys luminaire equipment designed to take advantage of advanced technology lamp products and includes performance tables that allow for accurate estimation of luminaire light output and power input. The additional ten guidelines -- Computer-Aided Lighting Design, Energy-Efficient Fluorescent Ballasts, Full-Size Fluorescent Lamps, Compact Fluorescent Lamps, Tungsten-Halogen Lamps, Metal Halidemore » and HPS Lamps, Daylighting and Lumen Maintenance, Occupant Sensors, Time Scheduling Systems, and Retrofit Control Technologies -- each provide a product technology overview, discuss current products on the lighting equipment market, and provide application techniques. This document is intended for use by electric utility personnel involved in lighting programs, lighting designers, electrical engineers, architects, lighting manufacturers` representatives, and other lighting professionals.« less

Smart City Energy Interconnection Technology Framework Preliminary Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Guotai; Zhao, Baoguo; Zhao, Xin; Li, Hao; Huo, Xianxu; Li, Wen; Xia, Yu

2018-01-01

to improve urban energy efficiency, improve the absorptive ratio of new energy resources and renewable energy sources, and reduce environmental pollution and other energy supply and consumption technology framework matched with future energy restriction conditions and applied technology level are required to be studied. Relative to traditional energy supply system, advanced information technology-based “Energy Internet” technical framework may give play to energy integrated application and load side interactive technology advantages, as a whole optimize energy supply and consumption and improve the overall utilization efficiency of energy.

The Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) - A Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robb Aldrich; Lois Arena; Dianne Griffiths

2010-12-31

This final report summarizes the work conducted by the Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) (http://www.carb-swa.com/), one of the 'Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership' Industry Teams, for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. The Building America Program (BAP) is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program (BTP). The long term goal of the BAP is to develop cost effective, production ready systems in five major climate zones that will result in zero energy homes (ZEH) that produce as much energy as they use on an annual basis bymore » 2020. CARB is led by Steven Winter Associates, Inc. with Davis Energy Group, Inc. (DEG), MaGrann Associates, and Johnson Research, LLC as team members. In partnership with our numerous builders and industry partners, work was performed in three primary areas - advanced systems research, prototype home development, and technical support for communities of high performance homes. Our advanced systems research work focuses on developing a better understanding of the installed performance of advanced technology systems when integrated in a whole-house scenario. Technology systems researched included: - High-R Wall Assemblies - Non-Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps - Low-Load HVAC Systems - Solar Thermal Water Heating - Ventilation Systems - Cold-Climate Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps - Hot/Dry Climate Air-to-Water Heat Pump - Condensing Boilers - Evaporative condensers - Water Heating CARB continued to support several prototype home projects in the design and specification phase. These projects are located in all five program climate regions and most are targeting greater than 50% source energy savings over the Building America Benchmark home. CARB provided technical support and developed builder project case studies to be included in near-term Joule Milestone reports for the following community scale projects: - SBER Overlook at Clipper Mill (mixed, humid climate) - William Ryan Homes - Tampa (hot, humid climate).« less

Airframe technology for aircraft energy efficiency. [economic factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, R. L., Jr.; Maddalon, D. V.

1984-01-01

The economic factors that resulted in the implementation of the aircraft energy efficiency program (ACEE) are reviewed and airframe technology elements including content, progress, applications, and future direction are discussed. The program includes the development of laminar flow systems, advanced aerodynamics, active controls, and composite structures.

Rating aircraft on energy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddalon, D. V.

1974-01-01

Questions concerning the energy efficiency of aircraft compared to ground transport are considered, taking into account as energy intensity the energy consumed per passenger statute mile. It is found that today's transport aircraft have an energy intensity potential comparable to that of ground modes. Possibilities for improving the energy density are also much better in the case of aircraft than in the case of ground transportation. Approaches for potential reductions in aircraft energy consumption are examined, giving attention to steps for increasing the efficiency of present aircraft and to reductions in energy intensity obtainable by the introduction of new aircraft utilizing an advanced technology. The use of supercritical aerodynamics is discussed along with the employment of composite structures, advances in propulsion systems, and the introduction of very large aircraft. Other improvements in fuel economy can be obtained by a reduction of skin-friction drag and a use of hydrogen fuel.

Germany Briefing

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-27

Ion Battery Packs Advanced Chemistry Batteries EM Armor Power Brick 8 UNCLASSIFIED Concepts Platform Simulation Component Development Vehicle...Advanced Turbocharging, Supercharging, OPOC Efficient Powertrain Technologies Electrified Accessories Energy Harvesting SiC Electronics Lithium

Cascade exciton-pumping engines with manipulated speed and efficiency in light-harvesting porous π-network films

PubMed Central

Gu, Cheng; Huang, Ning; Xu, Fei; Gao, Jia; Jiang, Donglin

2015-01-01

Light-harvesting antennae are the machinery for exciton pumping in natural photosynthesis, whereas cascade energy transfer through chlorophyll is key to long-distance, efficient energy transduction. Numerous artificial antennae have been developed. However, they are limited in their cascade energy-transfer abilities because of a lack of control over complex chromophore aggregation processes, which has impeded their advancement. Here we report a viable approach for addressing this issue by using a light-harvesting porous polymer film in which a three-dimensional π-network serves as the antenna and micropores segregate multiple dyes to prevent aggregation. Cascade energy-transfer engines are integrated into the films; the rate and efficiency of the energy-funneling engines are precisely manipulated by tailoring the dye components and contents. The nanofilms allow accurate and versatile luminescence engineering, resulting in the production of thirty emission hues, including blue, green, red and white. This advance may open new pathways for realising photosynthesis and photoenergy conversion. PMID:25746459

Recent advances in efficient long-life, eye-safe solid state and CO2 lasers for laser radar applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. V.; Buoncristiani, A. M.; Brockman, P.; Bair, C. H.; Schryer, D. R.; Upchurch, B. T.; Wood, G. M.

1989-01-01

The key problems in the development of eye-safe solid-state lasers are discussed, taking into account the energy transfer mechanisms between the complicated energy level manifolds of the Tm, Ho, Er ion dopants in hosts with decreasing crystal fields such as YAG or YLF. Optimization of energy transfer for efficient lasing through choice of dopant concentration, power density, crystal field and temperature is addressed. The tailoring of energy transfer times to provide efficient energy extraction for short pulses used in DIAL and Doppler lidar is considered. Recent advances in Pt/SnO2 oxide catalysts and other noble metal/metal oxide combinations for CO2 lasers are discussed. Emphasis is given to the dramatic effects of small quantities of H2O vapor for increasing the activity and lifetime of Pt/SnO2 catalysts and to increased lifetime operation with rare isotope (C-12)(O-18)2 lasing mixtures.

Advanced Energy Design Guide K-12: Next Generation of School Design and Operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Torcellini, Paul A; Pless, Shanti

Driven by energy efficiency advances and renewable energy cost reductions, zero energy buildings are popping up all around the country. Although zero energy represents a bold paradigm shift - from buildings that consume energy to buildings that produce enough energy to meet their energy needs on an annual basis - it isn't a sudden shift. Zero energy buildings are the result of steady, incremental progress by researchers and building professionals working together to improve building energy performance. ASHRAE is taking the lead by publishing - in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), themore » U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - a new series of advanced energy design guides (AEDGs) focused on zero energy buildings. The recently completed Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings: Achieving Zero Energy (K-12 ZE AEDG) is the first in this series.« less

Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Technology for High-Altitude Airships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Elliott, James R.; King, Glen C.; Park, Yeonjoon; Kim, Jae-Woo; Chu, Sang-Hyon

2011-01-01

The High Altitude Airship (HAA) has various application potential and mission scenarios that require onboard energy harvesting and power distribution systems. The power technology for HAA maneuverability and mission-oriented applications must come from its surroundings, e.g. solar power. The energy harvesting system considered for HAA is based on the advanced thermoelectric (ATE) materials being developed at NASA Langley Research Center. The materials selected for ATE are silicon germanium (SiGe) and bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), in multiple layers. The layered structure of the advanced TE materials is specifically engineered to provide maximum efficiency for the corresponding range of operational temperatures. For three layers of the advanced TE materials that operate at high, medium, and low temperatures, correspondingly in a tandem mode, the cascaded efficiency is estimated to be greater than 60 percent.

The energy efficient engine project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macioce, L. E.; Schaefer, J. W.; Saunders, N. T.

1980-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine Project is directed at providing, by 1984, the advanced technologies which could be used for a generation of fuel conservative turbofan engines. The project is conducted through contracts with the General Electric Company and Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. The scope of the entire project and the current status of these efforts are summarized. A description of the preliminary designs of the fully developed engines is included and the potential benefits of these advanced engines, as well as highlights of some of the component technology efforts conducted to date, are discussed.

Energy-Efficiency and Air-Pollutant Emissions-Reduction Opportunities for the Ammonia Industry in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Ding; Hasanbeigi, Ali; Chen, Wenying

As one of the most energy-intensive and polluting industries, ammonia production is responsible for significant carbon dioxide (CO 2) and air-pollutant emissions. Although many energy-efficiency measures have been proposed by the Chinese government to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, lack of understanding of the cost-effectiveness of such improvements has been a barrier to implementing these measures. Assessing the costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of different energy-efficiency measures is essential to advancing this understanding. In this study, a bottom-up energy conservation supply curve model is developed to estimate the potential for energy savings and emissions reductions from 26 energy-efficiencymore » measures that could be applied in China’s ammonia industry. Cost-effective implementation of these measures saves a potential 271.5 petajoules/year for fuel and 5,443 gigawatt-hours/year for electricity, equal to 14% of fuel and 14% of electricity consumed in China’s ammonia industry in 2012. These reductions could mitigate 26.7 million tonnes of CO 2 emissions. This study also quantifies the co-benefits of reducing air-pollutant emissions and water use that would result from saving energy in China’s ammonia industry. This quantitative analysis advances our understanding of the cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures and can be used to augment efforts to reduce energy use and environmental impacts.« less

NASA Fixed Wing Project: Green Technologies for Future Aircraft Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Rosario, Ruben; Koudelka, John M.; Wahls, Rich; Madavan, Nateri

2014-01-01

Commercial aviation relies almost entirely on subsonic fixed wing aircraft to constantly move people and goods from one place to another across the globe. While air travel is an effective means of transportation providing an unmatched combination of speed and range, future subsonic aircraft must improve substantially to meet efficiency and environmental targets.The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Fixed Wing (FW) Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advanced technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. Multidisciplinary advances are required in aerodynamic efficiency to reduce drag, structural efficiency to reduce aircraft empty weight, and propulsive and thermal efficiency to reduce thrust-specific energy consumption (TSEC) for overall system benefit. Additionally, advances are required to reduce perceived noise without adversely affecting drag, weight, or TSEC, and to reduce harmful emissions without adversely affecting energy efficiency or noise.The paper will highlight the Fixed Wing project vision of revolutionary systems and technologies needed to achieve these challenging goals. Specifically, the primary focus of the FW Project is on the N+3 generation; that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe

Fuel conservative aircraft engine technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nored, D. L.

1978-01-01

Technology developments for more fuel-efficiency subsonic transport aircraft are reported. Three major propulsion projects were considered: (1) engine component improvement - directed at current engines; (2) energy efficient engine - directed at new turbofan engines; and (3) advanced turboprops - directed at technology for advanced turboprop-powered aircraft. Each project is reviewed and some of the technologies and recent accomplishments are described.

Technology for aircraft energy efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klineberg, J. M.

1977-01-01

Six technology programs for reducing fuel use in U.S. commercial aviation are discussed. The six NASA programs are divided into three groups: Propulsion - engine component improvement, energy efficient engine, advanced turboprops; Aerodynamics - energy efficient transport, laminar flow control; and Structures - composite primary structures. Schedules, phases, and applications of these programs are considered, and it is suggested that program results will be applied to current transport derivatives in the early 1980s and to all-new aircraft of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Advanced Electrical Materials and Components Being Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarze, Gene E.

2004-01-01

All aerospace systems require power management and distribution (PMAD) between the energy and power source and the loads. The PMAD subsystem can be broadly described as the conditioning and control of unregulated power from the energy source and its transmission to a power bus for distribution to the intended loads. All power and control circuits for PMAD require electrical components for switching, energy storage, voltage-to-current transformation, filtering, regulation, protection, and isolation. Advanced electrical materials and component development technology is a key technology to increasing the power density, efficiency, reliability, and operating temperature of the PMAD. The primary means to develop advanced electrical components is to develop new and/or significantly improved electronic materials for capacitors, magnetic components, and semiconductor switches and diodes. The next important step is to develop the processing techniques to fabricate electrical and electronic components that exceed the specifications of presently available state-of-the-art components. The NASA Glenn Research Center's advanced electrical materials and component development technology task is focused on the following three areas: 1) New and/or improved dielectric materials for the development of power capacitors with increased capacitance volumetric efficiency, energy density, and operating temperature; 2) New and/or improved high-frequency, high-temperature soft magnetic materials for the development of transformers and inductors with increased power density, energy density, electrical efficiency, and operating temperature; 3) Packaged high-temperature, high-power density, high-voltage, and low-loss SiC diodes and switches.

Laser program. Annual report, 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monsler, M.J.; Jarman, B.D.

1979-03-01

This volume documents progress in advanced quantum electronics - primarily the quest for advanced rep-rateable short-wavelength lasers with high efficiency. Application studies in electrical energy production and fissile fuel production are also described. Selected highlights of the advanced isotope separation program are also presented. (MOW)

Sustainability through Dynamic Energy Management - Continuum Magazine |

Science.gov Websites

NREL Sustainability through Dynamic Energy Management Sustainability through Dynamic Energy Management Integrating behavior change with advanced building systems is the new model in energy efficiency , it's necessary to integrate dynamic energy management with occupant behavior change. As plans were

Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), General Electric Phase 1. Volume 2: Advanced energy conversion systems. Part 1: Open-cycle gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, D. H.; Corman, J. C.

1976-01-01

Ten energy conversion systems are defined and analyzed in terms of efficiency. These include: open-cycle gas turbine recuperative; open-cycle gas turbine; closed-cycle gas turbine; supercritical CO2 cycle; advanced steam cycle; liquid metal topping cycle; open-cycle MHD; closed-cycle inert gas MHD; closed-cycle liquid metal MHD; and fuel cells. Results are presented.

Reducing Vehicle Weight and Improving U.S. Energy Efficiency Using Integrated Computational Materials Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joost, William J.

2012-09-01

Transportation accounts for approximately 28% of U.S. energy consumption with the majority of transportation energy derived from petroleum sources. Many technologies such as vehicle electrification, advanced combustion, and advanced fuels can reduce transportation energy consumption by improving the efficiency of cars and trucks. Lightweight materials are another important technology that can improve passenger vehicle fuel efficiency by 6-8% for each 10% reduction in weight while also making electric and alternative vehicles more competitive. Despite the opportunities for improved efficiency, widespread deployment of lightweight materials for automotive structures is hampered by technology gaps most often associated with performance, manufacturability, and cost. In this report, the impact of reduced vehicle weight on energy efficiency is discussed with a particular emphasis on quantitative relationships determined by several researchers. The most promising lightweight materials systems are described along with a brief review of the most significant technical barriers to their implementation. For each material system, the development of accurate material models is critical to support simulation-intensive processing and structural design for vehicles; improved models also contribute to an integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach for addressing technical barriers and accelerating deployment. The value of computational techniques is described by considering recent ICME and computational materials science success stories with an emphasis on applying problem-specific methods.

Boiling and quenching heat transfer advancement by nanoscale surface modification.

PubMed

Hu, Hong; Xu, Cheng; Zhao, Yang; Ziegler, Kirk J; Chung, J N

2017-07-21

All power production, refrigeration, and advanced electronic systems depend on efficient heat transfer mechanisms for achieving high power density and best system efficiency. Breakthrough advancement in boiling and quenching phase-change heat transfer processes by nanoscale surface texturing can lead to higher energy transfer efficiencies, substantial energy savings, and global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This paper reports breakthrough advancements on both fronts of boiling and quenching. The critical heat flux (CHF) in boiling and the Leidenfrost point temperature (LPT) in quenching are the bottlenecks to the heat transfer advancements. As compared to a conventional aluminum surface, the current research reports a substantial enhancement of the CHF by 112% and an increase of the LPT by 40 K using an aluminum surface with anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoporous texture finish. These heat transfer enhancements imply that the power density would increase by more than 100% and the quenching efficiency would be raised by 33%. A theory that links the nucleation potential of the surface to heat transfer rates has been developed and it successfully explains the current finding by revealing that the heat transfer modification and enhancement are mainly attributed to the superhydrophilic surface property and excessive nanoscale nucleation sites created by the nanoporous surface.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

As part of a two-year project to demonstrate energy efficiency measures, renewable energy generation, and energy systems integration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has identified advanced plug load controls as a promising technology for reducing energy use and related costs in the U.S. Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) office spaces.

Achieving Regional Energy Efficiency Potential in the Northeast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Angelo, Laura

With this grant, NEEP sought to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region through regional partnership projects that bring together leadership and staff from state and local government, utilities, industry, environmental and consumer groups, and other related interests to make efficiency visible and understood, reduce energy use in buildings, speed the adoption of high efficiency products, and advance knowledge and best practices. At the time of this grant, the NEEP region included the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Combining plasma gasification and solid oxide cell technologies in advanced power plants for waste to energy and electric energy storage applications.

PubMed

Perna, Alessandra; Minutillo, Mariagiovanna; Lubrano Lavadera, Antonio; Jannelli, Elio

2018-03-01

The waste to energy (WtE) facilities and the renewable energy storage systems have a strategic role in the promotion of the "eco-innovation", an emerging priority in the European Union. This paper aims to propose advanced plant configurations in which waste to energy plants and electric energy storage systems from intermittent renewable sources are combined for obtaining more efficient and clean energy solutions in accordance with the "eco-innovation" approach. The advanced plant configurations consist of an electric energy storage (EES) section based on a solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEC), a waste gasification section based on the plasma technology and a power generation section based on a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The plant configurations differ for the utilization of electrolytic hydrogen and oxygen in the plasma gasification section and in the power generation section. In the first plant configuration IAPGFC (Integrated Air Plasma Gasification Fuel Cell), the renewable oxygen enriches the air stream, that is used as plasma gas in the gasification section, and the renewable hydrogen is used to enrich the anodic stream of the SOFC in the power generation section. In the second plant configuration IHPGFC (Integrated Hydrogen Plasma Gasification Fuel Cell) the renewable hydrogen is used as plasma gas in the plasma gasification section, and the renewable oxygen is used to enrich the cathodic stream of the SOFC in the power generation section. The analysis has been carried out by using numerical models for predicting and comparing the systems performances in terms of electric efficiency and capability in realizing the waste to energy and the electric energy storage of renewable sources. Results have highlighted that the electric efficiency is very high for all configurations (35-45%) and, thanks to the combination with the waste to energy technology, the storage efficiencies are very attractive (in the range 72-92%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Technology Development for Stirling Convertors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thieme, Lanny G.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

2004-01-01

A high-efficiency Stirling Radioisotope generator (SRG) for use on potential NASA space missions is being developed by the Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, Stirling Technology Company, and NASA Glenn Research Center. GRC is also developing advanced technology for Stirling converters, aimed at substantially improving the specific power and efficiency of the converter.The status and results to date will be discussed in this paper.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance, K-12 Schools (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the K-12 Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. We emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diverse case studies, and unbiased evaluation of the most promising retrofit measure for each building type. K-12 schools were selected as one of the highest priority building sectors, because schools affect the lives of most Americans. They also represent approximately 8% of the energy use and 10% of the floor area in commercial buildings.

Advanced air distribution: improving health and comfort while reducing energy use.

PubMed

Melikov, A K

2016-02-01

Indoor environment affects the health, comfort, and performance of building occupants. The energy used for heating, cooling, ventilating, and air conditioning of buildings is substantial. Ventilation based on total volume air distribution in spaces is not always an efficient way to provide high-quality indoor environments at the same time as low-energy consumption. Advanced air distribution, designed to supply clean air where, when, and as much as needed, makes it possible to efficiently achieve thermal comfort, control exposure to contaminants, provide high-quality air for breathing and minimizing the risk of airborne cross-infection while reducing energy use. This study justifies the need for improving the present air distribution design in occupied spaces, and in general the need for a paradigm shift from the design of collective environments to the design of individually controlled environments. The focus is on advanced air distribution in spaces, its guiding principles and its advantages and disadvantages. Examples of advanced air distribution solutions in spaces for different use, such as offices, hospital rooms, vehicle compartments, are presented. The potential of advanced air distribution, and individually controlled macro-environment in general, for achieving shared values, that is, improved health, comfort, and performance, energy saving, reduction of healthcare costs and improved well-being is demonstrated. Performance criteria are defined and further research in the field is outlined. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Renewable Energy Laboratory Development for Biofuels Advanced Combustion Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soloiu, Valentin A.

2012-03-31

The research advanced fundamental science and applied engineering for increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines and meeting emissions regulations with biofuels. The project developed a laboratory with new experiments and allowed investigation of new fuels and their combustion and emissions. This project supports a sustainable domestic biofuels and automotive industry creating economic opportunities across the nation, reducing the dependence on foreign oil, and enhancing U.S. energy security. The one year period of research developed fundamental knowledge and applied technology in advanced combustion, emissions and biofuels formulation to increase vehicle's efficiency. Biofuels combustion was investigated in a Compression Ignition Directmore » Injection (DI) to develop idling strategies with biofuels and an Indirect Diesel Injection (IDI) intended for auxiliary power unit.« less

Method and apparatus for delivering high power laser energy over long distances

DOEpatents

Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

2015-04-07

Systems, devices and methods for the transmission and delivery of high power laser energy deep into the earth and for the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems, devices and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. These systems can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates.

Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Highway Lodging Buildings: Development of 50% Energy Savings Design Technology Packages

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Wei; Gowri, Krishnan; Thornton, Brian A.

2010-06-30

This paper presents the process, methodology, and assumptions for development of the 50% Energy Savings Design Technology Packages for Highway Lodging Buildings, a design guidance document that provides specific recommendations for achieving 50% energy savings in roadside motels (highway lodging) above the requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. This 50% solution represents a further step toward realization of the U.S. Department of Energy’s net-zero energy building goal, and go beyond the 30% savings in the Advanced Energy Design Guide series (upon which this work was built). This work can serve as the technical feasibility study for the development of a 50%more » saving Advanced Energy Design Guide for highway lodging, and thus should greatly expedite the development process. The purpose of this design package is to provide user-friendly design assistance to designers, developers, and owners of highway lodging properties. It is intended to encourage energy-efficient design by providing prescriptive energy-efficiency recommendations for each climate zone that attains the 50% the energy savings target. This paper describes the steps that were taken to demonstrate the technical feasibility of achieving a 50% reduction in whole-building energy use with practical and commercially available technologies. The energy analysis results are presented, indicating the recommended energy-efficient measures achieved a national-weighted average energy savings of 55%, relative to Standard 90.1-2004. The cost-effectiveness of the recommended technology package is evaluated and the result shows an average simple payback of 11.3 years.« less

The Future of Green Aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Thomas

2012-01-01

Dr. Edwards'presentation provides an overview of aviation's economic impact in the U.S. including aviation's impact on environment and energy. The presentation discusses NASA's contributions to the advancement of commercial aircraft design highlighting the technology drivers and recent technology advancements for addressing community noise, energy efficiency and emissions. The presentation concludes with a preview of some of NASA's integrated systems solutions, such as novel aircraft concepts and advancements in propulsion that will enable the future of more environmentally compatible aviation.

Ecodriving in hybrid electric vehicles--Exploring challenges for user-energy interaction.

PubMed

Franke, Thomas; Arend, Matthias Georg; McIlroy, Rich C; Stanton, Neville A

2016-07-01

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) can help to reduce transport emissions; however, user behaviour has a significant effect on the energy savings actually achieved in everyday usage. The present research aimed to advance understanding of HEV drivers' ecodriving strategies, and the challenges for optimal user-energy interaction. We conducted interviews with 39 HEV drivers who achieved above-average fuel efficiencies. Regression analyses showed that technical system knowledge and ecodriving motivation were both important predictors for ecodriving efficiency. Qualitative data analyses showed that drivers used a plethora of ecodriving strategies and had diverse conceptualisations of HEV energy efficiency regarding aspects such as the efficiency of actively utilizing electric energy or the efficiency of different acceleration strategies. Drivers also reported several false beliefs regarding HEV energy efficiency that could impair ecodriving efforts. Results indicate that ecodriving support systems should facilitate anticipatory driving and help users locate and maintain drivetrain states of maximum efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Fuel efficiency through new airframe technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, R. W.

1982-01-01

In its Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program, NASA has expended approximately 200 million dollars toward development and application of advanced airframe technologies to United States's commercial transports. United States manufacturers have already been given a significant boost toward early application of advanced composite materials to control surface and empennage structures and toward selected applications of active controls and advanced aerodynamic concepts. In addition, significant progress in definition and development of innovative, but realistic systems for laminar flow control over the wings of future transports has already been made.

Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), General Electric Phase 1. Volume 1: Executive summary. [using coal or coal derived fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corman, J. C.

1976-01-01

A data base for the comparison of advanced energy conversion systems for utility applications using coal or coal-derived fuels was developed. Estimates of power plant performance (efficiency), capital cost, cost of electricity, natural resource requirements, and environmental intrusion characteristics were made for ten advanced conversion systems. Emphasis was on the energy conversion system in the context of a base loaded utility power plant. All power plant concepts were premised on meeting emission standard requirements. A steam power plant (3500 psig, 1000 F) with a conventional coal-burning furnace-boiler was analyzed as a basis for comparison. Combined cycle gas/steam turbine system results indicated competitive efficiency and a lower cost of electricity compared to the reference steam plant. The Open-Cycle MHD system results indicated the potential for significantly higher efficiency than the reference steam plant but with a higher cost of electricity.

Energy efficient engine sector combustor rig test program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubiel, D. J.; Greene, W.; Sundt, C. V.; Tanrikut, S.; Zeisser, M. H.

1981-01-01

Under the NASA-sponsored Energy Efficient Engine program, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft has successfully completed a comprehensive combustor rig test using a 90-degree sector of an advanced two-stage combustor with a segmented liner. Initial testing utilized a combustor with a conventional louvered liner and demonstrated that the Energy Efficient Engine two-stage combustor configuration is a viable system for controlling exhaust emissions, with the capability to meet all aerothermal performance goals. Goals for both carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons were surpassed and the goal for oxides of nitrogen was closely approached. In another series of tests, an advanced segmented liner configuration with a unique counter-parallel FINWALL cooling system was evaluated at engine sea level takeoff pressure and temperature levels. These tests verified the structural integrity of this liner design. Overall, the results from the program have provided a high level of confidence to proceed with the scheduled Combustor Component Rig Test Program.

Global renewable energy-based electricity generation and smart grid system for energy security.

PubMed

Islam, M A; Hasanuzzaman, M; Rahim, N A; Nahar, A; Hosenuzzaman, M

2014-01-01

Energy is an indispensable factor for the economic growth and development of a country. Energy consumption is rapidly increasing worldwide. To fulfill this energy demand, alternative energy sources and efficient utilization are being explored. Various sources of renewable energy and their efficient utilization are comprehensively reviewed and presented in this paper. Also the trend in research and development for the technological advancement of energy utilization and smart grid system for future energy security is presented. Results show that renewable energy resources are becoming more prevalent as more electricity generation becomes necessary and could provide half of the total energy demands by 2050. To satisfy the future energy demand, the smart grid system can be used as an efficient system for energy security. The smart grid also delivers significant environmental benefits by conservation and renewable generation integration.

Global Renewable Energy-Based Electricity Generation and Smart Grid System for Energy Security

PubMed Central

Islam, M. A.; Hasanuzzaman, M.; Rahim, N. A.; Nahar, A.; Hosenuzzaman, M.

2014-01-01

Energy is an indispensable factor for the economic growth and development of a country. Energy consumption is rapidly increasing worldwide. To fulfill this energy demand, alternative energy sources and efficient utilization are being explored. Various sources of renewable energy and their efficient utilization are comprehensively reviewed and presented in this paper. Also the trend in research and development for the technological advancement of energy utilization and smart grid system for future energy security is presented. Results show that renewable energy resources are becoming more prevalent as more electricity generation becomes necessary and could provide half of the total energy demands by 2050. To satisfy the future energy demand, the smart grid system can be used as an efficient system for energy security. The smart grid also delivers significant environmental benefits by conservation and renewable generation integration. PMID:25243201

Technical Assistance | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Multi-Wind Heat Smart Grid Project. Advancing Energy Solutions in Alaska NREL provides analysis mission to transfer knowledge and innovation to solve the nation's energy challenges. The goal of this transportation energy efficiency and reduce transportation energy costs State Technical Assistance-solar market

Surface Catalytic Efficiency of Advanced Carbon Carbon Candidate Thermal Protection Materials for SSTO Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A.

1996-01-01

The catalytic efficiency (atom recombination coefficients) for advanced ceramic thermal protection systems was calculated using arc-jet data. Coefficients for both oxygen and nitrogen atom recombination on the surfaces of these systems were obtained to temperatures of 1650 K. Optical and chemical stability of the candidate systems to the high energy hypersonic flow was also demonstrated during these tests.

Boosting Manufacturing through Modular Chemical Process Intensification

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-12

Manufacturing USA's Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment Institute will focus on developing breakthrough technologies to boost domestic energy productivity and energy efficiency by 20 percent in five years through manufacturing processes.

Boosting Manufacturing through Modular Chemical Process Intensification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-12-09

Manufacturing USA's Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment Institute will focus on developing breakthrough technologies to boost domestic energy productivity and energy efficiency by 20 percent in five years through manufacturing processes.

An assessment of advanced technology for industrial cogeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, N.

1983-01-01

The potential of advanced fuel utilization and energy conversion technologies to enhance the outlook for the increased use of industrial cogeneration was assessed. The attributes of advanced cogeneration systems that served as the basis for the assessment included their fuel flexibility and potential for low emissions, efficiency of fuel or energy utilization, capital equipment and operating costs, and state of technological development. Over thirty advanced cogeneration systems were evaluated. These cogeneration system options were based on Rankine cycle, gas turbine engine, reciprocating engine, Stirling engine, and fuel cell energy conversion systems. The alternatives for fuel utilization included atmospheric and pressurized fluidized bed combustors, gasifiers, conventional combustion systems, alternative energy sources, and waste heat recovery. Two advanced cogeneration systems with mid-term (3 to 5 year) potential were found to offer low emissions, multi-fuel capability, and a low cost of producing electricity. Both advanced cogeneration systems are based on conventional gas turbine engine/exhaust heat recovery technology; however, they incorporate advanced fuel utilization systems.

Method and apparatus for delivering high power laser energy over long distances

DOEpatents

Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

2013-08-20

Systems, devices and methods for the transmission of 1 kW or more of laser energy deep into the earth and for the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems, devices and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. These systems can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates.

NREL’s Advanced Analytics Research for Energy-Efficient Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kutscher, Chuck; Livingood, Bill; Wilson, Eric

At NREL, we believe in building better buildings. More importantly, high-performance buildings that can do more and be smarter than ever before. Forty percent of the total energy consumption in the United States comes from buildings. Working together, we can dramatically shrink that number. But first, it starts with the research: our observations, experiments, modeling, analysis, and more. NREL’s advanced analytics research has already proven to reduce energy use, save money, and stabilize the grid.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bogucz, Edward A.

Healthy buildings provide high indoor environmental quality for occupants while simultaneously reducing energy consumption. This project advanced the development and marketability of envisioned healthy, energy-efficient buildings through studies that evaluated the use of emerging technologies in commercial and residential buildings. The project also provided resources required for homebuilders to participate in DOE’s Builders Challenge, concomitant with the goal to reduce energy consumption in homes by at least 30% as a first step toward achieving envisioned widespread availability of net-zero energy homes by 2030. In addition, the project included outreach and education concerning energy efficiency in buildings.

On Some Aspects of Energy Conservation in Industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Keerti; Seksena, S. B. L.; Thakur, A. N.

2016-06-01

Energy demand has increased continuously due to advancement in technology and living standards of a large section of people resulting in a wide gap between supply and demand. One of the approaches to reduce this gap would be the adoption of measures of energy conservation in general and the efficient use of energy particularly in motor. This paper presents a review of the research activity in the field of efficiency optimization of three-phase induction motor drive. The approach is analyzed and the better option of energy conservation are identified.

The state of advanced measurement and verification technology and industry application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Granderson, Jessica; Fernandes, Samuel

2017-09-28

With the expansion of advanced metering and increased use of energy analytics tools, the energy efficiency community has begun to explore the application of advanced measurement and verification (or ‘M & V 2.0') technologies. Current literature recognizes their promise, but does not offer in-depth assessment of technical underpinnings. Here, this paper assesses the state of the technology and its application. Sixteen commercially available technologies were characterized and combined with a national review of their use.

Advanced materials for energy storage.

PubMed

Liu, Chang; Li, Feng; Ma, Lai-Peng; Cheng, Hui-Ming

2010-02-23

Popularization of portable electronics and electric vehicles worldwide stimulates the development of energy storage devices, such as batteries and supercapacitors, toward higher power density and energy density, which significantly depends upon the advancement of new materials used in these devices. Moreover, energy storage materials play a key role in efficient, clean, and versatile use of energy, and are crucial for the exploitation of renewable energy. Therefore, energy storage materials cover a wide range of materials and have been receiving intensive attention from research and development to industrialization. In this Review, firstly a general introduction is given to several typical energy storage systems, including thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic, hydrogen, and electrochemical energy storage. Then the current status of high-performance hydrogen storage materials for on-board applications and electrochemical energy storage materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors is introduced in detail. The strategies for developing these advanced energy storage materials, including nanostructuring, nano-/microcombination, hybridization, pore-structure control, configuration design, surface modification, and composition optimization, are discussed. Finally, the future trends and prospects in the development of advanced energy storage materials are highlighted.

Center for Advanced Biofuel Systems (CABS) Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kutchan, Toni M.

2015-12-02

One of the great challenges facing current and future generations is how to meet growing energy demands in an environmentally sustainable manner. Renewable energy sources, including wind, geothermal, solar, hydroelectric, and biofuel energy systems, are rapidly being developed as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Biofuels are particularly attractive to the U.S., given its vast agricultural resources. The first generation of biofuel systems was based on fermentation of sugars to produce ethanol, typically from food crops. Subsequent generations of biofuel systems, including those included in the CABS project, will build upon the experiences learned from those early research results and willmore » have improved production efficiencies, reduced environmental impacts and decreased reliance on food crops. Thermodynamic models predict that the next generations of biofuel systems will yield three- to five-fold more recoverable energy products. To address the technological challenges necessary to develop enhanced biofuel systems, greater understanding of the non-equilibrium processes involved in solar energy conversion and the channeling of reduced carbon into biofuel products must be developed. The objective of the proposed Center for Advanced Biofuel Systems (CABS) was to increase the thermodynamic and kinetic efficiency of select plant- and algal-based fuel production systems using rational metabolic engineering approaches grounded in modern systems biology. The overall strategy was to increase the efficiency of solar energy conversion into oils and other specialty biofuel components by channeling metabolic flux toward products using advanced catalysts and sensible design:1) employing novel protein catalysts that increase the thermodynamic and kinetic efficiencies of photosynthesis and oil biosynthesis; 2) engineering metabolic networks to enhance acetyl-CoA production and its channeling towards lipid synthesis; and 3) engineering new metabolic networks for the production of hydrocarbons required to meet commercial fuel standards.« less

Accessing Secondary Markets as a Capital Source for Energy Efficiency Finance Programs: Program Design Considerations for Policymakers and Administrators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kramer, C.; Martin, E. Fadrhonc; Thompson, P.

Estimates of the total opportunity for investment in cost-effective energy efficiency in the United States are typically in the range of several hundred billion dollars (Choi Granade, et al., 2009 and Fulton & Brandenburg, 2012).1,2 To access this potential, many state policymakers and utility regulators have established aggressive energy efficiency savings targets. Current levels of taxpayer and utility bill-payer funding for energy efficiency is only a small fraction of the total investment needed to meet these targets (SEE Action Financing Solutions Working Group, 2013). Given this challenge, some energy efficiency program administrators are working to access private capital sources withmore » the aim of amplifying the funds available for investment. In this context, efficient access to secondary market capital has been advanced as one important enabler of the energy efficiency industry “at scale.”3 The question of what role secondary markets can play in bringing energy efficiency to scale is largely untested despite extensive attention from media, technical publications, advocates, and others. Only a handful of transactions of energy efficiency loan products have been executed to date, and it is too soon to draw robust conclusions from these deals. At the same time, energy efficiency program administrators and policymakers face very real decisions regarding whether and how to access secondary markets as part of their energy efficiency deployment strategy.« less

Electrofuels: More Efficient Than Photosynthesis

ScienceCinema

Toone, Eric; Eggert, Chas; Lynch, Mike; Roberts, B

2018-06-06

The Advanced Research Projects Agency -- Energy (ARPA-E) has funded successful programs with OPXBIO, NC State and others to create hyper efficient processes for manufacturing biofuels and electrofuels, which can be used in the existing transportation infrastructure.

Electrofuels: More Efficient Than Photosynthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toone, Eric; Eggert, Chas; Lynch, Mike

2011-01-01

The Advanced Research Projects Agency -- Energy (ARPA-E) has funded successful programs with OPXBIO, NC State and others to create hyper efficient processes for manufacturing biofuels and electrofuels, which can be used in the existing transportation infrastructure.

A review of integration strategies for solid oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiongwen; Chan, S. H.; Li, Guojun; Ho, H. K.; Li, Jun; Feng, Zhenping

Due to increasing oil and gas demand, the depletion of fossil resources, serious global warming, efficient energy systems and new energy conversion processes are urgently needed. Fuel cells and hybrid systems have emerged as advanced thermodynamic systems with great promise in achieving high energy/power efficiency with reduced environmental loads. In particular, due to the synergistic effect of using integrated solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and classical thermodynamic cycle technologies, the efficiency of the integrated system can be significantly improved. This paper reviews different concepts/strategies for SOFC-based integration systems, which are timely transformational energy-related technologies available to overcome the threats posed by climate change and energy security.

The pressure cold wind system on the impact of industrial boiler economy and security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Henan; Qian, Hongli; Jiang, Lei; Yu, Dekai; Li, Guannan; Yuan, Hong

2017-05-01

Industrial boiler is one of the most energy-consuming equipment in china, the annual consumption of energy accounts for about one-third of the national energy consumption.Industrial boiler in service at present have several severe problems such as small capacity, low efficiency, high energy consumption and causing severe pollution on environment, the average industrial boiler operation efficiency is only 65%. If the efficiency increased by 15% ∼ 20%, which meet the international advanced level, each year 70 million tons of coal saving and reduce environmental pollution[1]. As energy conservation and emissions reduction becomes the basic national policy of our country, improving the efficiency of industrial boiler energy is facing opportunities and challenges, optimizing the operation mode of the existing units, it is necessary to increase the flexibility of the boiler control.

Annual Performance Evaluation of a Pair of Energy Efficient Houses (WC3 and WC4) in Oak Ridge, TN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswas, Kaushik; Christian, Jeffrey E; Gehl, Anthony C

2012-04-01

Beginning in 2008, two pairs of energy-saver houses were built at Wolf Creek in Oak Ridge, TN. These houses were designed to maximize energy efficiency using new ultra-high-efficiency components emerging from ORNL s Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) partners and others. The first two houses contained 3713 square feet of conditioned area and were designated as WC1 and WC2; the second pair consisted of 2721 square feet conditioned area with crawlspace foundation and they re called WC3 and WC4. This report is focused on the annual energy performance of WC3 and WC4, and how they compare against a previouslymore » benchmarked maximum energy efficient house of a similar footprint. WC3 and WC4 are both about 55-60% more efficient than traditional new construction. Each house showcases a different envelope system: WC3 is built with advanced framing featured cellulose insulation partially mixed with phase change materials (PCM); and WC4 house has cladding composed of an exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS). The previously benchmarked house was one of three built at the Campbell Creek subdivision in Knoxville, TN. This house (CC3) was designed as a transformation of a builder house (CC1) with the most advanced energy-efficiency features, including solar electricity and hot water, which market conditions are likely to permit within the 2012 2015 period. The builder house itself was representative of a standard, IECC 2006 code-certified, all-electric house built by the builder to sell around 2005 2008.« less

Leveraging Intelligent Vehicle Technologies to Maximize Fuel Economy (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gonder, J.

2011-11-01

Advancements in vehicle electronics, along with communication and sensing technologies, have led to a growing number of intelligent vehicle applications. Example systems include those for advanced driver information, route planning and prediction, driver assistance, and crash avoidance. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is exploring ways to leverage intelligent vehicle systems to achieve fuel savings. This presentation discusses several potential applications, such as providing intelligent feedback to drivers on specific ways to improve their driving efficiency, and using information about upcoming driving to optimize electrified vehicle control strategies for maximum energy efficiency and battery life. The talk also covers the potentialmore » of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and related technologies to deliver significant fuel savings in addition to providing safety and convenience benefits.« less

Lean NOx Trap Catalysis for Lean Natural Gas Engine Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parks, II, James E; Storey, John Morse; Theiss, Timothy J

Distributed energy is an approach for meeting energy needs that has several advantages. Distributed energy improves energy security during natural disasters or terrorist actions, improves transmission grid reliability by reducing grid load, and enhances power quality through voltage support and reactive power. In addition, distributed energy can be efficient since transmission losses are minimized. One prime mover for distributed energy is the natural gas reciprocating engine generator set. Natural gas reciprocating engines are flexible and scalable solutions for many distributed energy needs. The engines can be run continuously or occasionally as peak demand requires, and their operation and maintenance ismore » straightforward. Furthermore, system efficiencies can be maximized when natural gas reciprocating engines are combined with thermal energy recovery for cooling, heating, and power applications. Expansion of natural gas reciprocating engines for distributed energy is dependent on several factors, but two prominent factors are efficiency and emissions. Efficiencies must be high enough to enable low operating costs, and emissions must be low enough to permit significant operation hours, especially in non-attainment areas where emissions are stringently regulated. To address these issues the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission launched research and development programs called Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES) and Advanced Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (ARICE), respectively. Fuel efficiency and low emissions are two primary goals of these programs. The work presented here was funded by the ARES program and, thus, addresses the ARES 2010 goals of 50% thermal efficiency (fuel efficiency) and <0.1 g/bhp-hr emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). A summary of the goals for the ARES program is given in Table 1-1. ARICE 2007 goals are 45% thermal efficiency and <0.015 g/bhp-hr NOx. Several approaches for improving the efficiency and emissions of natural gas reciprocating engines are being pursued. Approaches include: stoichiometric engine operation with exhaust gas recirculation and three-way catalysis, advanced combustion modes such as homogeneous charge compression ignition, and extension of the lean combustion limit with advanced ignition concepts and/or hydrogen mixing. The research presented here addresses the technical approach of combining efficient lean spark-ignited natural gas combustion with low emissions obtained from a lean NOx trap catalyst aftertreatment system. This approach can be applied to current lean engine technology or advanced lean engines that may result from related efforts in lean limit extension. Furthermore, the lean NOx trap technology has synergy with hydrogen-assisted lean limit extension since hydrogen is produced from natural gas during the lean NOx trap catalyst system process. The approach is also applicable to other lean engines such as diesel engines, natural gas turbines, and lean gasoline engines; other research activities have focused on those applications. Some commercialization of the technology has occurred for automotive applications (both diesel and lean gasoline engine vehicles) and natural gas turbines for stationary power. The research here specifically addresses barriers to commercialization of the technology for large lean natural gas reciprocating engines for stationary power. The report presented here is a comprehensive collection of research conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on lean NOx trap catalysis for lean natural gas reciprocating engines. The research was performed in the Department of Energy's ARES program from 2003 to 2007 and covers several aspects of the technology. All studies were conducted at ORNL on a Cummins C8.3G+ natural gas engine chosen based on industry input to simulate large lean natural gas engines. Specific technical areas addressed by the research include: NOx reduction efficiency, partial oxidation and reforming chemistry, and the effects of sulfur poisons on the partial oxidation, reformer, and lean NOx trap catalysts. The initial work on NOx reduction efficiency demonstrated that NOx emissions <0.1 g/bhp-hr (the ARES goal) can be achieved with the lean NOx trap catalyst technology. Subsequent work focused on cost and size optimization and durability issues which addressed two specific ARES areas of interest to industry ('Cost of Power' and 'Availability, Reliability, and Maintainability', respectively). Thus, the research addressed the approach of the lean NOx trap catalyst technology toward the ARES goals as shown in Table 1-1.« less

OUT Success Stories: Advanced Airfoils for Wind Turbines

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Jones, J.; Green, B.

2000-08-01

New airfoils have substantially increased the aerodynamic efficiency of wind turbines. It is clear that these new airfoils substantially increased energy output from wind turbines. Virtually all new blades built in this country today use these advanced airfoil designs.

NREL - Advanced Vehicles and Fuels Basics - Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems 2010

ScienceCinema

Dan; Arvizu; Barbara; Goodman; Robert; McCormick; Tony; Markel; Matt; Keyser; Sreekant; Narumanchi; Rob; Farrington

2017-12-09

We can improve the fuel economy of our cars, trucks, and buses by designing them to use the energy in fuels more efficiently. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are helping the nation achieve these goals by developing transportation technologies like: advanced vehicle systems and components; alternative fuels; as well as fuel cells, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Haselden/RNL - Research Support Facility Documentary

ScienceCinema

Haselden, Byron; Baker, Jeff; Glover, Bill; von Luhrte, Rich; Randock, Craig; Andary, John; Macey, Philip; Okada, David

2017-12-12

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Research Support Facility (RSF) on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is positioned to be one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world. It will demonstrate NREL's role in moving advanced technologies and transferring knowledge into commercial applications. Because 19 percent of the country's energy is used by commercial buildings, DOE plans to make this facility a showcase for energy efficiency. DOE hopes the design of the RSF will be replicated by the building industry and help reduce the nation's energy consumption by changing the way commercial buildings are designed and built.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

As part of the U.S. Navy's overall energy strategy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) partnered with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to demonstrate market-ready energy efficiency measures, renewable energy generation, and energy systems integration. One such technology - retrofitting rooftop air-conditioning units with an advanced rooftop control system - was identified as a promising source for reducing energy use and costs, and can contribute to increasing energy security.

Energy efficient engine preliminary design and integration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, D. E.

1978-01-01

The technology and configurational requirements of an all new 1990's energy efficient turbofan engine having a twin spool arrangement with a directly coupled fan and low-pressure turbine, a mixed exhaust nacelle, and a high 38.6:1 overall pressure ratio were studied. Major advanced technology design features required to provide the overall benefits were a high pressure ratio compression system, a thermally actuated advanced clearance control system, lightweight shroudless fan blades, a low maintenance cost one-stage high pressure turbine, a short efficient mixer and structurally integrated engine and nacelle. A conceptual design analysis was followed by integration and performance analyses of geared and direct-drive fan engines with separate or mixed exhaust nacelles to refine previously designed engine cycles. Preliminary design and more detailed engine-aircraft integration analysis were then conducted on the more promising configurations. Engine and aircraft sizing, fuel burned, and airframe noise studies on projected 1990's domestic and international aircraft produced sufficient definition of configurational and advanced technology requirements to allow immediate initiation of component technology development.

New Developments in Nickel-Hydrogen Dependent Pressure Vessel (DPV) Cell and Battery Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caldwell, Dwight B.; Fox, Chris L.; Miller, Lee E.

1997-01-01

THe Dependent Pressure Vessel (DPV) Nickel-Hydrogen (NiH2) design is being developed as an advanced battery for military and commercial, aerospace and terrestrial applications. The DPV cell design offers high specific energy and energy density as well as reduced cost, while retaining the established Individual Pressure Vessel (IPV) technology flight heritage and database. This advanced DPV design also offers a more efficient mechanical, electrical and thermal cell and battery configuration and a reduced part count. The DPV battery design promotes compact, minimum volume packaging and weight efficiency, and delivers cost and weight savings with minimal design risk.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance, K-12 Schools (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. Detailed technical discussion is fairly limited. Instead, we emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diverse case studies, and unbiased evaluations of the most promising retrofit energy efficiency measures for each building type. A series of AERGs is under development, addressing key segments of the commercial building stock. K-12 schools were selected as one of the highest priority building sectors, because schools affect the lives of most Americans. They alsomore » represent approximately 8% of the energy use and 10% of the floor area in commercial buildings nationwide. U.S. K-12 school districts spend more than $8 billion each year on energy - more than they spend on computers and textbooks combined. Most occupy older buildings that often have poor operational performance - more than 30% of schools were built before 1960. The average age of a school is about 42 years - which is nearly the expected serviceable lifespan of the building. K-12 schools offer unique opportunities for deep, cost-effective energy efficiency improvements, and this guide provides convenient and practical guidance for exploiting these opportunities in the context of public, private, and parochial schools.« less

Application of Fusion Gyrotrons to Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woskov, P.; Einstein, H.; Oglesby, K.

2013-10-01

The potential size of geothermal energy resources is second only to fusion energy. Advances are needed in drilling technology and heat reservoir formation to realize this potential. Millimeter-wave (MMW) gyrotrons and related technologies developed for fusion energy research could contribute to enabling EGS. Directed MMW energy can be used to advance rock penetration capabilities, borehole casing, and fracking. MMWs are ideally suited because they can penetrate through small particulate extraction plumes, can be efficiently guided long distances in borehole dimensions, and continuous megawatt sources are commercially available. Laboratory experiments with a 10 kW, 28 GHz CPI gyrotron have shown that granite rock can be fractured and melted with power intensities of about 1 kW/cm2 and minute exposure times. Observed melted rock MMW emissivity and estimated thermodynamics suggest that penetrating hot, hard crystalline rock formations may be economic with fusion research developed MMW sources. Supported by USDOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Impact Technologies, LLC.

Advances in Thermal Spray Coatings for Gas Turbines and Energy Generation: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardwicke, Canan U.; Lau, Yuk-Chiu

2013-06-01

Functional coatings are widely used in energy generation equipment in industries such as renewables, oil and gas, propulsion engines, and gas turbines. Intelligent thermal spray processing is vital in many of these areas for efficient manufacturing. Advanced thermal spray coating applications include thermal management, wear, oxidation, corrosion resistance, sealing systems, vibration and sound absorbance, and component repair. This paper reviews the current status of materials, equipment, processing, and properties' aspects for key coatings in the energy industry, especially the developments in large-scale gas turbines. In addition to the most recent industrial advances in thermal spray technologies, future technical needs are also highlighted.

Sustainable Transportation: Accelerating Widespread Adoption of Energy Efficient Vehicles & Fuels (Brochure)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2014-12-01

While energy efficient transportation strategies have the potential to simultaneously slash oil consumption and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a truly sustainable solution will require more than just putting drivers behind the wheels of new fuel-efficient cars. As the only national laboratory dedicated 100% to renewable energy and energy efficiency, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) accelerates widespread adoption of high-performance, low-emission, energy-efficient passenger and freight vehicles, as well as alternative fuels and related infrastructure. Researchers collaborate closely with industry, government, and research partners, using a whole-systems approach to design better batteries, drivetrains, and engines, as well as thermal management,more » energy storage, power electronic, climate control, alternative fuel, combustion, and emission systems. NREL's sustainable transportation research, development, and deployment (RD&D) efforts are not limited to vehicles, roads, and fueling stations. The lab also explores ways to save energy and reduce GHGs by integrating transportation technology advancements with renewable energy generation, power grids and building systems, urban planning and policy, and fleet operations.« less

NREL: News - Energy Secretary Abraham Welcomes College Students Who will

Science.gov Websites

is a team competition among universities to design and build the most energy-efficient solar-powered Decathlon, a team must blend aesthetics and modern conveniences with maximum energy production and National Mall marks a significant step forward in innovative residential design, and advanced, energy

NREL 2009 Video

ScienceCinema

McGrath, Robert; Arvizu, Dan; Garrett, Bobi; Porto, Casey; Glover, William

2017-12-11

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) located in Golden, Colorado, is charting the course with an aggressive plan to position the lab as the pivotal contributor to a new energy economy. NRELs work focuses on advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies from concept to commercialization. The laboratory partners with industry to move technologies to the marketplace.

NREL: News - NREL Wins Research and Development Awards

Science.gov Websites

and chemicals, energy-efficient buildings, advanced vehicle design, geothermal energy and hydrogen the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are among this year's 100 components in geothermal power plants; a solar power system that produces electricity while still allowing

Advances in Household Appliances- A Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bansal, Pradeep; Vineyard, Edward Allan; Abdelaziz, Omar

2011-01-01

An overview of options and potential barriers and risks for reducing the energy consumption, peak demand, and emissions for seven key energy consuming residential products (refrigerator-freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, electric ovens, gas ovens and microwave ovens) is presented. The paper primarily concentrates on the potential energy savings from the use of advanced technologies in appliances for the U.S. market. The significance and usefulness of each technology was evaluated in order to prioritize the R&D needs to improve energy efficiency of appliances in view of energy savings, cost, and complexity. The paper provides a snapshot of the future R&Dmore » needs for each of the technologies along with the associated barriers. Although significant energy savings may be achieved, one of the major barriers in most cases is high first cost. One way of addressing this issue and promoting the introduction of new technologies is to level the playing field for all manufacturers by establishing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) which are not cost prohibitive and promoting energy efficient products through incentives to both manufacturers and consumers.« less

Projected techno-economic improvements for advanced solar thermal power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujita, T.; Manvi, R.; Roschke, E. J.

1979-01-01

The projected characteristics of solar thermal power plants (with outputs up to 10 MWe) employing promising advanced technology subsystems/components are compared to current (or pre-1985) steam-Rankine systems. Improvements accruing to advanced technology development options are delineated. The improvements derived from advanced systems result primarily from achieving high efficiencies via solar collector systems which (1) capture a large portion of the available insolation and (2) concentrate this captured solar flux to attain high temperatures required for high heat engine/energy conversion performance. The most efficient solar collector systems employ two-axis tracking. Attractive systems include the central receiver/heliostat and the parabolic dish.

A collaboration of labs: The Institute for Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformations (IACT)

ScienceCinema

Lobo, Rodrigo; Marshall, Chris; Cheng, Lei; Stair, Peter; Wu, Tianpan; Ray, Natalie; O'Neil, Brandon; Dietrich, Paul

2018-06-08

The Institute for Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformations (IACT) is an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. IACT focuses on advancing the science of catalysis to improve the efficiency of producing fuels from biomass and coal. IACT is a collaborative effort that brings together a diverse team of scientists from Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Northwestern University, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.iact.anl.gov

CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FUJITA,E.

2000-01-12

Solar carbon dioxide fixation offers the possibility of a renewable source of chemicals and fuels in the future. Its realization rests on future advances in the efficiency of solar energy collection and development of suitable catalysts for CO{sub 2} conversion. Recent achievements in the efficiency of solar energy conversion and in catalysis suggest that this approach holds a great deal of promise for contributing to future needs for fuels and chemicals.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rau, E. I.; Orlikovskiy, N. A.; Ivanova, E. S.

A new highly efficient design for semiconductor detectors of intermediate-energy electrons (1-50 keV) for application in scanning electron microscopes is proposed. Calculations of the response function of advanced detectors and control experiments show that the efficiency of the developed devices increases on average twofold, which is a significant positive factor in the operation of modern electron microscopes in the mode of low currents and at low primary electron energies.

Biocatalyzed processes for production of commodity chemicals: Assessment of future research advances for N-butanol production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingham, J. D.

1984-01-01

This report is a summary of assessments by Chem Systems Inc. and a further evaluation of the impacts of research advances on energy efficiency and the potential for future industrial production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) solvents and other products by biocatalyzed processes. Brief discussions of each of the assessments made by CSI, followed by estimates of minimum projected energy consumption and costs for production of solvents by ABE biocatalyzed processes are included. These assessments and further advances discussed in this report show that substantial decreases in energy consumption and costs are possible on the basis of specific research advances; therefore, it appears that a biocatalyzed process for ABE can be developed that will be competitive with conventional petrochemical processes for production of n-butanol and acetone. (In this work, the ABE process was selected and utilized only as an example for methodology development; other possible bioprocesses for production of commodity chemicals are not intended to be excluded.) It has been estimated that process energy consumption can be decreased by 50%, with a corresponding cost reduction of 15-30% (in comparison with a conventional petrochemical process) by increasing microorganism tolerance to n-butanol and efficient recovery of product solvents from the vapor phase.

Smart Manufacturing Technologies and Data Analytics for Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nimbalkar, Sachin U.; Guo, Wei; Wenning, Thomas J.

Smart manufacturing and advanced data analytics can help the manufacturing sector unlock energy efficiency from the equipment level to the entire manufacturing facility and the whole supply chain. These technologies can make manufacturing industries more competitive, with intelligent communication systems, real-time energy savings, and increased energy productivity. Smart manufacturing can give all employees in an organization the actionable information they need, when they need it, so that each person can contribute to the optimal operation of the corporation through informed, data-driven decision making. This paper examines smart technologies and data analytics approaches for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costsmore » in process-supporting energy systems. It dives into energy-saving improvement opportunities through smart manufacturing technologies and sophisticated data collection and analysis. The energy systems covered in this paper include those with motors and drives, fans, pumps, air compressors, steam, and process heating.« less

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Grocery Stores (Revised) (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, B.

2013-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders successfully plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. Detailed technical discussion is fairly limited in these guides. Instead, we emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diverse case studies, and unbiased evaluations of the most promising retrofit measures for each building type. A series of AERGs is under development, addressing key segments of the commercial building stock. Grocery stores were selected as one of the highest priority sectors, because they represent one of the most energy-intensive marketmore » segments.« less

Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals Manufacturing Project (IAM2)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, Elizabeth

This project, under the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals Manufacturing Project, contracted with Cascade Energy to provide a shared energy project manager engineer to work with five different companies throughout the Portland metro grant region to implement ten energy efficiency projects and develop a case study to analyze the project model. As a part of the project, the energy project manager also looked into specific new technologies and methodologies that could change the way energy is consumed by manufacturers—from game-changing equipment and technology to monitor energy use to methodologies that change the way companiesmore » interact and use their machines to reduce energy consumption.« less

Microsystems Enabled Photovoltaics

ScienceCinema

Gupta, Vipin; Nielson, Greg; Okandan, Murat, Granata, Jennifer; Nelson, Jeff; Haney, Mike; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luiz

2018-06-07

Sandia's microsystems enabled photovoltaic advances combine mature technology and tools currently used in microsystem production with groundbreaking advances in photovoltaics cell design, decreasing production and system costs while improving energy conversion efficiency. The technology has potential applications in buildings, houses, clothing, portable electronics, vehicles, and other contoured structures.

Non-hydroxyl radical mediated photochemical processes for dye degradation.

PubMed

Liu, Xitong; Song, Xiaojie; Zhang, Shujuan; Wang, Mengshu; Pan, Bingcai

2014-04-28

Using solar energy for the decontamination of wastewater is a promising solution to the water-energy nexus. Current advanced oxidation processes have an unsatisfactory efficiency in the treatment of dye wastewater due to the non-selectivity of hydroxyl radicals. More efficient photochemical approaches for dye degradation are highly needed. Three diketones, biacetyl, acetylacetone, and acetonylacetone, were proven to be potent activators for the photodecoloration of azo, triarylmethane and anthraquinone dyes. The photodegradation kinetics of Acid Orange 7 in the UV/diketone processes was much faster than that in the UV/H2O2 system. Photo-induced energy and electron transfer were possible mechanisms for dye degradation in the diketone systems. Adducts of dye and acetylacetone were identified, indicating a unique dye degradation route through adduct formation and decomposition. Unlike acting only as the target substrate of ˙OH in advanced oxidation processes, the dyes played vital roles in the UV/diketone processes. The findings here provide new insights for designing more efficient technologies for environmental remediation, based on diketone photochemistry.

Energy optimization analysis of the more electric aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yitao; Deng, Junxiang; Liu, Chao; Li, Sen

2018-02-01

The More Electric Aircraft (MEA) underlines the utilization of the electrical power to drive the non-propulsive aircraft systems. The critical features of the MEA including no-bleed engine architecture and advanced electrical system are introduced. Energy and exergy analysis is conducted for the MEA, and comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of the energy usage between conventional aircraft and the MEA is conducted. The results indicate that one of the advantages of the MEA architecture is the greater efficiency gained in terms of reduced fuel consumption.

Study on Enhanceing Mechanisim and Policy on Energy Efficiency of Electrical Motor System in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ren; Zhao, Yuejin; Liu, Meng; Chen, Lili; Yang, Ming

2017-12-01

Motor is a kind of terminal energy-consumption equipment with the maximum power consumption in China every year; compared with international advanced level, the technical innovation of motor equipment, speed regulating system, drive system and automatic intelligent control technique in China still lag behind relatively; the standard technical service support system of motor system is not complete, the energy conserving transformation mode needs to be innovated, and the market development mechanism of motor industry is not perfect, etc. This paper analyzes the promotion mechanism and policy on energy efficiency of the motor system in China in recent years, studies the demonstration cases of successful promotion of high-efficiency motor, standard labeling, financial finance and tax policy, and puts forward suggestions on promotion of high-efficiency motor in China.

Hydrogen as the solar energy translator. [in photochemical and photovoltaic processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, J. H.

1979-01-01

Many concepts are being investigated to convert sunlight to workable energy forms with emphasis on electricity and thermal energy. The electrical alternatives include direct conversion of photons to electricity via photovoltaic solar cells and solar/thermal production of electricity via heat-energy cycles. Solar cells, when commercialized, are expected to have efficiencies of about 12 to 14 percent. The cells would be active about eight hours per day. However, solar-operated water-splitting process research, initiated through JPL, shows promise for direct production of hydrogen from sunlight with efficiencies of up to 35 to 40 percent. The hydrogen, a valuable commodity in itself, can also serve as a storable energy form, easily and efficiently converted to electricity by fuel cells and other advanced-technology devices on a 24-hour basis or on demand with an overall efficiency of 25 to 30 percent. Thus, hydrogen serves as the fundamental translator of energy from its solar form to electrical form more effectively, and possibly more efficiently, than direct conversion. Hydrogen also can produce other chemical energy forms using solar energy.

Colorado Better Buildings Project. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strife, Susie; Yancey, Lea

The Colorado Better Buildings project intended to bring new and existing energy efficiency model programs to market with regional collaboration and funding partnerships. The goals for Boulder County and its program partners were to advance energy efficiency investments, stimulate economic growth in Colorado and advance the state’s energy independence. Collectively, three counties set out to complete 9,025 energy efficiency upgrades in 2.5 years and they succeeded in doing so. Energy efficiency upgrades have been completed in more than 11,000 homes and businesses in these communities. Boulder County and its partners received a $25 million BetterBuildings grant from the U.S. Departmentmore » of Energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the summer of 2010. This was also known as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program. With this funding, Boulder County, the City and County of Denver, and Garfield County set out to design programs for the residential and commercial sectors to overcome key barriers in the energy upgrade process. Since January 2011, these communities have paired homeowners and business owners with an Energy Advisor – an expert to help move from assessment to upgrade with minimal hassle. Pairing this step-by-step assistance with financing incentives has effectively addressed many key barriers, resulting in energy efficiency improvements and happy customers. An expert energy advisor guides the building owner through every step of the process, coordinating the energy assessment, interpreting results for a customized action plan, providing a list of contractors, and finding and applying for all available rebates and low-interest loans. In addition to the expert advising and financial incentives, the programs also included elements of social marketing, technical assistance, workforce development and contractor trainings, project monitoring and verification, and a cloud-based customer data system to coordinate among field advisors and across local governments and local service vendors. A portion of the BetterBuildings grant went to the Metro Mayors Caucus (MMC) who worked in partnership with the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) to conduct a series of 10 energy efficiency workshops for local government officials and other interested parties. The workshops helped showcase lessons learned on energy efficiency and helped guide other local governments in the establishment of similar programs. The workshops covered a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy topics such as clean energy finance, social mobilization and communications, specific case studies of Colorado towns, energy efficiency codes, net zero buildings and solar power. Since the programs launched in January 2011, these communities have collectively spurred economic investments in energy efficiency, achieved greater than 5:1 leveraging of grant funds, saved energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, provided trainings for a robust local energy contractor network, and proved out viable and replicable program models that local utilities and other communities are adopting, with long lasting market transformation.« less

Public Housing: A Tailored Approach to Energy Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Dentz; Conlin, F.; Podorson, D.

2016-02-23

The Building America research team Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative (ARIES) worked with four public housing authorities (PHAs) to develop packages of energy-efficiency retrofit measures that the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staffs during the normal course of housing operations when units are refurbished between occupancies.

Hydrogen by electrolysis of water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Hydrogen production by electrolytic decomposition of water is explained. Power efficiency, efficient energy utilization, and costs were emphasized. Four systems were considered: two were based on current electrolyzer technology using present efficiency values for electrical generation by fossil fired and nuclear thermal stations, and two using projected electrolyzer technology with advanced fossil and nuclear plants.

Haselden/RNL - Research Support Facility Documentary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haselden, Byron; Baker, Jeff; Glover, Bill

2010-06-10

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Research Support Facility (RSF) on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is positioned to be one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world. It will demonstrate NREL's role in moving advanced technologies and transferring knowledge into commercial applications. Because 19 percent of the country's energy is used by commercial buildings, DOE plans to make this facility a showcase for energy efficiency. DOE hopes the design of the RSF will be replicated by the building industry and help reduce the nation's energy consumption by changing the way commercial buildings are designedmore » and built.« less

2017 Publications Demonstrate Advancements in Wind Energy Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

In 2017, wind energy experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made significant strides to advance wind energy. Many of these achievements were presented in articles published in scientific and engineering journals and technical reports that detailed research accomplishments in new and progressing wind energy technologies. During fiscal year 2017, NREL wind energy thought leaders shared knowledge and insights through 45 journal articles and 25 technical reports, benefiting academic and national-lab research communities; industry stakeholders; and local, state, and federal decision makers. Such publications serve as important outreach, informing the public of how NREL wind research, analysis, and deploymentmore » activities complement advanced energy growth in the United States and around the world. The publications also illustrate some of the noteworthy outcomes of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Laboratory Directed Research and Development funding, as well as funding and facilities leveraged through strategic partnerships and other collaborations.« less

A summary of the ECAS performance and cost results for MHD system. [Energy Conversion Alternatives Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seikel, G. R.; Sovie, R. J.; Burns, R. K.; Barna, G. J.; Burkhart, J. A.; Nainiger, J. J.; Smith, J. M.

1976-01-01

The interagency-funded, NASA-coordinated Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS) has studied the potential of various advanced power plant concepts using coal and coal-derived fuel. Principle studies were conducted through prime contracts with the General Electric Company and the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The results indicate that open-cycle coal-fired direct-preheat MHD systems have potentially one of the highest coal-pile-to-bus-bar efficiencies and also one of the lowest costs of electricity (COE) of the systems studied. Closed-cycle MHD systems may have the potential to approach the efficiency and COE of open-cycle MHD. The 1200-1500 F liquid-metal MHD systems studied do not appear to have the potential of exceeding the efficiency or competing with the COE of advanced steam plants.

Towards energy efficient operation of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems via advanced supervisory control design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oswiecinska, A.; Hibbs, J.; Zajic, I.; Burnham, K. J.

2015-11-01

This paper presents conceptual control solution for reliable and energy efficient operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems used in large volume building applications, e.g. warehouse facilities or exhibition centres. Advanced two-level scalable control solution, designed to extend capabilities of the existing low-level control strategies via remote internet connection, is presented. The high-level, supervisory controller is based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) architecture, which is the state-of-the-art for indoor climate control systems. The innovative approach benefits from using passive heating and cooling control strategies for reducing the HVAC system operational costs, while ensuring that required environmental conditions are met.

Novel Material Integration for Reliable and Energy-Efficient NEM Relay Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, I.-Ru

Energy-efficient switching devices have become ever more important with the emergence of ubiquitous computing. NEM relays are promising to complement CMOS transistors as circuit building blocks for future ultra-low-power information processing, and as such have recently attracted significant attention from the semiconductor industry and researchers. Relay technology potentially can overcome the energy efficiency limit for conventional CMOS technology due to several key characteristics, including zero OFF-state leakage, abrupt switching behavior, and potentially very low active energy consumption. However, two key issues must be addressed for relay technology to reach its full potential: surface oxide formation at the contacting surfaces leading to increased ON-state resistance after switching, and high switching voltages due to strain gradient present within the relay structure. This dissertation advances NEM relay technology by investigating solutions to both of these pressing issues. Ruthenium, whose native oxide is conductive, is proposed as the contacting material to improve relay ON-state resistance stability. Ruthenium-contact relays are fabricated after overcoming several process integration challenges, and show superior ON-state resistance stability in electrical measurements and extended device lifetime. The relay structural film is optimized via stress matching among all layers within the structure, to provide lower strain gradient (below 10E-3/microm -1) and hence lower switching voltage. These advancements in relay technology, along with the integration of a metallic interconnect layer, enable complex relay-based circuit demonstration. In addition to the experimental efforts, this dissertation theoretically analyzes the energy efficiency limit of a NEM switch, which is generally believed to be limited by the surface adhesion energy. New compact (<1 microm2 footprint), low-voltage (<0.1 V) switch designs are proposed to overcome this limit. The results pave a pathway to scaled energy-efficient electronic device technology.

Cogeneration Technology Alternatives Study (CTAS). Volume 3: Energy conversion system characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Six current and thirty-six advanced energy conversion systems were defined and combined with appropriate balance of plant equipment. Twenty-six industrial processes were selected from among the high energy consuming industries to serve as a frame work for the study. Each conversion system was analyzed as a cogenerator with each industrial plant. Fuel consumption, costs, and environmental intrusion were evaluated and compared to corresponding traditional values. The advanced energy conversion technologies indicated reduced fuel consumption, costs, and emissions. Fuel energy savings of 10 to 25 percent were predicted compared to traditional on site furnaces and utility electricity. With the variety of industrial requirements, each advanced technology had attractive applications. Fuel cells indicated the greatest fuel energy savings and emission reductions. Gas turbines and combined cycles indicated high overall annual savings. Steam turbines and gas turbines produced high estimated returns. In some applications, diesels were most efficient. The advanced technologies used coal derived fuels, or coal with advanced fluid bed combustion or on site gasifications. Data and information for both current and advanced energy conversion technology are presented. Schematic and physical descriptions, performance data, equipment cost estimates, and predicted emissions are included. Technical developments which are needed to achieve commercialization in the 1985-2000 period are identified.

Energy Efficient Engine integrated core/low spool design and performance report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stearns, E. Marshall

1985-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) is a NASA program to create fuel saving technology for future transport aircraft engines. The E3 technology advancements were demonstrated to operate reliably and achieve goal performance in tests of the Integrated Core/Low Spool vehicle. The first build of this undeveloped technology research engine set a record for low fuel consumption. Its design and detailed test results are herein presented.

Advanced energy system program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trester, K.

1989-02-01

The objectives of the program are to design, develop and demonstrate a natural-gas-fueled, highly recuperated, 50 kW Brayton-cycle cogeneration system for commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential applications. Marketing studies have shown that this Advanced Energy System (AES), with its many unique and cost-effective features, has the potential to offer significant reductions in annual electrical and thermal energy costs to the consumer. Specific advantages of the system that result in low cost of ownership are high electrical efficiency (30 percent, HHV), low maintenance, high reliability and long life (20 years).

High altitude airship configuration and power technology and method for operation of same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H. (Inventor); Elliott, Jr., James R. (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Kim, Jae-Woo (Inventor); Chu, Sang-Hyon (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A new High Altitude Airship (HAA) capable of various extended applications and mission scenarios utilizing inventive onboard energy harvesting and power distribution systems. The power technology comprises an advanced thermoelectric (ATE) thermal energy conversion system. The high efficiency of multiple stages of ATE materials in a tandem mode, each suited for best performance within a particular temperature range, permits the ATE system to generate a high quantity of harvested energy for the extended mission scenarios. When the figure of merit 5 is considered, the cascaded efficiency of the three-stage ATE system approaches an efficiency greater than 60 percent.

The aircraft energy efficiency active controls technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, R. V., Jr.

1977-01-01

Broad outlines of the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program for expediting the application of active controls technology to civil transport aircraft are presented. Advances in propulsion and airframe technology to cut down on fuel consumption and fuel costs, a program for an energy-efficient transport, and integrated analysis and design technology in aerodynamics, structures, and active controls are envisaged. Fault-tolerant computer systems and fault-tolerant flight control system architectures are under study. Contracts with leading manufacturers for research and development work on wing-tip extensions and winglets for the B-747, a wing load alleviation system, elastic mode suppression, maneuver-load control, and gust alleviation are mentioned.

Commercial Cargo Derivative Study of the Advanced Hybrid Wing Body Configuration with Over-Wing Engine Nacelles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, John R.; Wick, Andrew T.; Hardin, Christopher J.

2017-01-01

LM has leveraged our partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and NASA on the advanced hybrid wing body (HWB) concept to develop a commercial freighter which addresses the NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project goals for improved efficiency beyond 2025. The current Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Revolutionary Configurations for Energy Efficiency (RCEE) program established the HWB configuration and technologies needed for military transports to achieve aerodynamic and fuel efficiencies well beyond the commercial industry's most modern designs. This study builds upon that effort to develop a baseline commercial cargo aircraft and two HWB derivative commercial cargo aircraft to quanitify the benefit of the HWB and establish a technology roadmap for further development.

Cogeneration Technology Alternatives Study (CTAS) Volume 5: Analytical approach and results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Data and information in the area of advanced energy conversion systems for industrial cogeneration applications in the 1985 to 2000 time period are provided. Six current and thirty-six advanced energy conversion systems were defined and combined with appropriate balance of plant equipment. Twenty-six industrial processes were selected from among the high energy consuming industries to serve as a framework for the study. Each conversion system was analyzed as a cogenerator with each industrial plant. Fuel consumption, costs, and environmental intrusion were evaluated and compared to corresponding traditional values. Various cogeneration strategies were analyzed and both topping and bottoming (using industrial by-product heat) applications were included. The advanced energy conversion technologies indicated reduced fuel consumption, costs, and emissions. Typically fuel energy savings of 10 to 25 percent were predicted compared to traditional on site furnaces and utility electricity. Gas turbines and combined cycles indicated high overall annual cost savings. Steam turbines and gas turbines produced high estimated returns. In some applications, diesels were most efficient. The advanced technologies used coal derived fuels, or coal with advanced fluid bed combustion or on site gasification systems.

Solar Innovator | Alta Devices

ScienceCinema

Mattos, Laila; Le, Minh

2017-12-09

Selected to participate in the Energy Department's SunShot Initiative, Alta Devices produces solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity at world record-breaking levels of efficiency. Through its innovative solar technology Alta is helping bring down the cost of solar. Learn more about the Energy Department's efforts to advance solar technology at energy.gov/solar .

Transforming Power Systems Through Global Collaboration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-06-01

Ambitious and integrated policy and regulatory frameworks are crucial to achieve power system transformation. The 21st Century Power Partnership -- a multilateral initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial -- serves as a platform for public-private collaboration to advance integrated solutions for the large-scale deployment of renewable energy in combination with energy efficiency and grid modernization.

Economic feasibility of converting center pivot irrigation to subsurface drip irrigation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Advancements in irrigation technology have increased water use efficiency. However, producers can be reluctant to convert to a more efficient irrigation system when the initial investment costs are high. This study examines the economic feasibility of replacing low energy precision application (LEPA...

Recent advances in visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for hydrogen production and solar energy conversion--from semiconducting TiO2 to MOF/PCP photocatalysts.

PubMed

Horiuchi, Yu; Toyao, Takashi; Takeuchi, Masato; Matsuoka, Masaya; Anpo, Masakazu

2013-08-28

The present perspective describes recent advances in visible-light-responsive photocatalysts intended to develop novel and efficient solar energy conversion technologies, including water splitting and photofuel cells. Water splitting is recognized as one of the most promising techniques to convert solar energy as a clean and abundant energy resource into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. In recent years, increasing concern is directed to not only the development of new photocatalytic materials but also the importance of technologies to produce hydrogen and oxygen separately. Photofuel cells can convert solar energy into electrical energy by decomposing bio-related compounds and livestock waste as fuels. The advances of photocatalysts enabling these solar energy conversion technologies have been going on since the discovery of semiconducting titanium dioxide materials and have extended to organic-inorganic hybrid materials, such as metal-organic frameworks and porous coordination polymers (MOF/PCP).

More Efficient Power Conversion for EVs: Gallium-Nitride Advanced Power Semiconductor and Packaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-02-01

Broad Funding Opportunity Announcement Project: Delphi is developing power converters that are smaller and more energy efficient, reliable, and cost-effective than current power converters. Power converters rely on power transistors which act like a very precisely controlled on-off switch, controlling the electrical energy flowing through an electrical circuit. Most power transistors today use silicon (Si) semiconductors. However, Delphi is using semiconductors made with a thin layer of gallium-nitride (GaN) applied on top of the more conventional Si material. The GaN layer increases the energy efficiency of the power transistor and also enables the transistor to operate at much higher temperatures,more » voltages, and power-density levels compared to its Si counterpart. Delphi is packaging these high-performance GaN semiconductors with advanced electrical connections and a cooling system that extracts waste heat from both sides of the device to further increase the device’s efficiency and allow more electrical current to flow through it. When combined with other electronic components on a circuit board, Delphi’s GaN power transistor package will help improve the overall performance and cost-effectiveness of HEVs and EVs.« less

A review of advanced turboprop transport aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Roy H.

The application of advanced technologies shows the potential for significant improvement in the fuel efficiency and operating costs of future transport aircraft envisioned for operation in the 1990s time period. One of the more promising advanced technologies is embodied in an advanced turboprop concept originated by Hamilton Standard and NASA and known as the propfan. The propfan concept features a highly loaded multibladed, variable pitch propeller geared to a high pressure ratio gas turbine engine. The blades have high sweepback and advanced airfoil sections to achieve 80 percent propulsive efficiency at M=0.80 cruise speed. Aircraft system studies have shown improvements in fuel efficiency of 15-20 percent for propfan advanced transport aircraft as compared to equivalent turbofan transports. Beginning with the Lockheed C-130 and Electra turboprop aircraft, this paper presents an overview of the evolution of propfan aircraft design concepts and system studies. These system studies include possible civil and military transport applications and data on the performance, community and far-field noise characteristics and operating costs of propfan aircraft design concepts. NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) program propfan projects with industry are reviewed with respect to system studies of propfan aircraft and recommended flight development programs.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRUCK EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGIES IN CLASS 8 TRACTOR-TRAILERS BASED ON A TRACTIVE ENERGY ANALYSIS USING MEASURED DRIVE CYCLE DATA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaClair, Tim J; Gao, Zhiming; Fu, Joshua S.

2014-01-01

Quantifying the fuel savings that can be achieved from different truck fuel efficiency technologies for a fleet s specific usage allows the fleet to select the combination of technologies that will yield the greatest operational efficiency and profitability. This paper presents an analysis of vehicle usage in a commercial vehicle fleet and an assessment of advanced efficiency technologies using an analysis of measured drive cycle data for a class 8 regional commercial shipping fleet. Drive cycle measurements during a period of a full year from six tractor-trailers in normal operations in a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier were analyzed to develop amore » characteristic drive cycle that is highly representative of the fleet s usage. The vehicle mass was also estimated to account for the variation of loads that the fleet experienced. The drive cycle and mass data were analyzed using a tractive energy analysis to quantify the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions benefits that can be achieved on class 8 tractor-trailers when using advanced efficiency technologies, either individually or in combination. Although differences exist among class 8 tractor-trailer fleets, this study provides valuable insight into the energy and emissions reduction potential that various technologies can bring in this important trucking application.« less

Cogeneration technology alternatives study. Volume 1: Summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Data and information in the area of advanced energy conversion systems for industrial congeneration applications in the 1985-2000 time period was studied. Six current and thirty-one advanced energy conversion systems were defined and combined with appropriate balance-of-plant equipment. Twenty-six industrial processes were selected from among the high energy consuming industries to serve as a framework for the study. Each conversion system was analyzed as a cogenerator with each industrial plant. Fuel consumption, costs, and environmental intrusion were evaluated and compared to corresponding traditional values. Various cogeneration strategies were analyzed and both topping and bottoming (using industrial by-product heat) applications were included. The advanced energy conversion technologies indicated reduced fuel consumption, costs, and emissions. Typically fuel energy savings of 10 to 25 percent were predicted compared to traditional on-site furnaces and utility electricity. With the variety of industrial requirements, each advanced technology had attractive applications. Overall, fuel cells indicated the greatest fuel energy savings and emission reductions. Gas turbines and combined cycles indicated high overall annual cost savings. Steam turbines and gas turbines produced high estimated returns. In some applications, diesels were most efficient. The advanced technologies used coal-derived fuels, or coal with advanced fluid bed combustion or on-site gasification systems.

Network Modeling and Energy-Efficiency Optimization for Advanced Machine-to-Machine Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Jung, Sungmo; Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Seoksoo

2012-01-01

Wireless machine-to-machine sensor networks with multiple radio interfaces are expected to have several advantages, including high spatial scalability, low event detection latency, and low energy consumption. Here, we propose a network model design method involving network approximation and an optimized multi-tiered clustering algorithm that maximizes node lifespan by minimizing energy consumption in a non-uniformly distributed network. Simulation results show that the cluster scales and network parameters determined with the proposed method facilitate a more efficient performance compared to existing methods. PMID:23202190

Electrofuels: A New Paradigm for Renewable Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conrado, Robert J.; Haynes, Chad A.; Haendler, Brenda E.

2013-01-01

Biofuels are by now a well-established component of the liquid fuels market and will continue to grow in importance for both economic and environmental reasons. To date, all commercial approaches to biofuels involve photosynthetic capture of solar radiation and conversion to reduced carbon; however, the low efficiency inherent to photosynthetic systems presents significant challenges to scaling. In 2009, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) created the Electrofuels program to explore the potential of nonphotosynthetic autotrophic organisms for the conversion of durable forms of energy to energy-dense, infrastructure-compatible liquid fuels. The Electrofuels approach expands the boundariesmore » of traditional biofuels and could offer dramatically higher conversion efficiencies while providing significant reductions in requirements for both arable land and water relative to photosynthetic approaches. The projects funded under the Electrofuels program tap the enormous and largely unexplored diversity of the natural world, and may offer routes to advanced biofuels that are significantly more efficient, scalable and feedstock-flexible than routes based on photosynthesis. Here, we describe the rationale for the creation of the Electrofuels program, and outline the challenges and opportunities afforded by chemolithoautotrophic approaches to liquid fuels.« less

Carbon nanotube computer.

PubMed

Shulaker, Max M; Hills, Gage; Patil, Nishant; Wei, Hai; Chen, Hong-Yu; Wong, H-S Philip; Mitra, Subhasish

2013-09-26

The miniaturization of electronic devices has been the principal driving force behind the semiconductor industry, and has brought about major improvements in computational power and energy efficiency. Although advances with silicon-based electronics continue to be made, alternative technologies are being explored. Digital circuits based on transistors fabricated from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have the potential to outperform silicon by improving the energy-delay product, a metric of energy efficiency, by more than an order of magnitude. Hence, CNTs are an exciting complement to existing semiconductor technologies. Owing to substantial fundamental imperfections inherent in CNTs, however, only very basic circuit blocks have been demonstrated. Here we show how these imperfections can be overcome, and demonstrate the first computer built entirely using CNT-based transistors. The CNT computer runs an operating system that is capable of multitasking: as a demonstration, we perform counting and integer-sorting simultaneously. In addition, we implement 20 different instructions from the commercial MIPS instruction set to demonstrate the generality of our CNT computer. This experimental demonstration is the most complex carbon-based electronic system yet realized. It is a considerable advance because CNTs are prominent among a variety of emerging technologies that are being considered for the next generation of highly energy-efficient electronic systems.

High-efficiency in situ resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (iRIXS) endstation at the Advanced Light Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Ruimin; Li, Qinghao; Zhuo, Zengqing; Sallis, Shawn; Fuchs, Oliver; Blum, Monika; Weinhardt, Lothar; Heske, Clemens; Pepper, John; Jones, Michael; Brown, Adam; Spucces, Adrian; Chow, Ken; Smith, Brian; Glans, Per-Anders; Chen, Yanxue; Yan, Shishen; Pan, Feng; Piper, Louis F. J.; Denlinger, Jonathan; Guo, Jinghua; Hussain, Zahid; Chuang, Yi-De; Yang, Wanli

2017-03-01

An endstation with two high-efficiency soft x-ray spectrographs was developed at Beamline 8.0.1 of the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The endstation is capable of performing soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy, and, in particular, resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering (RIXS). Two slit-less variable line-spacing grating spectrographs are installed at different detection geometries. The endstation covers the photon energy range from 80 to 1500 eV. For studying transition-metal oxides, the large detection energy window allows a simultaneous collection of x-ray emission spectra with energies ranging from the O K-edge to the Ni L-edge without moving any mechanical components. The record-high efficiency enables the recording of comprehensive two-dimensional RIXS maps with good statistics within a short acquisition time. By virtue of the large energy window and high throughput of the spectrographs, partial fluorescence yield and inverse partial fluorescence yield signals could be obtained for all transition metal L-edges including Mn. Moreover, the different geometries of these two spectrographs (parallel and perpendicular to the horizontal polarization of the beamline) provide contrasts in RIXS features with two different momentum transfers.

Techno-economic projections for advanced small solar thermal electric power plants to years 1990-2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujita, T.; Manvi, R.; Roschke, E. J.; El-Gabalawi, N.; Herrera, G.; Kuo, T. J.; Chen, K. H.

1979-01-01

Advanced technologies applicable to solar thermal electric power systems in the 1990-200 time-frame are delineated for power applications that fulfill a wide spectrum of small power needs with primary emphasis on power ratings less than 10MWe. Projections of power system characteristics (energy and capital costs as a function of capacity factor) are made based on development of identified promising technologies and are used as the basis for comparing technology development options and combinations of these options to determine developmental directions offering potential for significant improvements. Stirling engines, Brayton/Rankine combined cycles and storage/transport concepts encompassing liquid metals, and reversible-reaction chemical systems are considered for two-axis tracking systems such as the central receiver or power tower concept and distributed parabolic dish receivers which can provide efficient low-cost solar energy collection while achieving high temperatures for efficient energy conversion. Pursuit of advanced technology across a broad front can result in post-1985 solar thermal systems having the potential of approaching the goal of competitiveness with conventional power systems.

Nanomaterials for renewable energy

DOE PAGES

Chen, Shimou; Li, Liang; Sun, Hanwen; ...

2015-05-19

With demand for sustainable energy, resource, and environment protection, new material technologies are constantly expanding during the last few couple of decades. An intensive attention has been given by the scientific communities. In particular, nanomaterials are increasingly playing an active role either by increasing the efficiency of the energy storage and conversion processes or by improving the device design and performance. This special issue presents recent research advances in various aspects of energy storage technologies, advanced batteries, fuel cells, solar cell, biofuels, and so on. Design and synthesis of novel materials have demonstrated great impact on the utilization of themore » sustainable energy, which need to solve the increasing shortage of resource and the issues of environmental pollution.« less

Advanced structures technology and aircraft safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccomb, H. G., Jr.

1983-01-01

NASA research and development on advanced aeronautical structures technology related to flight safety is reviewed. The effort is categorized as research in the technology base and projects sponsored by the Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Project Office. Base technology research includes mechanics of composite structures, crash dynamics, and landing dynamics. The ACEE projects involve development and fabrication of selected composite structural components for existing commercial transport aircraft. Technology emanating from this research is intended to result in airframe structures with improved efficiency and safety.

Component research for future propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, C. L.; Weden, G. J.; Zuk, J.

1981-01-01

Factors affecting the helicopter market are reviewed. The trade-offs involving acquisition cost, mission reliability, and life cycle cost are reviewed, including civil and military aspects. The potential for advanced vehicle configurations with substantial improvements in energy efficiency, operating economics, and characteristics to satisfy the demands of the future market are identified. Advanced propulsion systems required to support these vehicle configurations are discussed, as well as the component technology for the engine systems. Considerations for selection of components in areas of economics and efficiency are presented.

Mitsubishi iMiEV: An Electric Mini-Car in NREL's Advanced Technology Vehicle Fleet (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This fact sheet highlights the Mitsubishi iMiEV, an electric mini-car in the advanced technology vehicle fleet at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In support of the U.S. Department of Energy's fast-charging research efforts, NREL engineers are conducting charge and discharge performance testing on the vehicle. NREL's advanced technology vehicle fleet features promising technologies to increase efficiency and reduce emissions without sacrificing safety or comfort. The fleet serves as a technology showcase, helping visitors learn about innovative vehicles that are available today or are in development. Vehicles in the fleet are representative of current, advanced, prototype, and emerging technologies.

Recent advances in application of UV light-emitting diodes for degrading organic pollutants in water through advanced oxidation processes: A review.

PubMed

Matafonova, Galina; Batoev, Valeriy

2018-04-01

Over the last decade, ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) have attracted considerable attention as alternative mercury-free UV sources for water treatment purposes. This review is a comprehensive analysis of data reported in recent years (mostly, post 2014) on the application of UV LED-induced advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to degrade organic pollutants, primarily dyes, phenols, pharmaceuticals, insecticides, estrogens and cyanotoxins, in aqueous media. Heterogeneous TiO 2 -based photocatalysis in lab grade water using UVA LEDs is the most frequently applied method for treating organic contaminants. The effects of controlled periodic illumination, different TiO 2 -based nanostructures and reactor types on degradation kinetics and mineralization are discussed. UVB and UVC LEDs have been used for photo-Fenton, photo-Fenton-like and UV/H 2 O 2 treatment of pollutants, primarily, in model aqueous solutions. Notably, UV LED-activated persulfate/peroxymonosulfate processes were capable of providing degradation in DOC-containing waters. Wall-plug efficiency, energy-efficiency of UV LEDs and the energy requirements in terms of Electrical Energy per Order (E EO ) are discussed and compared. Despite the overall high degradation efficiency of the UV LED-based AOPs, practical implementation is still limited and at lab scale. More research on real water matrices at more environmentally relevant concentrations, as well as an estimation of energy requirements providing fluence-based kinetic data are required. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-Performance Computing Systems and Operations | Computational Science |

Science.gov Websites

NREL Systems and Operations High-Performance Computing Systems and Operations NREL operates high-performance computing (HPC) systems dedicated to advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Capabilities NREL's HPC capabilities include: High-Performance Computing Systems We operate

Simultaneous Waste Heat and Water Recovery from Power Plant Flue Gases for Advanced Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Dexin

This final report presents the results of a two-year technology development project carried out by a team of participants sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE). The objective of this project is to develop a membrane-based technology to recover both water and low grade heat from power plant flue gases. Part of the recovered high-purity water and energy can be used directly to replace plant boiler makeup water as well as improving its efficiency, and the remaining part of the recovered water can be used for Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD), cooling tower water makeup or other plant uses. This advancedmore » version Transport Membrane Condenser (TMC) with lower capital and operating costs can be applied to existing plants economically and can maximize waste heat and water recovery from future Advanced Energy System flue gases with CO 2 capture in consideration, which will have higher moisture content that favors the TMC to achieve higher efficiency.« less

FOREWORD: Focus on Advanced Ceramics Focus on Advanced Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohashi, Naoki

2011-06-01

Much research has been devoted recently to developing technologies for renewable energy and improving the efficiency of the processes and devices used in industry and everyday life. Efficient solutions have been found using novel materials such as platinum and palladium-based catalysts for car exhaust systems, samarium-cobalt and neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets for electrical motors, and so on. However, their realization has resulted in an increasing demand for rare elements and in their deficit, the development of new materials based on more abundant elements and new functionalities of traditional materials. Moreover, increasing environmental and health concerns demand substitution of toxic or hazardous substances with nature-friendly alternatives. In this context, this focus issue on advanced ceramics aims to review current trends in ceramics science and technology. It is related to the International Conference on Science and Technology of Advanced Ceramics (STAC) held annually to discuss the emerging issues in the field of ceramics. An important direction of ceramic science is the collaboration between experimental and theoretical sciences. Recent developments in density functional theory and computer technology have enabled the prediction of physical and chemical properties of ceramics, thereby assisting the design of new materials. Therefore, this focus issue includes articles devoted to theory and advanced characterization techniques. As mentioned above, the potential shortage of rare elements is becoming critical to the industry and has resulted in a Japanese government initiative called the 'Ubiquitous Element Strategy'. This focus issue also includes articles related to this strategy and to the associated topics of energy conversion, such as phosphors for high-efficiency lighting and photocatalysts for solar-energy harvesting. We hope that this focus issue will provide a timely overview of current trends and problems in ceramics science and technology and promote new research and development in this field.

The NASA program in Space Energy Conversion Research and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullin, J. P.; Flood, D. J.; Ambrus, J. H.; Hudson, W. R.

The considered Space Energy Conversion Program seeks advancement of basic understanding of energy conversion processes and improvement of component technologies, always in the context of the entire power subsystem. Activities in the program are divided among the traditional disciplines of photovoltaics, electrochemistry, thermoelectrics, and power systems management and distribution. In addition, a broad range of cross-disciplinary explorations of potentially revolutionary new concepts are supported under the advanced energetics program area. Solar cell research and technology are discussed, taking into account the enhancement of the efficiency of Si solar cells, GaAs liquid phase epitaxy and vapor phase epitaxy solar cells, the use of GaAs solar cells in concentrator systems, and the efficiency of a three junction cascade solar cell. Attention is also given to blanket and array technology, the alkali metal thermoelectric converter, a fuel cell/electrolysis system, and thermal to electric conversion.

The NASA program in Space Energy Conversion Research and Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.; Flood, D. J.; Ambrus, J. H.; Hudson, W. R.

1982-01-01

The considered Space Energy Conversion Program seeks advancement of basic understanding of energy conversion processes and improvement of component technologies, always in the context of the entire power subsystem. Activities in the program are divided among the traditional disciplines of photovoltaics, electrochemistry, thermoelectrics, and power systems management and distribution. In addition, a broad range of cross-disciplinary explorations of potentially revolutionary new concepts are supported under the advanced energetics program area. Solar cell research and technology are discussed, taking into account the enhancement of the efficiency of Si solar cells, GaAs liquid phase epitaxy and vapor phase epitaxy solar cells, the use of GaAs solar cells in concentrator systems, and the efficiency of a three junction cascade solar cell. Attention is also given to blanket and array technology, the alkali metal thermoelectric converter, a fuel cell/electrolysis system, and thermal to electric conversion.

Thermoelectric Energy Conversion: Future Directions and Technology Development Needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the process of thermoelectric energy conversion along with key technology needs and challenges. The topics include: 1) The Case for Thermoelectrics; 2) Advances in Thermoelectrics: Investment Needed; 3) Current U.S. Investment (FY07); 4) Increasing Thermoelectric Materials Conversion Efficiency Key Science Needs and Challenges; 5) Developing Advanced TE Components & Systems Key Technology Needs and Challenges; 6) Thermoelectrics; 7) 200W Class Lightweight Portable Thermoelectric Generator; 8) Hybrid Absorption Cooling/TE Power Cogeneration System; 9) Major Opportunities in Energy Industry; 10) Automobile Waste Heat Recovery; 11) Thermoelectrics at JPL; 12) Recent Advances at JPL in Thermoelectric Converter Component Technologies; 13) Thermoelectrics Background on Power Generation and Cooling Operational Modes; 14) Thermoelectric Power Generation; and 15) Thermoelectric Cooling.

Simulation based energy-resource efficient manufacturing integrated with in-process virtual management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katchasuwanmanee, Kanet; Cheng, Kai; Bateman, Richard

2016-09-01

As energy efficiency is one of the key essentials towards sustainability, the development of an energy-resource efficient manufacturing system is among the great challenges facing the current industry. Meanwhile, the availability of advanced technological innovation has created more complex manufacturing systems that involve a large variety of processes and machines serving different functions. To extend the limited knowledge on energy-efficient scheduling, the research presented in this paper attempts to model the production schedule at an operation process by considering the balance of energy consumption reduction in production, production work flow (productivity) and quality. An innovative systematic approach to manufacturing energy-resource efficiency is proposed with the virtual simulation as a predictive modelling enabler, which provides real-time manufacturing monitoring, virtual displays and decision-makings and consequentially an analytical and multidimensional correlation analysis on interdependent relationships among energy consumption, work flow and quality errors. The regression analysis results demonstrate positive relationships between the work flow and quality errors and the work flow and energy consumption. When production scheduling is controlled through optimization of work flow, quality errors and overall energy consumption, the energy-resource efficiency can be achieved in the production. Together, this proposed multidimensional modelling and analysis approach provides optimal conditions for the production scheduling at the manufacturing system by taking account of production quality, energy consumption and resource efficiency, which can lead to the key competitive advantages and sustainability of the system operations in the industry.

The physics of solid-state neutron detector materials and geometries.

PubMed

Caruso, A N

2010-11-10

Detection of neutrons, at high total efficiency, with greater resolution in kinetic energy, time and/or real-space position, is fundamental to the advance of subfields within nuclear medicine, high-energy physics, non-proliferation of special nuclear materials, astrophysics, structural biology and chemistry, magnetism and nuclear energy. Clever indirect-conversion geometries, interaction/transport calculations and modern processing methods for silicon and gallium arsenide allow for the realization of moderate- to high-efficiency neutron detectors as a result of low defect concentrations, tuned reaction product ranges, enhanced effective omnidirectional cross sections and reduced electron-hole pair recombination from more physically abrupt and electronically engineered interfaces. Conversely, semiconductors with high neutron cross sections and unique transduction mechanisms capable of achieving very high total efficiency are gaining greater recognition despite the relative immaturity of their growth, lithographic processing and electronic structure understanding. This review focuses on advances and challenges in charged-particle-based device geometries, materials and associated mechanisms for direct and indirect transduction of thermal to fast neutrons within the context of application. Calorimetry- and radioluminescence-based intermediate processes in the solid state are not included.

Advanced Solar Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, J. H.; Hobgood, J. M.

1984-01-01

The Advanced Solar Power System (ASPS) concentrator uses a technically sophisticated design and extensive tooling to produce very efficient (80 to 90%) and versatile energy supply equipment which is inexpensive to manufacture and requires little maintenance. The advanced optical design has two 10th order, generalized aspheric surfaces in a Cassegrainian configuration which gives outstanding performance and is relatively insensitive to temperature changes and wind loading. Manufacturing tolerances also have been achieved. The key to the ASPS is the direct absorption of concentrated sunlight in the working fluid by radiative transfers in a black body cavity. The basic ASPS design concepts, efficiency, optical system, and tracking and focusing controls are described.

A chemistry and material perspective on lithium redox flow batteries towards high-density electrical energy storage.

PubMed

Zhao, Yu; Ding, Yu; Li, Yutao; Peng, Lele; Byon, Hye Ryung; Goodenough, John B; Yu, Guihua

2015-11-21

Electrical energy storage system such as secondary batteries is the principle power source for portable electronics, electric vehicles and stationary energy storage. As an emerging battery technology, Li-redox flow batteries inherit the advantageous features of modular design of conventional redox flow batteries and high voltage and energy efficiency of Li-ion batteries, showing great promise as efficient electrical energy storage system in transportation, commercial, and residential applications. The chemistry of lithium redox flow batteries with aqueous or non-aqueous electrolyte enables widened electrochemical potential window thus may provide much greater energy density and efficiency than conventional redox flow batteries based on proton chemistry. This Review summarizes the design rationale, fundamentals and characterization of Li-redox flow batteries from a chemistry and material perspective, with particular emphasis on the new chemistries and materials. The latest advances and associated challenges/opportunities are comprehensively discussed.

Nanotechnologies for efficient solar and wind energy harvesting and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eldada, Louay A.

2010-08-01

We describe nanotechnologies used to improve the efficient harvest of energy from the Sun and the wind, and the efficient storage of energy in secondary batteries and ultracapacitors, for use in a variety of applications including smart grids, electric vehicles, and portable electronics. We demonstrate high-quality nanostructured copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin films for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The self-assembly of nanoscale p-n junction networks creates n-type networks that act as preferential electron pathways, and p-type networks that act as preferential hole pathways, allowing positive and negative charges to travel to the contacts in physically separated paths, reducing charge recombination. We also describe PV nanotechnologies used to enhance light trapping, photon absorption, charge generation, charge transport, and current collection. Furthermore, we describe nanotechnologies used to improve the efficiency of power-generating wind turbines. These technologies include nanoparticle-containing lubricants that reduce the friction generated from the rotation of the turbines, nanocoatings for de-icing and self-cleaning technologies, and advanced nanocomposites that provide lighter and stronger wind blades. Finally, we describe nanotechnologies used in advanced secondary batteries and ultracapacitors. Nanostructured powder-based and carbon-nanotube-based cathodes and anodes with ultra-high surface areas boost the energy and power densities in secondary batteries, including lithium-ion and sodium-sulfur batteries. Nanostructured carbon materials are also controlled on a molecular level to offer large surface areas for the electrodes of ultracapacitors, allowing to store and supply large bursts of energy needed in some applications.

High to ultra-high power electrical energy storage.

PubMed

Sherrill, Stefanie A; Banerjee, Parag; Rubloff, Gary W; Lee, Sang Bok

2011-12-14

High power electrical energy storage systems are becoming critical devices for advanced energy storage technology. This is true in part due to their high rate capabilities and moderate energy densities which allow them to capture power efficiently from evanescent, renewable energy sources. High power systems include both electrochemical capacitors and electrostatic capacitors. These devices have fast charging and discharging rates, supplying energy within seconds or less. Recent research has focused on increasing power and energy density of the devices using advanced materials and novel architectural design. An increase in understanding of structure-property relationships in nanomaterials and interfaces and the ability to control nanostructures precisely has led to an immense improvement in the performance characteristics of these devices. In this review, we discuss the recent advances for both electrochemical and electrostatic capacitors as high power electrical energy storage systems, and propose directions and challenges for the future. We asses the opportunities in nanostructure-based high power electrical energy storage devices and include electrochemical and electrostatic capacitors for their potential to open the door to a new regime of power energy.

Propulsion/ACEE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The research objectives of the NASA aircraft energy efficiency program are summarized. Engine component improvements for turbofan engines, diagnostics, the development of advanced turboprop engines, and propeller noise analysis are discussed.

Global scenarios of urban density and its impacts on building energy use through 2050.

PubMed

Güneralp, Burak; Zhou, Yuyu; Ürge-Vorsatz, Diana; Gupta, Mukesh; Yu, Sha; Patel, Pralit L; Fragkias, Michail; Li, Xiaoma; Seto, Karen C

2017-08-22

Although the scale of impending urbanization is well-acknowledged, we have a limited understanding of how urban forms will change and what their impact will be on building energy use. Using both top-down and bottom-up approaches and scenarios, we examine building energy use for heating and cooling. Globally, the energy use for heating and cooling by the middle of the century will be between 45 and 59 exajoules per year (corresponding to an increase of 7-40% since 2010). Most of this variability is due to the uncertainty in future urban densities of rapidly growing cities in Asia and particularly China. Dense urban development leads to less urban energy use overall. Waiting to retrofit the existing built environment until markets are ready in about 5 years to widely deploy the most advanced renovation technologies leads to more savings in building energy use. Potential for savings in energy use is greatest in China when coupled with efficiency gains. Advanced efficiency makes the least difference compared with the business-as-usual scenario in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa but significantly contributes to energy savings in North America and Europe. Systemic efforts that focus on both urban form, of which urban density is an indicator, and energy-efficient technologies, but that also account for potential co-benefits and trade-offs with human well-being can contribute to both local and global sustainability. Particularly in growing cities in the developing world, such efforts can improve the well-being of billions of urban residents and contribute to mitigating climate change by reducing energy use in urban areas.

None

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Traylor, T.D.; Hicks, S.C.

1994-03-01

Transportation Energy Research announces on a monthly basis the current worldwide research and development information available on energy-efficient, environmentally sound transportation technologies. Its purpose is to enhance the technology transfer efforts of the Department of Energy. This publication contains the abstracts of DOE reports, journal articles, conference papers, patents, theses, and monographs added to the Energy Science and Technology Database during the past month. Also included are US information obtained through acquisition programs or interagency agreements and international information obtained through the International Energy Agency`s Energy Technology Data Exchange or government-to-government agreements. The DOE Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) managesmore » federal R&D programs aimed at improving transportation-sector energy efficiency. OTT currently supports activities in four major program areas: Electric and Hybrid Vehicles; Advanced Propulsion Systems; and magnetic levitation technology; Advanced Materials. DOE and DOE contractors can obtain copies for $4.00 per issue by using VISA, MasterCard, or OSTI deposit accounts. Contact the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, Attention: Information Services. For further information, call (615) 576-8401. Public availability is by subscription from the US Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. Order PB94-900900.« less

Quantify the energy and environmental benefits of implementing energy-efficiency measures in China’s iron and steel production

DOE PAGES

Ma, Ding; Chen, Wenying; Xu, Tengfang

2015-08-21

As one of the most energy-, emission- and pollution-intensive industries, iron and steel production is responsible for significant emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants. Although many energy-efficiency measures have been proposed by the Chinese government to mitigate GHG emissions and to improve air quality, lacking full understanding of the costs and benefits has created barriers against implementing these measures widely. This paper sets out to advance the understanding by addressing the knowledge gap in costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures in iron and steel production. Specifically, we build a new evaluation framework to quantify energy benefits andmore » environmental benefits (i.e., CO 2 emission reduction, air-pollutants emission reduction and water savings) associated with 36 energy-efficiency measures. Results show that inclusion of benefits from CO 2 and air-pollutants emission reduction affects the cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures significantly, while impacts from water-savings benefits are moderate but notable when compared to the effects by considering energy benefits alone. The new information resulted from this study should be used to augment future programs and efforts in reducing energy use and environmental impacts associated with steel production.« less

Quantify the energy and environmental benefits of implementing energy-efficiency measures in China’s iron and steel production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Ding; Chen, Wenying; Xu, Tengfang

As one of the most energy-, emission- and pollution-intensive industries, iron and steel production is responsible for significant emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants. Although many energy-efficiency measures have been proposed by the Chinese government to mitigate GHG emissions and to improve air quality, lacking full understanding of the costs and benefits has created barriers against implementing these measures widely. This paper sets out to advance the understanding by addressing the knowledge gap in costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures in iron and steel production. Specifically, we build a new evaluation framework to quantify energy benefits andmore » environmental benefits (i.e., CO 2 emission reduction, air-pollutants emission reduction and water savings) associated with 36 energy-efficiency measures. Results show that inclusion of benefits from CO 2 and air-pollutants emission reduction affects the cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures significantly, while impacts from water-savings benefits are moderate but notable when compared to the effects by considering energy benefits alone. The new information resulted from this study should be used to augment future programs and efforts in reducing energy use and environmental impacts associated with steel production.« less

Power Budget Analysis for High Altitude Airships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Elliott, James R.; King, Glen C.

2006-01-01

The High Altitude Airship (HAA) has various potential applications and mission scenarios that require onboard energy harvesting and power distribution systems. The energy source considered for the HAA s power budget is solar photon energy that allows the use of either photovoltaic (PV) cells or advanced thermoelectric (ATE) converters. Both PV cells and an ATE system utilizing high performance thermoelectric materials were briefly compared to identify the advantages of ATE for HAA applications in this study. The ATE can generate a higher quantity of harvested energy than PV cells by utilizing the cascaded efficiency of a three-staged ATE in a tandem mode configuration. Assuming that each stage of ATE material has the figure of merit of 5, the cascaded efficiency of a three-staged ATE system approaches the overall conversion efficiency greater than 60%. Based on this estimated efficiency, the configuration of a HAA and the power utility modules are defined.

Energy efficient engine: Propulsion system-aircraft integration evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owens, R. E.

1979-01-01

Flight performance and operating economics of future commercial transports utilizing the energy efficient engine were assessed as well as the probability of meeting NASA's goals for TSFC, DOC, noise, and emissions. Results of the initial propulsion systems aircraft integration evaluation presented include estimates of engine performance, predictions of fuel burns, operating costs of the flight propulsion system installed in seven selected advanced study commercial transports, estimates of noise and emissions, considerations of thrust growth, and the achievement-probability analysis.

48 CFR 23.705 - Electronic products environmental assessment tool.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES... standard for personal computer products— (i) Was issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics.... 104-113, the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995”, (see 11.102(c)); (iii) Meets...

75 FR 346 - State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

... advancement, find ways to encourage energy efficiency market transformation, and update members on routine business matters affecting the Board. Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public. Written... empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Minutes...

Dust Affects Solar-Cell Efficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molki, A.

2010-01-01

Over the past two decades governmental agencies have played an integral role in the advancement of renewable energy education by providing useful information for educators and students. The effect of such efforts has encouraged primary and secondary educational institutions to introduce the subject of renewable energy within their science…

48 CFR 23.704 - Electronic products environmental assessment tool.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES... standard for personal computer products— (i) Was issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics.... 104-113, the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995”, (see 11.102(c)); (iii) Meets...

48 CFR 23.704 - Electronic product environmental assessment tool.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES... Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., on March 5, 2010; October 19, 2012, and October 19, 2012.... 272 note), the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995,” (see 11.102(c)); (iii...

48 CFR 23.704 - Electronic products environmental assessment tool.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES... standard for personal computer products— (i) Was issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics.... 104-113, the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995”, (see 11.102(c)); (iii) Meets...

Performance analysis of CO(2) emissions and energy efficiency of metal industries in China.

PubMed

Shao, Chaofeng; Guan, Yang; Wan, Zheng; Chu, Chunli; Ju, Meiting

2014-02-15

Nonferrous metal industries play an important role in China's national economy and are some of the country's largest energy consumers. To better understand the nature of CO(2) emissions from these industries and to further move towards low-carbon development in this industry sector, this study investigates the CO(2) emissions of 12 nonferrous metal industries from 2003 to 2010 based on their life-cycle assessments. It then classifies these industries into four "emission-efficiency" types through cluster analysis. The results show that (1) the industrial economy and energy consumption of China's nonferrous metal industries have grown rapidly, although their recent energy consumption rate shows a declining trend. (2) The copper, aluminum, zinc, lead, and magnesium industries, classified as high-emission industries, are the main contributors of CO(2) emissions. The results have implications for policy decisions that aim to enhance energy efficiency, particularly for promoting the transformation of low-efficiency industries to high-efficiency ones. The study also highlights the important role of policy development in technological innovations, optimization, and upgrades, the reduction of coal proportion in energy consumption, and the advancement of new energy sources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES): Raising the Bar on Engine Technology with Increased Efficiency and Reduced Emissions, at Attractive Costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This is a fact sheet on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems program (ARES), which is designed to promote separate, but parallel engine development between the major stationary, gaseous fueled engine manufacturers in the United States.

Advanced Lubrication for Energy Efficiency, Durability and Lower Maintenance Costs of Advanced Naval Components and Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

condition, etc.) [ Fenske , 2006]. The failures due to friction and wear range across scale boundaries from nanoscale tribology at asperities to...Coatings for Machines and Mechanisnms Operating Under Extreme Conditions (A. review), Journal of Friction and Wear, 25 (3), 78. 2. Fenske G., Robert E

Decomposing Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Regulatory Standards in the Energy Conversion Efficiency and Tractive Energy Domain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pannone, Greg; Thomas, John F; Reale, Michael

The three foundational elements that determine mobile source energy use and tailpipe carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the tractive energy requirements of the vehicle, the on-cycle energy conversion efficiency of the propulsion system, and the energy source. The tractive energy requirements are determined by the vehicle's mass, aerodynamic drag, tire rolling resistance, and parasitic drag. Oncycle energy conversion of the propulsion system is dictated by the tractive efficiency, non-tractive energy use, kinetic energy recovery, and parasitic losses. The energy source determines the mobile source CO2 emissions. For current vehicles, tractive energy requirements and overall energy conversion efficiency are readily availablemore » from the decomposition of test data. For future applications, plausible levels of mass reduction, aerodynamic drag improvements, and tire rolling resistance can be transposed into the tractive energy domain. Similarly, by combining thermodynamic, mechanical efficiency, and kinetic energy recovery fundamentals with logical proxies, achievable levels of energy conversion efficiency can be established to allow for the evaluation of future powertrain requirements. Combining the plausible levels of tractive energy and on-cycle efficiency provides a means to compute sustainable vehicle and propulsion system scenarios that can achieve future regulations. Using these principles, the regulations established in the United States (U.S.) for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are evaluated. Fleet-level scenarios are generated and compared to the technology deployment assumptions made during rule-making. When compared to the rule-making assumptions, the results indicate that a greater level of advanced vehicle and propulsion system technology deployment will be required to achieve the model year 2025 U.S. standards for fuel economy and CO2 emissions.« less

Energy Innovation Hubs: A Home for Scientific Collaboration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chu, Steven

Secretary Chu will host a live, streaming Q&A session with the directors of the Energy Innovation Hubs on Tuesday, March 6, at 2:15 p.m. EST. The directors will be available for questions regarding their teams' work and the future of American energy. Ask your questions in the comments below, or submit them on Facebook, Twitter (@energy), or send an e-mail to newmedia@hq.doe.gov, prior or during the live event. Dr. Hank Foley is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computermore » modeling. Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors. Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, which focuses on how to produce fuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies. Ask your questions in the comments below, or submit them on Facebook, Twitter (@energy), or send an e-mail to newmedia@energy.gov, prior or during the live event. The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each Hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies. Dr. Hank Holey is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computer modeling. Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Hub, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors. Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis Hub, which focuses on how to produce biofuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.« less

Energy Innovation Hubs: A Home for Scientific Collaboration

ScienceCinema

Chu, Steven

2017-12-11

Secretary Chu will host a live, streaming Q&A session with the directors of the Energy Innovation Hubs on Tuesday, March 6, at 2:15 p.m. EST. The directors will be available for questions regarding their teams' work and the future of American energy. Ask your questions in the comments below, or submit them on Facebook, Twitter (@energy), or send an e-mail to newmedia@hq.doe.gov, prior or during the live event. Dr. Hank Foley is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computer modeling. Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors. Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, which focuses on how to produce fuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies. Ask your questions in the comments below, or submit them on Facebook, Twitter (@energy), or send an e-mail to newmedia@energy.gov, prior or during the live event. The Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers, with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds. Each Hub is focused on a specific high priority goal, rapidly accelerating scientific discoveries and shortening the path from laboratory innovation to technological development and commercial deployment of critical energy technologies. Dr. Hank Holey is the director of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy-Efficient Buildings, which is pioneering new data intensive techniques for designing and operating energy efficient buildings, including advanced computer modeling. Dr. Douglas Kothe is the director of the Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Hub, which uses powerful supercomputers to create "virtual" reactors that will help improve the safety and performance of both existing and new nuclear reactors. Dr. Nathan Lewis is the director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis Hub, which focuses on how to produce biofuels from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

Advanced Materials and Component Development for Lithium-Ion Cells for NASA Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Concha M.

2012-01-01

Human missions to Near Earth Objects, such as asteroids, planets, moons, liberation points, and orbiting structures, will require safe, high specific energy, high energy density batteries to provide new or extended capabilities than are possible with today s state-of-the-art aerospace batteries. The Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration Program, High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project battery development effort at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is continuing advanced lithium-ion cell development efforts begun under the Exploration Technology Development Program Energy Storage Project. Advanced, high-performing materials are required to provide improved performance at the component-level that contributes to performance at the integrated cell level in order to meet the performance goals for NASA s High Energy and Ultra High Energy cells. NASA s overall approach to advanced cell development and interim progress on materials performance for the High Energy and Ultra High Energy cells after approximately 1 year of development has been summarized in a previous paper. This paper will provide an update on these materials through the completion of 2 years of development. The progress of materials development, remaining challenges, and an outlook for the future of these materials in near term cell products will be discussed.

OppoRTUnities Abound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deru, Michael

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, HVAC accounts for approximately 38 percent of U.S. commercial buildings' primary energy consumption and a slightly higher percentage of their greenhouse-gas emissions. We have seen incredible gains made with lighting, going from incandescent and T12 fluorescent bulbs to high-efficiency LEDS, but there are even greater advances to be made with HVAC. Gains of 20 percent to 30 percent easily can be made by replacing older degraded equipment with new high-efficiency equipment. Even more savings are possible with an integrated engineering approach yielding optimized system designs combined with highly efficient controls.

NASA Advanced Exploration Systems: Advancements in Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shull, Sarah A.; Schneider, Walter F.

2016-01-01

The NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems (LSS) project strives to develop reliable, energy-efficient, and low-mass spacecraft systems to provide environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) critical to enabling long duration human missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Highly reliable, closed-loop life support systems are among the capabilities required for the longer duration human space exploration missions assessed by NASA’s Habitability Architecture Team.

The Cummins advanced turbocompound diesel engine evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoehne, J. L.; Werner, J. R.

1982-01-01

An advanced turbocompound diesel engine program was initiated to improve the tank mileage of the turbocompound engine by 5% over the vehicle test engines. Engine improvements could be realized by increasing the available energy of the exhaust gas at the turbine inlet, incorporating gas turbine techniques into improving the turbomachinery efficiencies, and through refined engine system optimization. The individual and cumulative performance gains achieved with the advanced turbocompound engine improvements are presented.

Technical and Energy Performance of an Advanced, Aqueous Ammonia-Based CO2 Capture Technology for a 500 MW Coal-Fired Power Station.

PubMed

Li, Kangkang; Yu, Hai; Feron, Paul; Tade, Moses; Wardhaugh, Leigh

2015-08-18

Using a rate-based model, we assessed the technical feasibility and energy performance of an advanced aqueous-ammonia-based postcombustion capture process integrated with a coal-fired power station. The capture process consists of three identical process trains in parallel, each containing a CO2 capture unit, an NH3 recycling unit, a water separation unit, and a CO2 compressor. A sensitivity study of important parameters, such as NH3 concentration, lean CO2 loading, and stripper pressure, was performed to minimize the energy consumption involved in the CO2 capture process. Process modifications of the rich-split process and the interheating process were investigated to further reduce the solvent regeneration energy. The integrated capture system was then evaluated in terms of the mass balance and the energy consumption of each unit. The results show that our advanced ammonia process is technically feasible and energy-competitive, with a low net power-plant efficiency penalty of 7.7%.

Rechargeable Zn-air batteries: Progress in electrolyte development and cell configuration advancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, M.; Ivey, D. G.; Xie, Z.; Qu, W.

2015-06-01

Zn-air batteries, which are cost-effective and have high energy density, are promising energy storage devices for renewable energy and power sources for electric transportation. Nevertheless, limited charge and discharge cycles and low round-trip efficiency have long been barriers preventing the large-scale deployment of Zn-air batteries in the marketplace. Technology advancements for each battery component and the whole battery/cell assembly are being pursued, with some key milestones reached during the past 20 years. As an example, commercial Zn-air battery products with long lifetimes and high energy efficiencies are being considered for grid-scale energy storage and for automotive markets. In this review, we present our perspectives on improvements in Zn-air battery technology through the exploration and utilization of different electrolyte systems. Recent studies ranging from aqueous electrolytes to nonaqueous electrolytes, including solid polymer electrolytes and ionic liquids, as well as hybrid electrolyte systems adopted in Zn-air batteries have been evaluated. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of each electrolyte, as well as the fundamental electrochemistry of Zn and air electrodes in different electrolytes, are the focus of this paper. Further consideration is given to detailed Zn-air battery configurations that have been studied and applied in commercial or nearing commercial products, with the purpose of exposing state-of-the-art technology innovations and providing insights into future advancements.

An Examination Of Marine Corps Energy Initiatives And The Supporting Manpower Force Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

in renewable energy and advancements in bio- fuel technology. The Navy’s energy, environment, and climate change website (2015d) reported that...2016 running off a mix of fossil fuel , biofuel, and nuclear energy. (Photo: MC2 Ryan J. Batchelder/Navy). Source: http://www.navytimes.com/story...Energy and Atmosphere (EA) and Water Efficiency (WE) sections. Offer cost- effective alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and coordinate with facility

Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Philbrick; Scheu, R.; Brand, L.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America research team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy-efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community.

76 FR 34215 - Notice of Department of Energy-Quadrennial Technology Review Capstone Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-13

... Council of Advisors on Science & Technology. This Administration's national energy goals are to: Reduce..., 2011)], the Department requested public comment on the questions related to the DOE-QTR and the framing... framing document: In the mobile sector, these are vehicle efficiency, electrification, and advanced fuels...

URBANopt Advanced Analytics Platform | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

-use districts, different buildings may peak in energy consumption at different times. In certain cases applications. Districts, Neighborhoods, and Campuses For districts with different building types and mixed-use buildings? How does energy consumption vary depending on different building efficiency scenarios (e.g

NREL Partners with California to Accelerate Advanced Energy Communities |

Science.gov Websites

, heating, and or cooling Smart energy management systems for residential, commercial and industrial the residences, commercial and industrial buildings. Visit the NREL website to learn about how NREL's efficiency of both residential and commercial buildings, communities, and districts. -Linh Truong Mission

Electrochemical Energy Storage for an Orbiting Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, R. E.

1981-01-01

The system weight of a multi hundred kilowatt fuel cell electrolysis cell energy storage system based upon alkaline electrochemical cell technology for use in a future orbiting space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) was studied. Preliminary system conceptual design, fuel cell module performance characteristics, subsystem and system weights, and overall system efficiency are identified. The impact of fuel cell module operating temperature and efficiency upon energy storage system weight is investigated. The weight of an advanced technology system featuring high strength filament wound reactant tanks and a fuel cell module employing lightweight graphite electrolyte reservoir plates is defined.

Motion control of multi-actuator hydraulic systems for mobile machineries: Recent advancements and future trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bing; Cheng, Min

2018-06-01

This paper presents a survey of recent advancements and upcoming trends in motion control technologies employed in designing multi-actuator hydraulic systems for mobile machineries. Hydraulic systems have been extensively used in mobile machineries due to their superior power density and robustness. However, motion control technologies of multi-actuator hydraulic systems have faced increasing challenges due to stringent emission regulations. In this study, an overview of the evolution of existing throttling control technologies is presented, including open-center and load sensing controls. Recent advancements in energy-saving hydraulic technologies, such as individual metering, displacement, and hybrid controls, are briefly summarized. The impact of energy-saving hydraulic technologies on dynamic performance and control solutions are also discussed. Then, the advanced operation methods of multi-actuator mobile machineries are reviewed, including coordinated and haptic controls. Finally, challenges and opportunities of advanced motion control technologies are presented by providing an overall consideration of energy efficiency, controllability, cost, reliability, and other aspects.

76 FR 45786 - Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-01

... updates. EU Data Initiative. HPC & EERE Wind Program. Early Career Research on Energy Efficient Interconnect for Exascale Computing. Separating Algorithm and Implentation. Update on ASCR exascale planning...

High efficiency thermal to electric energy conversion using selective emitters and spectrally tuned solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, Donald L.; Flood, Dennis J.; Lowe, Roland A.

1992-01-01

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems are attractive possibilities for direct thermal-to-electric energy conversion, but have typically required the use of black body radiators operating at high temperatures. Recent advances in both the understanding and performance of solid rare-earth oxide selective emitters make possible the use of TPV at temperatures as low as 1500 K. Depending on the nature of parasitic losses, overall thermal-to-electric conversion efficiencies greater than 20 percent are feasible.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goodwin, Malik

Reliable public lighting remains a critically important and valuable public service in Detroit, Michigan. The Downtown Detroit Energy Efficiency Lighting Program (the, “Program”) was designed and implemented to bring the latest advancements in lighting technology, energy efficiency, public safety and reliability to Detroit’s Central Business District, and the Program accomplished those goals successfully. Downtown’s nighttime atmosphere has been upgraded as a result of the installation of over 1000 new LED roadway lighting fixtures that were installed as part of the Program. The reliability of the lighting system has also improved.

PDC bits break ground with advanced vibration mitigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-10-01

Advancements in PDC bit technology have resulted in the identification and characterization of different types of vibrational modes that historically have limited PDC bit performance. As a result, concepts have been developed that prevent the initiation of vibration and also mitigate its damaging effects once it occurs. This vibration-reducing concept ensures more efficient use of the energy available to a PDC bit performance. As a result, concepts have been developed that prevent the imitation of vibration and also mitigate its damaging effects once it occurs. This vibration-reducing concept ensures more efficient use of the energy available to a PDC bit,more » thereby improving its performance. This improved understanding of the complex forces affecting bit performance is driving bit customization for specific drilling programs.« less

Results of design studies and wind tunnel tests of an advanced high lift system for an Energy Efficient Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliver, W. R.

1980-01-01

The development of an advanced technology high lift system for an energy efficient transport incorporating a high aspect ratio supercritical wing is described. This development is based on the results of trade studies to select the high lift system, analysis techniques utilized to design the high lift system, and results of a wind tunnel test program. The program included the first experimental low speed, high Reynolds number wind tunnel test for this class of aircraft. The experimental results include the effects on low speed aerodynamic characteristics of various leading and trailing edge devices, nacelles and pylons, aileron, spoilers, and Mach and Reynolds numbers. Results are discussed and compared with the experimental data and the various aerodynamic characteristics are estimated.

Magnify: A Final Technical Report of the American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Partnership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, Charles

The energy landscape has undergone profound transformation, with dramatic shifts having an impact on U.S. productivity, global investment, manufacturing operations, and job creation. The sense of urgency for a tighter linkage between clean technologies, energy and advanced manufacturing has only grown. Prior to 2009, the tone of the nation’s energy conversation was centered on how to deal with long-standing energy security challenges and scarcity. Today, the tone is focused on seizing emerging energy growth opportunities to transform America’s industrial base and job creation outlook—centering on energy abundance and strength. In this context, the Council on Competitiveness and the Department ofmore » Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) teamed in the American Energy & Manufacturing Competitiveness (AEMC) Partnership to tackle two major goals via a multi-year partnership. The AEMC Partnership identified means to: • Increase U.S. competitiveness in the production of clean energy products • Increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness across the board by increasing energy productivity The AEMC Partnership has engaged hundreds of leaders from industry, academia, labor and government in a series of 9 regional, progressive dialogues; original research; and 4 national summits. The AEMC dialogues and summits spanned the United States—taking place in our nation’s greatest manufacturing, research, technology and innovation hotspots. The goals of the AEMC Partnership have been straightforward: • State and define key barriers, challenges, and problems in U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing of clean energy products, energy efficiency products, and advanced manufacturing products. • Dive deeply into these problems and generate policies, solutions, concepts and models where the U.S. public and private sectors can work together to solve these problems. • Catalyze policy solutions—including models for public-private partnership (PPP) pilots—to increase competitive manufacturing of clean energy and energy efficiency products in the USA. • Elevate and increase awareness of the importance and benefits of competitive clean energy manufacturing. • Understand how energy game-changers, like breakthrough technologies, impact U.S. clean energy and energy efficient manufacturing. The Council on Competitiveness worked with its stakeholder network to generate potential PPP concepts and proposals to advance the goals of the AEMC Partnership. Magnify outlines 2 PPP concepts—honed by dialogues, conversations, interviews and research—that could be carried out by EERE and/or the Council to increase the competitive production of clean energy products, energy efficient products, and advanced manufacturing in the USA. Magnify’s 2 PPP concepts aim to bridge very specific gaps in the nation’s innovation ecosystem: • Clean Energy Materials Accelerator: This PPP concept focuses on reducing the risks associated with deploying newly developed materials in commercial products and processes by creating a platform to identify and address common challenges; increasing access to existing materials qualification and characterization tools; and creating standards for advanced materials with leaders in industry, academic, government, and other organizations. Why accelerate materials production? As the AEMC Partnership Dialogue and supporting research from the public and private sectors have documented, countries that lead in making next-generation materials will gain significant competitive advantage by unleashing a new wave of manufacturing innovation. • Manufacturing and Energy Technology Accelerator: This PPP concept is a new, physical and virtual collaborative resource platform designed to connect the nation’s world-class innovation institutions—SMEs, large multinational companies, universities, national laboratories, etc.—to facilitate the transition of cutting-edge clean energy technologies into products, processes, or services that are manufactured in the United States. Why should public and private sector leaders in innovation partner to co-create a scale-up platform? The United States is already a mecca for the world’s greatest minds in science and technology—drawn to our shores by world-class universities and opportunities to work with global leaders in innovation. Unfortunately, when it comes time to bring their ideas to market, technologists and entrepreneurs often choose, or are forced, to locate manufacturing overseas. The United States must regain its position in the world as a national scale-up platform for next-generation technologies. A thorough explanation of these PPP concepts and the rationale behind these recommendations is provided in Part 3 of Magnify. Magnify is an important step on the critical journey to define barriers, challenges and problems in the manufacturing of clean energy products and energy efficient products—and further honing concepts for scalable, public-private partnerships—to increase the competitive manufacturing of clean energy and energy efficient products, and the energy productivity throughout the U.S. manufactur¬ing sector. The rest of the world is waking up to the opportunities associated with a strategic focus on manufacturing and energy competitiveness. Global competition is on the rise, and the stakes are high for the United States to act now, to act decisively, and to leverage inherent strengths to ensure a more prosperous, competitive future for decades to come.« less

Assessing the Feasibility of Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Upgrades at Potawatomi Carter Casino Hotel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karman, Nathan A.

The Forest County Potawatomi Community, a federally-recognized Indian Tribe with a strong commitment to the natural environment, sought and obtained funding to investigate energy efficient improvements to its Potawatomi Carter Casino & Hotel and the adjacent Potawatomi Carter C-Store and Smoke Shop. The resulting energy studies recommended energy conservation measures that would collectively reduce energy use by more than 30% at the facilities and would save approximately $200,000 per year in energy costs. Consistent with its commitment to the natural environment, and to advance its goal of energy independence using Carbon free or Carbon neutral renewable resources, the Community hasmore » already begun implementing certain measures and continues to seek funding sources necessary to implement the remaining measures.« less

Sustainable NREL: From Integration to Innovation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2015-09-01

NREL's sustainability practices are integrated throughout the laboratory and are essential to our mission to develop clean energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advance related science and engineering, and provide knowledge and innovations to integrate energy systems at all scales. Sustainability initiatives are integrated through our campus, our staff, and our environment allowing NREL to provide leadership in modeling a sustainability energy future for companies, organizations, governments, and communities.

Energy Efficient Engine (E3) combustion system component technology performance report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrus, D. L.; Chahrour, C. A.; Foltz, H. L.; Sabla, P. E.; Seto, S. P.; Taylor, J. R.

1984-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) combustor effort was conducted as part of the overall NASA/GE E3 Program. This effort included the selection of an advanced double-annular combustion system design. The primary intent of this effort was to evolve a design that meets the stringent emissions and life goals of the E3, as well as all of the usual performance requirements of combustion systems for modern turbofan engines. Numerous detailed design studies were conducted to define the features of the combustion system design. Development test hardware was fabricated, and an extensive testing effort was undertaken to evaluate the combustion system subcomponents in order to verify and refine the design. Technology derived from this effort was incorporated into the engine combustion hardware design. The advanced engine combustion system was then evaluated in component testing to verify the design intent. What evolved from this effort was an advanced combustion system capable of satisfying all of the combustion system design objectives and requirements of the E3.

Energy efficient engine pin fin and ceramic composite segmented liner combustor sector rig test report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubiel, D. J.; Lohmann, R. P.; Tanrikut, S.; Morris, P. M.

1986-01-01

Under the NASA-sponsored Energy Efficient Engine program, Pratt and Whitney has successfully completed a comprehensive test program using a 90-degree sector combustor rig that featured an advanced two-stage combustor with a succession of advanced segmented liners. Building on the successful characteristics of the first generation counter-parallel Finwall cooled segmented liner, design features of an improved performance metallic segmented liner were substantiated through representative high pressure and temperature testing in a combustor atmosphere. This second generation liner was substantially lighter and lower in cost than the predecessor configuration. The final test in this series provided an evaluation of ceramic composite liner segments in a representative combustor environment. It was demonstrated that the unique properties of ceramic composites, low density, high fracture toughness, and thermal fatigue resistance can be advantageously exploited in high temperature components. Overall, this Combustor Section Rig Test program has provided a firm basis for the design of advanced combustor liners.

High-efficiency in situ resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (iRIXS) endstation at the Advanced Light Source

DOE PAGES

Qiao, Ruimin; Li, Qinghao; Zhuo, Zengqing; ...

2017-03-17

In this paper, an endstation with two high-efficiency soft x-ray spectrographs was developed at Beamline 8.0.1 of the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The endstation is capable of performing soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy, and, in particular, resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering (RIXS). Two slit-less variable line-spacing grating spectrographs are installed at different detection geometries. The endstation covers the photon energy range from 80 to 1500 eV. For studying transition-metal oxides, the large detection energy window allows a simultaneous collection of x-ray emission spectra with energies ranging from the O K-edge to the Ni L-edge without movingmore » any mechanical components. The record-high efficiency enables the recording of comprehensive two-dimensional RIXS maps with good statistics within a short acquisition time. By virtue of the large energy window and high throughput of the spectrographs, partial fluorescence yield and inverse partial fluorescence yield signals could be obtained for all transition metal L-edges including Mn. Finally and moreover, the different geometries of these two spectrographs (parallel and perpendicular to the horizontal polarization of the beamline) provide contrasts in RIXS features with two different momentum transfers.« less

Brayton advanced heat receiver development program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidenreich, G. R.; Downing, R. S.; Lacey, Dovie E.

1989-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center is managing an advanced solar dynamic (ASD) space power program. The objective of the ASD program is to develop small and lightweight solar dynamic systems which show significant improvement in efficiency and specific mass over the baseline design derived from the Space Station Freedom technology. The advanced heat receiver development program is a phased program to design, fabricate and test elements of a 7-kWe heat-receiver/thermal-energy-storage subsystem. Receivers for both Brayton and Stirling heat engines are being developed under separate contracts. Phase I, described here, is the current eighteen month effort to design and perform critical technology experiments on innovative concepts designed to reduce mass without compromising thermal efficiency and reliability.

Using qualitative methods to understand non-technological aspects of domestic energy efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrose, Aimee Rebecca

The overall aim of the collected published works is to investigate how different policy interventions in the field of energy efficiency (including zero carbon homes, low carbon heat networks, and domestic energy efficiency schemes) are experienced and made sense of by a range of key actors. A further aim is to understand these interventions in the context of existing theories within the field of domestic energy efficiency including socio-technical theory and Actor Network Theory. More specifically, this research advances existing knowledge in the following areas: The nature of the socio-technical challenges encountered in the introduction of more energy efficient buildings, and the importance of achieving a balance between socially acceptable and technically optimal environments. (Papers 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8). The value of qualitative research in gaining a more nuanced understanding of our relationship with the home and the implications of this for domestic energy efficiency interventions and the design of low energy buildings (all papers). The influence of tenure as determinant of access to a more energy efficient home and in particular, the stubborn and complex barriers to achieving higher standards of energy performance within the private rented sector. (Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4). The significance of identity, setting and notions of home in the context of domestic energy efficiency interventions. (Papers 1 and 4). As these themes suggest, this PhD is not just concerned with carbon reduction and energy saving as technical objects, but as a way of life. More specifically, it considers the interactions between the two and contends that technical or policy instruments, no matter how sophisticated, cannot succeed if they are not compatible with our ways of life (and ways of doing businesss) or if our ways of life cannot be reasonably adapted to acoomodate them.

Energy Conversion and Storage Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairns, E. J.

1993-06-01

This report is the 1992 annual progress report for the Energy Conversion and Storage Program, a part of the Energy and Environment Division of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Work described falls into three broad areas: electrochemistry; chemical applications; and materials applications. The Energy Conversion and Storage Program applies principles of chemistry and materials science to solve problems in several areas: (1) production of new synthetic fuels, (2) development of high-performance rechargeable batteries and fuel cells, (3) development of advanced thermochemical processes for energy conversion, (4) characterization of complex chemical processes and chemical species, and (5) study and application of novel materials for energy conversion and transmission. Projects focus on transport-process principles, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, separation processes, organic and physical chemistry, novel materials, and advanced methods of analysis. Electrochemistry research aims to develop advanced power systems for electric vehicle and stationary energy storage applications. Chemical applications research includes topics such as separations, catalysis, fuels, and chemical analyses. Included in this program area are projects to develop improved, energy-efficient methods for processing product and waste streams from synfuel plants, coal gasifiers, and biomass conversion processes. Materials applications research includes evaluation of the properties of advanced materials, as well as development of novel preparation techniques. For example, techniques such as sputtering, laser ablation, and poised laser deposition are being used to produce high-temperature superconducting films.

Office of Industrial Technologies research in progress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-05-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) conducts research and development activities which focus on improving energy efficiency and providing for fuel flexibility within US industry in the area of industrial conservation. The mission of OIT is to increase the utilization of existing energy-efficient equipment and to find and promote new, cost-effective ways for industrial facilities to improve their energy efficiency and minimize waste products. To ensure advancement of the technological leadership of the United States and to improve the competitiveness of American industrial products in world markets, OIT works closely with industrial partners, the staffsmore » of the national laboratories, and universities to identify research and development needs and to solve technological challenges. This report contains summaries of the currently active projects supported by the Office of Industrial Technologies.« less

Global scenarios of urban density and its impacts on building energy use through 2050

PubMed Central

Güneralp, Burak; Zhou, Yuyu; Ürge-Vorsatz, Diana; Gupta, Mukesh; Yu, Sha; Patel, Pralit L.; Fragkias, Michail; Li, Xiaoma; Seto, Karen C.

2017-01-01

Although the scale of impending urbanization is well-acknowledged, we have a limited understanding of how urban forms will change and what their impact will be on building energy use. Using both top-down and bottom-up approaches and scenarios, we examine building energy use for heating and cooling. Globally, the energy use for heating and cooling by the middle of the century will be between 45 and 59 exajoules per year (corresponding to an increase of 7–40% since 2010). Most of this variability is due to the uncertainty in future urban densities of rapidly growing cities in Asia and particularly China. Dense urban development leads to less urban energy use overall. Waiting to retrofit the existing built environment until markets are ready in about 5 years to widely deploy the most advanced renovation technologies leads to more savings in building energy use. Potential for savings in energy use is greatest in China when coupled with efficiency gains. Advanced efficiency makes the least difference compared with the business-as-usual scenario in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa but significantly contributes to energy savings in North America and Europe. Systemic efforts that focus on both urban form, of which urban density is an indicator, and energy-efficient technologies, but that also account for potential co-benefits and trade-offs with human well-being can contribute to both local and global sustainability. Particularly in growing cities in the developing world, such efforts can improve the well-being of billions of urban residents and contribute to mitigating climate change by reducing energy use in urban areas. PMID:28069957

Advanced Industrial Materials Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stooksbury, F.

1994-06-01

The mission of the Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) program is to commercialize new/improved materials and materials processing methods that will improve energy efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness. Program investigators in the DOE national laboratories are working with about 100 companies, including 15 partners in CRDA's. Work is being done on intermetallic alloys, ceramic composites, metal composites, polymers, engineered porous materials, and surface modification. The program supports other efforts in the Office of Industrial Technologies to assist the energy-consuming process industries. The aim of the AIM program is to bring materials from basic research to industrial application to strengthen the competitive position of US industry and save energy.

Assessing Energy Efficiency Opportunities in US Industrial and Commercial Building Motor Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Prakash; Sheaffer, Paul; McKane, Aimee

2015-09-01

In 2002, the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) published an energy efficiency assessment of U.S. industrial sector motor systems titled United States Industrial Electric Motor Systems Market Opportunities Assessment. The assessment advanced motor system efficiency by providing a greater understanding of the energy consumption, use characteristics, and energy efficiency improvement potential of industrial sector motor systems in the U.S. Since 2002, regulations such as Minimum Energy Performance Standards, cost reductions for motor system components such as variable frequency drives, system-integrated motor-driven equipment, and awareness programs for motor system energy efficiency have changed the landscape of U.S. motor system energymore » consumption. To capture the new landscape, the USDOE has initiated a three-year Motor System Market Assessment (MSMA), led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The MSMA will assess the energy consumption, operational and maintenance characteristics, and efficiency improvement opportunity of U.S. industrial sector and commercial building motor systems. As part of the MSMA, a significant effort is currently underway to conduct field assessments of motor systems from a sample of facilities representative of U.S. commercial and industrial motor system energy consumption. The Field Assessment Plan used for these assessments builds on recent LBNL research presented at EEMODS 2011 and EEMODS 2013 using methods for characterizing and determining regional motor system energy efficiency opportunities. This paper provides an update on the development and progress of the MSMA, focusing on the Field Assessment Plan and the framework for assessing the global supply chain for emerging motors and drive technologies.« less

Energy Department Helps Advance Island Clean Energy Goals (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-10-01

This U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) fact sheet highlights a June 2012 solar power purchase agreement between the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and three corporations. The fact sheet describes how financial support from DOE and technical assistance from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory enabled the U.S. Virgin Islands to realistically assess its clean energy resources and identify the most viable and cost-effective solutions to its energy challenges--resulting in a $65 million investment in solar energy in the territory.

Republic of the Marshall Islands. Energy Project Development Options and Technical Assessment (2013)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conrad, Misty Dawn; Olis, Dan; Ness, J. Erik

2015-09-01

The advancement of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies continues to be fluid. There are many technical opportunities and strategies that can be utilized to guide communities to deploy cost-effective commercial alternative energy options; however, to achieve aggressive economic, environmental, and security goals, it requires a comprehensive, integrated approach. This document reports on the initial findings of an energy assessment that was conducted for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Weatherization Innovation Pilot Program (WIPP): Technical Assistance Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollander, A.

2014-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office (WIPO) launched the Weatherization Innovation Pilot Program (WIPP) to accelerate innovations in whole-house weatherization and advance DOE's goal of increasing the energy efficiency and health and safety of low-income residences without the utilization of additional taxpayer funding. Sixteen WIPP grantees were awarded a total of $30 million in Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funds in September 2010. These projects focused on: including nontraditional partners in weatherization service delivery; leveraging significant non-federal funding; and improving the effectiveness of low-income weatherization through the use of newmore » materials, technologies, behavior-change models, and processes.« less

Small

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montoya, Joseph

Representing the Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion (CNEEC), this document is one of the entries in the Ten Hundred and One Word Challenge. As part of the challenge, the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers were invited to represent their science in images, cartoons, photos, words and original paintings, but any descriptions or words could only use the 1000 most commonly used words in the English language, with the addition of one word important to each of the EFRCs and the mission of DOE energy. The mission of CNEEC is to understand how nanostructuring can enhance efficiency for energymore » conversion and solve fundamental cross-cutting problems in advanced energy conversion and storage systems.« less

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-01-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion. PMID:27113558

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate.

PubMed

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-26

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

Selectively Modulating Triplet Exciton Formation in Host Materials for Highly Efficient Blue Electrophosphorescence.

PubMed

Li, Huanhuan; Bi, Ran; Chen, Ting; Yuan, Kai; Chen, Runfeng; Tao, Ye; Zhang, Hongmei; Zheng, Chao; Huang, Wei

2016-03-23

The concept of limiting the triplet exciton formation to fundamentally alleviate triplet-involved quenching effects is introduced to construct host materials for highly efficient and stable blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The low triplet exciton formation is realized by small triplet exciton formation fraction and rate with high binding energy and high reorganization energy of triplet exciton. Demonstrated in two analogue molecules in conventional donor-acceptor molecule structure for bipolar charge injection and transport with nearly the same frontier orbital energy levels and triplet excited energies, the new concept host material shows significantly suppressed triplet exciton formation in the host to avoid quenching effects, leading to much improved device efficiencies and stabilities. The low-voltage-driving blue PhOLED devices exhibit maximum efficiencies of 43.7 cd A(-1) for current efficiency, 32.7 lm W(-1) for power efficiency, and 20.7% for external quantum efficiency with low roll-off and remarkable relative quenching effect reduction ratio up to 41%. Our fundamental solution for preventing quenching effects of long-lived triplet excitons provides exciting opportunities for fabricating high-performance devices using the advanced host materials with intrinsically small triplet exciton formation cross section.

Improving Reliability and Durability of Efficient and Clean Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Prabhakar

2010-08-01

Overall objective of the research program was to develop an in-depth understanding of the degradation processes in advanced electrochemical energy conversion systems. It was also the objective of the research program to transfer the technology to participating industries for implementation in manufacturing of cost effective and reliable integrated systems.

Pulsed Power Design for a Small Repetitively Pulsed Electron Beam Pumped KrF Laser

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-01

fusion energy (IFE) requirements for rep-rate, efficiency, durability and cost. We have designed a pulsed power system for the pre-amplifier in the Electra...new advanced pulsed power topology that can meet the fusion energy requirements for durability, repetition rate, and cost. The pulsed power will first

Production of High Value Cellulose from Tobacco

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berson, R Eric; Dvaid, Keith; McGinley, W Mark

The Kentucky Rural Energy Supply Program was established in 2005 by a federal direct appropriation to benefit the citizens of the Commonwealth by creating a unified statewide consortium to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in Kentucky. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Biomass Programs initially funded the consortium in 2005 with a $2 million operational grant. The Kentucky Rural Energy Consortium (KREC) was formed at the outset of the program to advance energy efficiency and comprehensive research on biomass and bioenergy of importance to Kentucky agriculture, rural communities, and related industries. In recognition of the successful effortsmore » of the program, KREC received an additional $1.96 million federal appropriation in 2008 for renewal of the DOE grant. From the beginning, KREC understood the value of providing a statewide forum for the discussion of Kentucky's long term energy needs and economic development potential. The new funding allowed KREC to continue to serve as a clearinghouse and support new research and development and outreach programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy.« less

Lighting in Commercial Buildings

EIA Publications

2009-01-01

Lighting is a major consumer of electricity in commercial buildings and a target for energy savings through use of energy-efficient light sources along with other advanced lighting technologies. The Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) collects information on types of lighting equipment, the amount of floorspace that is lit, and the percentage of floorspace lit by each type. In addition, CBECS data are used to model end-use consumption, including energy consumed for lighting in commercial buildings.

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Report: Development of Advanced Window Coatings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolton, Ladena A.; Alvine, Kyle J.; Schemer-Kohrn, Alan L.

2014-08-05

Advanced fenestration technologies for light and thermal management in building applications are of great recent research interest for improvements in energy efficiency. Of these technologies, there is specific interest in advanced window coating technologies that have tailored control over the visible and infrared (IR) scattering into a room for both static and dynamic applications. Recently, PNNL has investigated novel subwavelength nanostructured coatings for both daylighting, and IR thermal management applications. Such coatings rese still in the early stages and additional research is needed in terms of scalable manufacturing. This project investigates aspects of a potential new methodology for low-cost scalablemore » manufacture of said subwavelength coatings.« less

Performance assessment of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberson, Dakota; Ellison, James F.; Bhatnagar, Dhruv

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study is to characterize the technical performance of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project, and to identify lessons learned that can be used to improve similar projects in the future. The PNM Prosperity electricity storage project consists of a 500 kW/350 kWh advanced lead-acid battery with integrated supercapacitor (for energy smoothing) and a 250 kW/1 MWh advanced lead-acid battery (for energy shifting), and is co-located with a 500 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) resource. The project received American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding. The smoothing system is e ective in smoothing intermittent PV output. The shiftingmore » system exhibits good round-trip efficiencies, though the AC-to-AC annual average efficiency is lower than one might hope. Given the current utilization of the smoothing system, there is an opportunity to incorporate additional control algorithms in order to increase the value of the energy storage system.« less

Recent Inventions and Trends in Algal Biofuels Research.

PubMed

Karemore, Ankush; Nayak, Manoranjan; Sen, Ramkrishna

2016-01-01

In recent times, when energy crisis compounded by global warming and climate change is receiving worldwide attention, the emergence of algae, as a better feedstock for third-generation biofuels than energy crops or plants, holds great promise. As compared to conventional biofuels feedstocks, algae offer several advantages and can alone produce a significant amount of biofuels sustainably in a shorter period to fulfill the rising demand for energy. Towards commercialisation, there have been numerous efforts put for- ward for the development of algae-derived biofuel. This article reviews and summarizes the recent inventions and the current trends that are reported and captured in relevant patents pertaining to the novel methods of algae biomass cultivation and processing for biofuels and value-added products. In addition, the recent advancement in techniques and technologies for microalgal biofuel production has been highlighted. Various steps involved in the production of algal biofuels have been considered in this article. Moreover, the work that advances to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the processes for the manufacture of biofuels has been presented. Our survey was conducted in the patent databases: WIPO, Spacenet and USPTO. There are still some technological bottlenecks that could be overcome by designing advanced photobioreactor and raceway ponds, developing new and low cost technologies for biomass cultivation, harvesting, drying and extraction. Recent advancement in algae biofuels methods is directed toward developing efficient and integrated systems to produce biofuels by overcoming the current challenges. However, further research effort is required to scale-up and improve the efficiency of these methods in the upstream and downstream technologies to make the cost of biofuels competitive with petroleum fuels.

Better Buildings Alliance 2013 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-01-31

We are pleased to share with you a copy of the 2013 Annual Report. Inside, you’ll find significant program accomplishments, profiles on highlighted members, and plans for 2014. With your contributions, support, and leadership over the past 12 months, the program has reached significant milestones, including: Growing membership to over 200 members, to represent over 10 billion square feet of U.S. commercial building space and one-seventh of the market; Increasing participation in the 15 Solutions Teams by 75%; Developing 3 new high-efficiency technology specifications that if widely implemented, could save more than $5 billion in energy costs per year; Launchingmore » the Advanced RTU Campaign and Wireless Meter Challenge, and surpassing 100 million sq. ft. in the Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign; Welcoming partners in new sectors, including K-12 schools and local governments; The program is a critical element of the Better Buildings Initiative, driving 20% energy savings in the building sector by 2020 through innovation, new technologies, and profiling leadership. Thank you for your ongoing participation, we are looking forward to working with you in the new year on your energy saving targets and advancing technical and market practices that promote energy savings at your organization.« less

Microalgal drying and cell disruption--recent advances.

PubMed

Show, Kuan-Yeow; Lee, Duu-Jong; Tay, Joo-Hwa; Lee, Tse-Min; Chang, Jo-Shu

2015-05-01

Production of intracellular metabolites or biofuels from algae involves various processing steps, and extensive work on laboratory- and pilot-scale algae cultivation, harvesting and processing has been reported. As algal drying and cell disruption are integral processes of the unit operations, this review examines recent advances in algal drying and disruption for nutrition or biofuel production. Challenges and prospects of the processing are also outlined. Engineering improvements in addressing the challenges of energy efficiency and cost-effective and rigorous techno-economic analyses for a clearer prospect comparison between different processing methods are highlighted. Holistic life cycle assessments need to be conducted in assessing the energy balance and the potential environmental impacts of algal processing. The review aims to provide useful information for future development of efficient and commercially viable algal food products and biofuels production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practical internal combustion engine laser spark plug development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, Michael J.; Myers, John D.; Guo, Baoping; Yang, Chengxin; Hardy, Christopher R.

2007-09-01

Fundamental studies on laser ignition have been performed by the US Department of Energy under ARES (Advanced Reciprocating Engines Systems) and by the California Energy Commission under ARICE (Advanced Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine). These and other works have reported considerable increases in fuel efficiencies along with substantial reductions in green-house gas emissions when employing laser spark ignition. Practical commercial applications of this technology require low cost high peak power lasers. The lasers must be small, rugged and able to provide stable laser beam output operation under adverse mechanical and environmental conditions. New DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State) lasers appear to meet these requirements. In this work we provide an evaluation of HESP (High Efficiency Side Pumped) DPSS laser design and performance with regard to its application as a practical laser spark plug for use in internal combustion engines.

Effect of microwave exposure on the photo anode of DSSC sensitized with natural dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swathi, K. E.; Jinchu, I.; Sreelatha, K. S.; Sreekala, C. O.; Menon, Sreedevi K.

2018-02-01

Dye Sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are also referred to as dye sensitised cells (DSC) or Graetzel cell are the device that converts solar energy in to electricity by the photovoltaic effect. This is the class of advanced cell that mimics the artificial photosynthesis. DSSC fabrication is simple and can be done using readily available low cost materials that are nontoxic, environment friendly and works even under low flux of sunlight. DSSC exhibits good efficiency of ~ 10-14 %. This paper emphasis on the study of enhancing the efficiency of DSSC by exposing the photo anode to microwave frequency. Effect of duration of microwave exposure at 2.6 GHz on energy efficiency of solar cell is studied in detail. The SEM analysis and dye desorption studies of the photo anode confirms an increased solar energy conversion efficiency of the DSSC.

High efficiency direct thermal to electric energy conversion from radioisotope decay using selective emitters and spectrally tuned solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, Donald L.; Flood, Dennis J.; Lowe, Roland A.

1993-01-01

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems are attractive possibilities for direct thermal-to-electric energy conversion, but have typically required the use of black body radiators operating at high temperatures. Recent advances in both the understanding and performance of solid rare-earth oxide selective emitters make possible the use of TPV at temperatures as low as 1200K. Both selective emitter and filter system TPV systems are feasible. However, requirements on the filter system are severe in order to attain high efficiency. A thin-film of a rare-earth oxide is one method for producing an efficient, rugged selective emitter. An efficiency of 0.14 and power density of 9.2 W/KG at 1200K is calculated for a hypothetical thin-film neodymia (Nd2O3) selective emitter TPV system that uses radioisotope decay as the thermal energy source.

Advanced Decentralized Water/Energy Network Design for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In order to provide a water infrastructure that is more sustainable into and beyond the 21st century, drinking water distribution systems and wastewater collection systems must account for our diminishing water supply, increasing demands, climate change, energy cost and availability. Water efficiency must be equally addressed with energy efficiency going far beyond simply adding low flow toilets and faucets in new buildings and retro-fits. Thus, it is the goal of this research project to address these water-related issues as they relate to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission to safeguard human health and the environment. To inform the public.

GATE: Energy Efficient Vehicles for Sustainable Mobility-Project TI022- FinalReport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rizzoni, Giorgio

Unique opportunity for industry to engage in original, highly leveraged precompetitive research in automotive and transportation systems, with focus on advanced propulsion systems; fuel economy; vehicle safety, connectivity and autonomy; and advanced driver assistance systems Additional benefits: prepare graduate students for future careers in automotive industry, reaching undergraduate students through capstone design and other project activities, focused recruitment events

Evaluating Realized Impacts of DOE/EERE R&D Programs. Standard impact evaluation method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruegg, Rosalie; O'Connor, Alan C.; Loomis, Ross J.

2014-08-01

This document provides guidance for evaluators who conduct impact assessments of research and development (R&D) programs for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It is also targeted at EERE program staff responsible for initiating and managing commissioned impact studies. The guide specifies how to estimate economic benefits and costs, energy saved and installed or generated, environmental impacts, energy security impacts, and knowledge impacts of R&D investments in advanced energy technologies.

Institute for Sustainable Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agrawal, Ajay

2016-03-28

Alternate fuels offer unique challenges and opportunities as energy source for power generation, vehicular transportation, and industrial applications. Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at UA conducts innovative research to utilize the complex mix of domestically-produced alternate fuels to achieve low-emissions, high energy-efficiency, and fuel-flexibility. ISE also provides educational and advancement opportunities to students and researchers in the energy field. Basic research probing the physics and chemistry of alternative fuels has generated practical concepts investigated in a burner and engine test platforms.

Quantifying Adoption Rates and Energy Savings Over Time for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanes, Rebecca; Carpenter Petri, Alberta C; Riddle, Matt

Energy-efficient manufacturing technologies can reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs for an individual manufacturing facility, but increased process complexity and the resulting risk of disruption means that manufacturers may be reluctant to adopt such technologies. In order to quantify potential energy savings at scales larger than a single facility, it is necessary to account for how quickly and how widely the technology will be adopted by manufacturers. This work develops a methodology for estimating energy-efficient manufacturing technology adoption rates using quantitative, objectively measurable technology characteristics, including energetic, economic and technical criteria. Twelve technology characteristics are considered, and each characteristicmore » is assigned an importance weight that reflects its impact on the overall technology adoption rate. Technology characteristic data and importance weights are used to calculate the adoption score, a number between 0 and 1 that represents how quickly the technology is likely to be adopted. The adoption score is then used to estimate parameters for the Bass diffusion curve, which quantifies the change in the number of new technology adopters in a population over time. Finally, energy savings at the sector level are calculated over time by multiplying the number of new technology adopters at each time step with the technology's facility-level energy savings. The proposed methodology will be applied to five state-of-the-art energy-efficient technologies in the carbon fiber composites sector, with technology data obtained from the Department of Energy's 2016 bandwidth study. Because the importance weights used in estimating the Bass curve parameters are subjective, a sensitivity analysis will be performed on the weights to obtain a range of parameters for each technology. The potential energy savings for each technology and the rate at which each technology is adopted in the sector are quantified and used to identify the technologies which offer the greatest cumulative sector-level energy savings over a period of 20 years. Preliminary analysis indicates that relatively simple technologies, such as efficient furnaces, will be adopted more quickly and result in greater cumulative energy savings compared to more complex technologies that require process retrofitting, such as advanced control systems.« less

Evaluation on the Efficiency of Biomass Power Generation Industry in China

PubMed Central

Sun, Dong; Guo, Sen

2014-01-01

As a developing country with large population, China is facing the problems of energy resource shortage and growing environmental pollution arising from the coal-dominated energy structure. Biomass energy, as a kind of renewable energy with the characteristics of being easy to store and friendly to environment, has become the focus of China's energy development in the future. Affected by the advanced power generation technology and diversified geography environment, the biomass power generation projects show new features in recent years. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry by employing proper method with the consideration of new features. In this paper, the regional difference as a new feature of biomass power generation industry is taken into consideration, and the AR model is employed to modify the zero-weight issue when using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry. 30 biomass power generation enterprises in China are selected as the sample, and the efficiency evaluation is performed. The result can provide some insights into the sustainable development of biomass power generation industry in China. PMID:25093209

Recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yinhua; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Khan, Talha M.; Liu, Jen-Chieh; Hsu, James; Shim, Jae Won; Dindar, Amir; Youngblood, Jeffrey P.; Moon, Robert J.; Kippelen, Bernard

2013-01-01

Solar energy is potentially the largest source of renewable energy at our disposal, but significant advances are required to make photovoltaic technologies economically viable and, from a life-cycle perspective, environmentally friendly, and consequently scalable. Cellulose nanomaterials are emerging high-value nanoparticles extracted from plants that are abundant, renewable, and sustainable. Here, we report on the first demonstration of efficient polymer solar cells fabricated on optically transparent cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) substrates. The solar cells fabricated on the CNC substrates display good rectification in the dark and reach a power conversion efficiency of 2.7%. In addition, we demonstrate that these solar cells can be easily separated and recycled into their major components using low-energy processes at room temperature, opening the door for a truly recyclable solar cell technology. Efficient and easily recyclable organic solar cells on CNC substrates are expected to be an attractive technology for sustainable, scalable, and environmentally-friendly energy production. PMID:23524333

Recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates.

PubMed

Zhou, Yinhua; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Khan, Talha M; Liu, Jen-Chieh; Hsu, James; Shim, Jae Won; Dindar, Amir; Youngblood, Jeffrey P; Moon, Robert J; Kippelen, Bernard

2013-01-01

Solar energy is potentially the largest source of renewable energy at our disposal, but significant advances are required to make photovoltaic technologies economically viable and, from a life-cycle perspective, environmentally friendly, and consequently scalable. Cellulose nanomaterials are emerging high-value nanoparticles extracted from plants that are abundant, renewable, and sustainable. Here, we report on the first demonstration of efficient polymer solar cells fabricated on optically transparent cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) substrates. The solar cells fabricated on the CNC substrates display good rectification in the dark and reach a power conversion efficiency of 2.7%. In addition, we demonstrate that these solar cells can be easily separated and recycled into their major components using low-energy processes at room temperature, opening the door for a truly recyclable solar cell technology. Efficient and easily recyclable organic solar cells on CNC substrates are expected to be an attractive technology for sustainable, scalable, and environmentally-friendly energy production.

Energy Efficiency and Universal Design in Home Renovations - A Comparative Review.

PubMed

Kapedani, Ermal; Herssens, Jasmien; Verbeeck, Griet

2016-01-01

Policy and societal objectives indicate a large need for housing renovations that both accommodate lifelong living and significantly increase energy efficiency. However, these two areas of research are not yet examined in conjunction and this paper hypothesizes this as a missed opportunity to create better renovation concepts. The paper outlines a comparative review on research in Energy Efficiency and Universal Design in order to find the similarities and differences in both depth and breadth of knowledge. Scientific literature in the two fields reveals a disparate depth of knowledge in areas of theory, research approach, and degree of implementation in society. Universal Design and Energy Efficiency are part of a trajectory of expanding scope towards greater sustainability and, although social urgency has been a driver of the research intensity and approach in both fields, in energy efficiency there is an engineering, problem solving approach while Universal Design has a more sociological, user-focused one. These different approaches are reflected in the way home owners in Energy Efficiency research are viewed as consumers and decision makers whose drivers are studied, while Universal Design treats home owners as informants in the design process and studies their needs. There is an inherent difficulty in directly merging Universal Design and Energy Efficiency at a conceptual level because Energy Efficiency is understood as a set of measures, i.e. a product, while Universal Design is part of a (design) process. The conceptual difference is apparent in their implementation as well. Internationally energy efficiency in housing has been largely imposed through legislation, while legislation directly mandating Universal Design is either non-existent or it has an explicit focus on accessibility. However, Energy Efficiency and Universal Design can be complementary concepts and, even though it is more complex than expected, the combination offers possibilities to advance knowledge in both fields.

ACEE composite structures technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klotzsche, M. (Compiler)

1984-01-01

The NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Composite Primary Aircraft Structures Program has made significant progress in the development of technology for advanced composites in commercial aircraft. Commercial airframe manufacturers have demonstrated technology readiness and cost effectiveness of advanced composites for secondary and medium primary components and have initiated a concerted program to develop the data base required for efficient application to safety-of-flight wing and fuselage structures. Oral presentations were compiled into five papers. Topics addressed include: damage tolerance and failsafe testing of composite vertical stabilizer; optimization of composite multi-row bolted joints; large wing joint demonstation components; and joints and cutouts in fuselage structure.

Energy efficient engine: Preliminary design and integration studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, R. P.; Hirschkron, R.; Koch, C. C.; Neitzel, R. E.; Vinson, P. W.

1978-01-01

Parametric design and mission evaluations of advanced turbofan configurations were conducted for future transport aircraft application. Economics, environmental suitability and fuel efficiency were investigated and compared with goals set by NASA. Of the candidate engines which included mixed- and separate-flow, direct-drive and geared configurations, an advanced mixed-flow direct-drive configuration was selected for further design and evaluation. All goals were judged to have been met except the acoustic goal. Also conducted was a performance risk analysis and a preliminary aerodynamic design of the 10 stage 23:1 pressure ratio compressor used in the study engines.

Synthetic Biology and Microbial Fuel Cells: Towards Self-Sustaining Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hogan, John Andrew

2014-01-01

NASA ARC and the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) collaborated to investigate the development of advanced microbial fuels cells (MFCs) for biological wastewater treatment and electricity production (electrogenesis). Synthetic biology techniques and integrated hardware advances were investigated to increase system efficiency and robustness, with the intent of increasing power self-sufficiency and potential product formation from carbon dioxide. MFCs possess numerous advantages for space missions, including rapid processing, reduced biomass and effective removal of organics, nitrogen and phosphorus. Project efforts include developing space-based MFC concepts, integration analyses, increasing energy efficiency, and investigating novel bioelectrochemical system applications

Aerodynamics/ACEE: Aircraft energy efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

An overview is presented of a 10 year program managed by NASA which seeks to make possible the most efficient use of energy for aircraft propulsion and lift as well as provide a technology that can be used by U.S. manufacturers of air transports and engines. Supercritical wings, winglets, vortex drag reduction, high lift, active control, laminar flow control, and aerodynamics by computer are among the topics discussed. Wind tunnel models in flight verification of advanced technology, and the design, construction and testing of various aircraft structures are also described.

Energy efficient engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrus, D.; Sabla, P. E.; Bahr, D. W.

1980-01-01

The feasibility of meeting or closely approaching the emissions goals established for the Energy Efficient Engine (E3) Project with an advanced design, single annular combustor was determined. A total of nine sector combustor configurations and one full-annular-combustor configuration were evaluated. Acceptable levels of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions were obtained with several of the sector combustor configurations tested, and several of the configurations tested demonstrated reduced levels of nitrogen oxides compared to conventional, single annular designs. None of the configurations tested demonstrated nitrogen oxide emission levels that meet the goal of the E3 Project.

Development of a differentially balanced magnetic bearing and control system for use with a flywheel energy storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higgins, Mark A.; Plant, David P.; Ries, Douglas M.; Kirk, James A.; Anand, Davinder K.

1992-01-01

The purpose of a magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system for electric utility load leveling is to provide a means to store energy during times when energy is inexpensive to produce and then return it to the customer during times of peak power demand when generated energy is most expensive. The design of a 20 kWh flywheel energy storage system for electric utility load leveling applications involves the successful integration of a number of advanced technologies so as to minimize the size and cost of the system without affecting its efficiency and reliability. The flywheel energy storage system uses a carbon epoxy flywheel, two specially designed low loss magnetic bearings, a high efficiency motor generator, and a 60 cycle AC power converter all integrated through a microprocessor controller. The basic design is discussed of each of the components that is used in the energy storage design.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide (AERG): Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Healthcare Facilities (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities is part of a series of retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures (EEMs), the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) are intended to address key segments of the U.S. commercial building stock: retail stores, office buildings, K-12 schools, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities. The guides' general project planning considerations aremore » applicable nationwide; the energy and cost savings estimates for recommended EEMs were developed based on energy simulations and cost estimates for an example hospital tailored to five distinct climate regions. These results can be extrapolated to other U.S. climate zones. Analysis is presented for individual EEMs, and for packages of recommended EEMs for two project types: existing building commissioning projects that apply low-cost and no-cost measures, and whole-building retrofits involving more capital-intensive measures.« less

Greens, suits, and bureaucrats: A sociological study of dynamic organizational relationships in energy efficient appliance policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shwom-Evelich, Rachael Leah

In this dissertation I develop an approach to understanding dynamic organizational relations and the processes of environmental degradation and reform. To do this, I draw on environmental and organizational sociology to inform an empirical study of interorganizational relationships in defining and promoting energy efficient appliances in the United States (US). The dissertation follows a three paper approach which involves (a) an overall introduction to the substantive issue of appliance energy efficiency in the US; (b) producing three separate and stand alone articles of publishable quality to be submitted to professional journals; and (c) an overall conclusion. The three articles are as follows: (1) a synthetic literature review identifying five lessons that organizational sociology and environmental sociology can learn from each other to advance our sociological understanding of organizations, energy issues, and climate change (2) a qualitative case study of the changing relationships between business, government and environmental and energy advocacy organizations around mandatory appliance efficiency standards supporting the development of a context-dependent theory of ecological modernization and treadmill of production theories in environmental sociology and (3) a network analysis of public government, business and energy efficiency advocate's interorganizational relationships and its influence on subsequent organizational behaviors in the appliance energy efficiency field. The second and third articles are based on extensive archival research on organizational negotiations of public record over defining energy efficient appliances in both regulatory and voluntary settings. Finally I will provide an overall conclusion that brings together the most significant findings of each individual article in anticipation of a synthetic approach to the study of organizations in environmental reform.

Advanced Stirling Technology Development at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaltens, Richard K.; Wong, Wayne A.

2007-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center has been developing advanced energy-conversion technologies for use with both radioisotope power systems and fission surface power systems for many decades. Under NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Planetary Science Theme, Technology Program, Glenn is developing the next generation of advanced Stirling convertors (ASCs) for use in the Department of Energy/Lockheed Martin Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The next-generation power-conversion technologies require high efficiency and high specific power (watts electric per kilogram) to meet future mission requirements to use less of the Department of Energy's plutonium-fueled general-purpose heat source modules and reduce system mass. Important goals include long-life (greater than 14-yr) reliability and scalability so that these systems can be considered for a variety of future applications and missions including outer-planet missions and continual operation on the surface of Mars. This paper provides an update of the history and status of the ASC being developed for Glenn by Sunpower Inc. of Athens, Ohio.

Photovoltaics Fact Sheet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-02-01

This fact sheet is an overview of the Photovoltaics (PV) subprogram at the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Solar Energy Technologies Office works with industry, academia, national laboratories, and other government agencies to advance solar PV, which is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity by a semiconductor, in support of the goals of the SunShot Initiative. SunShot supports research and development to aggressively advance PV technology by improving efficiency and reliability and lowering manufacturing costs. SunShot’s PV portfolio spans work from early-stage solar cell research through technology commercialization, including work on materials,more » processes, and device structure and characterization techniques.« less

Next-generation laser for inertial confinement fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marshall, C; Bibeau, C; Bayramian, A

1998-03-13

We are developing and building the ''Mercury'' laser system as the first in a series of a new generation of diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL) for advanced high energy density (HED) physics experiments at LLNL. Mercury will be the first integrated demonstration of a scalable laser architecture compatible with advanced Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) goals. Primary performance goals include 10% efficiencies at 10 Hz and a <10 ns pulse with l {omega} energies of 100 J and with 2 {omega}/3 {omega} frequency conversion. Achieving this performance will provide a near term capability for HED experiments and prove the potential of DPSSLsmore » for inertial fusion energy (IFE).« less

Research opportunities to advance solar energy utilization.

PubMed

Lewis, Nathan S

2016-01-22

Major developments, as well as remaining challenges and the associated research opportunities, are evaluated for three technologically distinct approaches to solar energy utilization: solar electricity, solar thermal, and solar fuels technologies. Much progress has been made, but research opportunities are still present for all approaches. Both evolutionary and revolutionary technology development, involving foundational research, applied research, learning by doing, demonstration projects, and deployment at scale will be needed to continue this technology-innovation ecosystem. Most of the approaches still offer the potential to provide much higher efficiencies, much lower costs, improved scalability, and new functionality, relative to the embodiments of solar energy-conversion systems that have been developed to date. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

High-Efficiency Food Production in a Renewable Energy Based Micro-Grid Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David; Meiners, Dennis

2016-01-01

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems can be used to produce high-quality, desirable food year round, and the fresh produce can positively contribute to the health and well being of residents in communities with difficult supply logistics. While CEA has many positive outcomes for a remote community, the associated high electric demands have prohibited widespread implementation in what is typically already a fully subscribed power generation and distribution system. Recent advances in CEA technologies as well as renewable power generation, storage, and micro-grid management are increasing system efficiency and expanding the possibilities for enhancing community supporting infrastructure without increasing demands for outside supplied fuels. We will present examples of how new lighting, nutrient delivery, and energy management and control systems can enable significant increases in food production efficiency while maintaining high yields in CEA. Examples from Alaskan communities where initial incorporation of renewable power generation, energy storage and grid management techniques have already reduced diesel fuel consumption for electric generation by more than 40% and expanded grid capacity will be presented. We will discuss how renewable power generation, efficient grid management to extract maximum community service per kW, and novel energy storage approaches can expand the food production, water supply, waste treatment, sanitation and other community support services without traditional increases of consumable fuels supplied from outside the community. These capabilities offer communities with a range of choices to enhance their communities. The examples represent a synergy of technology advancement efforts to develop sustainable community support systems for future space-based human habitats and practical implementation of infrastructure components to increase efficiency and enhance health and well being in remote communities today and tomorrow.

High-Efficiency Food Production in a Renewable Energy Based Micro-Grid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David L.

2017-01-01

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems can be used to produce high-quality, desirable food year round, and the fresh produce can positively contribute to the health and well being of residents in communities with difficult supply logistics. While CEA has many positive outcomes for a remote community, the associated high electric demands have prohibited widespread implementation in what is typically already a fully subscribed power generation and distribution system. Recent advances in CEA technologies as well as renewable power generation, storage, and micro-grid management are increasing system efficiency and expanding the possibilities for enhancing community supporting infrastructure without increasing demands for outside supplied fuels. We will present examples of how new lighting, nutrient delivery, and energy management and control systems can enable significant increases in food production efficiency while maintaining high yields in CEA.Examples from Alaskan communities where initial incorporation of renewable power generation, energy storage and grid management techniques have already reduced diesel fuel consumption for electric generation by more than 40 and expanded grid capacity will be presented. We will discuss how renewable power generation, efficient grid management to extract maximum community service per kW, and novel energy storage approaches can expand the food production, water supply, waste treatment, sanitation and other community support services without traditional increases of consumable fuels supplied from outside the community. These capabilities offer communities with a range of choices to enhance their communities. The examples represent a synergy of technology advancement efforts to develop sustainable community support systems for future space-based human habitats and practical implementation of infrastructure components to increase efficiency and enhance health and well-being in remote communities today and tomorrow.

Ceramic Integration Technologies for Energy and Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Mrityunjay; Asthana, Ralph N.

2007-01-01

Robust and affordable integration technologies for advanced ceramics are required to improve the performance, reliability, efficiency, and durability of components, devices, and systems based on them in a wide variety of energy, aerospace, and environmental applications. Many thermochemical and thermomechanical factors including joint design, analysis, and optimization must be considered in integration of similar and dissimilar material systems.

Review of the harvesting and extraction of advanced biofuels and bioproducts

Treesearch

Babette L. Marrone;  Ronald E.  Lacey;  Daniel B. Anderson;  James Bonner;  Jim Coons;  Taraka Dale;  Cara Meghan Downes;  Sandun Fernando;  Christopher  Fuller;  Brian Goodall;  Johnathan E. Holladay;  Kiran Kadam;  Daniel  Kalb;  Wei  Liu;  John B. Mott;  Zivko Nikolov;  Kimberly L. Ogden;  Richard T. Sayre;  Brian G. Trewyn;  José A. Olivares

2017-01-01

Energy-efficient and scalable harvesting and lipid extraction processes must be developed in order for the algal biofuels and bioproducts industry to thrive. The major challenge for harvesting is the handling of large volumes of cultivation water to concentrate low amounts of biomass. For lipid extraction, the major energy and cost drivers are associated with...

Comparative Evaluation of Energy Measurement Models for Transit Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-02-01

Recent advances in solid state control technology have led to chopper-controlled propulsion systems in urban rail transit applications. Such systems offer the potential for superior train performance through increased train propulsion efficiency and ...

Materials Flow through Industry Supply Chain Modeling Tool | Advanced

Science.gov Websites

efficiency. It also performs supply chain scale analyses to quantify the impacts and benefits of next , read Evaluating opportunities to improve material and energy impacts in commodity supply chains

National Action Plan Vision for 2025: A Framework for Change

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Action Plan Vision establishes a goal of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025 and presents 10 implementation goals as a framework for advancing its five key policy recommendations.

Analysis of energy efficient highway lighting retrofits.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Solid state lighting technology is advancing rapidly to a point where light emitting diode (LED) lighting : systems can be viable replacements for existing lighting systems using high pressure sodium (HPS). The : present report summarizes analyses co...

2010 Vehicle Technologies Market Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, Jacob; Davis, Stacy Cagle; Diegel, Susan W

2011-06-01

In the past five years, vehicle technologies have advanced on a number of fronts: power-train systems have become more energy efficient, materials have become more lightweight, fuels are burned more cleanly, and new hybrid electric systems reduce the need for traditional petroleum-fueled propulsion. This report documents the trends in market drivers, new vehicles, and component suppliers. This report is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE s) Vehicle Technologies Program, which develops energy-efficient and environmentally friendly transportation technologies that will reduce use of petroleum in the United States. The long-term aim is to develop "leap frog" technologies thatmore » will provide Americans with greater freedom of mobility and energy security, while lowering costs and reducing impacts on the environment.« less

A new strategy for efficient solar energy conversion: Parallel-processing with surface plasmons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, L. M.

1982-01-01

This paper introduces an advanced concept for direct conversion of sunlight to electricity, which aims at high efficiency by tailoring the conversion process to separate energy bands within the broad solar spectrum. The objective is to obtain a high level of spectrum-splitting without sequential losses or unique materials for each frequency band. In this concept, sunlight excites a spectrum of surface plasma waves which are processed in parallel on the same metal film. The surface plasmons transport energy to an array of metal-barrier-semiconductor diodes, where energy is extracted by inelastic tunneling. Diodes are tuned to different frequency bands by selecting the operating voltage and geometry, but all diodes share the same materials.

The Advancement of Cool Roof Standards in China from 2010 to 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ge, Jing; Levinson, Ronnen M.

Since the initiation of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center-Building Energy Efficiency (CERC-BEE) cool roof research collaboration between the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Heat Island Group and Chinese institutions in 2010, new cool surface credits (insulation trade- offs) have been adopted in Chinese building energy efficiency standards, industry standards, and green building standards. JGJ 75-2012: Design Standard for Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings in Hot Summer and Warm Winter Zone became the first national level standard to provide cool surface credits. GB/T 50378-2014: Assessment Standard for Green Building is the first national level green building standard that offers points formore » heat island mitigation. JGJ/T 359-2015: Technical Specification for Application of Architectural Reflective Thermal Insulation Coating is the first industry standard that offers cool coating credits for both public and residential buildings in all hot-summer climates (Hot Summer/Cold Winter, Hot Summer/Warm Winter). As of December 2015, eight provinces or municipalities in hot-summer regions have credited cool surfaces credits in their residential and/or public building design standards; five other provinces or municipalities in hot-summer regions recommend, but do not credit, the use of cool surfaces in their building design standards. Cool surfaces could be further advanced in China by including cool roof credits for residential and public building energy efficiency standards in all hot-summer regions; developing a standardized process for natural exposure and aged-property rating of cool roofing products; and adapting the U.S.-developed laboratory aging process for roofing materials to replicate solar reflectance changes induced by natural exposure in China.« less

FY2013 Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors R&D Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Susan A.

The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors (APEEM) technology area within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies, leading to lower cost and better efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system tomore » improve fuel efficiency through research in more efficient TDSs.« less

Advancing Efficient All-Electron Electronic Structure Methods Based on Numeric Atom-Centered Orbitals for Energy Related Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, Volker

This talk describes recent advances of a general, efficient, accurate all-electron electronic theory approach based on numeric atom-centered orbitals; emphasis is placed on developments related to materials for energy conversion and their discovery. For total energies and electron band structures, we show that the overall accuracy is on par with the best benchmark quality codes for materials, but scalable to large system sizes (1,000s of atoms) and amenable to both periodic and non-periodic simulations. A recent localized resolution-of-identity approach for the Coulomb operator enables O (N) hybrid functional based descriptions of the electronic structure of non-periodic and periodic systems, shown for supercell sizes up to 1,000 atoms; the same approach yields accurate results for many-body perturbation theory as well. For molecular systems, we also show how many-body perturbation theory for charged and neutral quasiparticle excitation energies can be efficiently yet accurately applied using basis sets of computationally manageable size. Finally, the talk highlights applications to the electronic structure of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite materials, as well as to graphene-based substrates for possible future transition metal compound based electrocatalyst materials. All methods described here are part of the FHI-aims code. VB gratefully acknowledges contributions by numerous collaborators at Duke University, Fritz Haber Institute Berlin, TU Munich, USTC Hefei, Aalto University, and many others around the globe.

Exploring the energy benefits of advanced water metering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berger, Michael A.; Hans, Liesel; Piscopo, Kate

Recent improvements to advanced water metering and communications technologies have the potential to improve the management of water resources and utility infrastructure, benefiting both utilities and ratepayers. The highly granular, near-real-time data and opportunity for automated control provided by these advanced systems may yield operational benefits similar to those afforded by similar technologies in the energy sector. While significant progress has been made in quantifying the water-related benefits of these technologies, the research on quantifying the energy benefits of improved water metering is underdeveloped. Some studies have quantified the embedded energy in water in California, however these findings are basedmore » on data more than a decade old, and unanimously assert that more research is needed to further explore how topography, climate, water source, and other factors impact their findings. In this report, we show how water-related advanced metering systems may present a broader and more significant set of energy-related benefits. We review the open literature of water-related advanced metering technologies and their applications, discuss common themes with a series of water and energy experts, and perform a preliminary scoping analysis of advanced water metering deployment and use in California. We find that the open literature provides very little discussion of the energy savings potential of advanced water metering, despite the substantial energy necessary for water’s extraction, conveyance, treatment, distribution, and eventual end use. We also find that water AMI has the potential to provide water-energy co-efficiencies through improved water systems management, with benefits including improved customer education, automated leak detection, water measurement and verification, optimized system operation, and inherent water and energy conservation. Our findings also suggest that the adoption of these technologies in the water sector has been slow, due to structural economic and regulatory barriers. In California, we see examples of deployed advanced metering systems with demonstrated embedded energy savings through water conservation and leak detection. Finally, we also see substantial untapped opportunity in the agricultural sector for enabling electric demand response for both traditional peak shaving and more complex flexible and ancillary services through improved water tracking and farm automation.« less

Graphene-based materials for energy conversion.

PubMed

Sahoo, Nanda Gopal; Pan, Yongzheng; Li, Lin; Chan, Siew Hwa

2012-08-08

With the depletion of conventional energy sources, the demand for renewable energy and energy-efficient devices continues to grow. As a novel 2D nanomaterial, graphene attracts considerable research interest due to its unique properties and is a promising material for applications in energy conversion and storage devices. Recently, the fabrication of fuel cells and solar cells using graphene for various functional parts has been studied extensively. This research news summarizes and compares the advancements that have been made and are in progress in the utilization of graphene-based materials for energy conversion.

Energy, energy efficiency, and the built environment.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Paul; Smith, Kirk R; Beevers, Sean; Tonne, Cathryn; Oreszczyn, Tadj

2007-09-29

Since the last decades of the 19th century, technological advances have brought substantial improvements in the efficiency with which energy can be exploited to service human needs. That trend has been accompanied by an equally notable increase in energy consumption, which strongly correlates with socioeconomic development. Nonetheless, feasible gains in the efficiency and technology of energy use in towns and cities and in homes have the potential to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse-gas emissions, and to improve health, for example, through protection against temperature-related morbidity and mortality, and the alleviation of fuel poverty. A shift towards renewable energy production would also put increasing focus on cleaner energy carriers, especially electricity, but possibly also hydrogen, which would have benefits to urban air quality. In low-income countries, a vital priority remains the dissemination of affordable technology to alleviate the burdens of indoor air pollution and other health effects in individuals obliged to rely on biomass fuels for cooking and heating, as well as the improvement in access to electricity, which would have many benefits to health and wellbeing.

Method and system for advancement of a borehole using a high power laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moxley, Joel F.; Land, Mark S.; Rinzler, Charles C.

2014-09-09

There is provided a system, apparatus and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. There is further provided with in the systems a means for delivering high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates, a laser bottom hole assembly, and fluid directing techniques and assemblies for removing the displaced material from the borehole.

US-China Clean Energy Research Center on Building Energy Efficiency: Materials that Improve the Cost-Effectiveness of Air Barrier Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hun, Diana E.

The US–China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) was launched in 2009 by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, and Chinese National Energy Agency Administrator Zhang Guobao. This 5-year collaboration emerged from the fact that the United States and China are the world’s largest energy producers, energy consumers, and greenhouse gas emitters, and that their joint effort could have significant positive repercussions worldwide. CERC’s main goal is to develop and deploy clean energy technologies that will help both countries meet energy and climate challenges. Three consortia were established to address the most pressing energy-relatedmore » research areas: Advanced Coal Technology, Clean Vehicles, and Building Energy Efficiency (BEE). The project discussed in this report was part of the CERC-BEE consortia; its objective was to lower energy use in buildings by developing and evaluating technologies that improve the cost-effectiveness of air barrier systems for building envelopes.« less

Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines for Tomorrow's Energy-Efficient Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2016-03-01

A new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative is accelerating the introduction of affordable, scalable, and sustainable biofuels and high-efficiency, low-emission vehicle engines. The simultaneous fuels and vehicles research and development (R&D) is designed to deliver maximum energy savings, emissions reduction, and on-road vehicle performance. The initiative's integrated approach combines the previously independent areas of biofuels and combustion R&D, bringing together two DOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy research offices, nine national laboratories, and numerous industry and academic partners to more rapidly identify commercially viable solutions. This multi-year project will provide industry with the scientific underpinnings required tomore » move new biofuels and advanced engine systems to market faster while identifying and addressing barriers to their commercialization. This project's ambitious, first-of-its-kind approach simultaneously tackles fuel and engine innovation to co-optimize performance of both elements and provide dramatic and rapid cuts in fuel use and emissions.« less

Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility (GVPM) Powertrain Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-11

efficient on-board electrical power generation • Improved Fuel Efficiency • Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery • Advanced Engine Cycle Demo...Thermal Management • Militarized Power train Control Module and strategies devices for military vehicle transmissions FY11 FY12 FY13...Transmission): - Medium Combat Application (20-40 tons) - Medium Tactical Application (15-30 tons) Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery Energy Analysis

Ultralow-power electronics for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Chandrakasan, Anantha P; Verma, Naveen; Daly, Denis C

2008-01-01

The electronics of a general biomedical device consist of energy delivery, analog-to-digital conversion, signal processing, and communication subsystems. Each of these blocks must be designed for minimum energy consumption. Specific design techniques, such as aggressive voltage scaling, dynamic power-performance management, and energy-efficient signaling, must be employed to adhere to the stringent energy constraint. The constraint itself is set by the energy source, so energy harvesting holds tremendous promise toward enabling sophisticated systems without straining user lifestyle. Further, once harvested, efficient delivery of the low-energy levels, as well as robust operation in the aggressive low-power modes, requires careful understanding and treatment of the specific design limitations that dominate this realm. We outline the performance and power constraints of biomedical devices, and present circuit techniques to achieve complete systems operating down to power levels of microwatts. In all cases, approaches that leverage advanced technology trends are emphasized.

High-energy (>70 keV) x-ray conversion efficiency measurement on the ARC laser at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hui; Hermann, M. R.; Kalantar, D. H.; Martinez, D. A.; Di Nicola, P.; Tommasini, R.; Landen, O. L.; Alessi, D.; Bowers, M.; Browning, D.; Brunton, G.; Budge, T.; Crane, J.; Di Nicola, J.-M.; Döppner, T.; Dixit, S.; Erbert, G.; Fishler, B.; Halpin, J.; Hamamoto, M.; Heebner, J.; Hernandez, V. J.; Hohenberger, M.; Homoelle, D.; Honig, J.; Hsing, W.; Izumi, N.; Khan, S.; LaFortune, K.; Lawson, J.; Nagel, S. R.; Negres, R. A.; Novikova, L.; Orth, C.; Pelz, L.; Prantil, M.; Rushford, M.; Shaw, M.; Sherlock, M.; Sigurdsson, R.; Wegner, P.; Widmayer, C.; Williams, G. J.; Williams, W.; Whitman, P.; Yang, S.

2017-03-01

The Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) laser system at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is designed to ultimately provide eight beamlets with a pulse duration adjustable from 1 to 30 ps, and energies up to 1.5 kJ per beamlet. Currently, four beamlets have been commissioned. In the first set of 6 commissioning target experiments, the individual beamlets were fired onto gold foil targets with energy up to 1 kJ per beamlet at 20-30 ps pulse length. The x-ray energy distribution and pulse duration were measured, yielding energy conversion efficiencies of 4-9 × 10-4 for x-rays with energies greater than 70 keV. With greater than 3 J of such x-rays, ARC provides a high-precision x-ray backlighting capability for upcoming inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics experiments on NIF.

NASA's Vision for Potential Energy Reduction from Future Generations of Propulsion Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haller, Bill

2015-01-01

Through a robust partnership with the aviation industry, over the past 50 years NASA programs have helped foster advances in propulsion technology that enabled substantial reductions in fuel consumption for commercial transports. Emerging global trends and continuing environmental concerns are creating challenges that will very likely transform the face of aviation over the next 20-40 years. In recognition of this development, NASA Aeronautics has established a set of Research Thrusts that will help define the future direction of the agency's research technology efforts. Two of these thrusts, Ultra-Efficient Commercial Vehicles and Transition to Low-Carbon Propulsion, serve as cornerstones for the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project. The AATT project is exploring and developing high-payoff technologies and concepts that are key to continued improvement in energy efficiency and environmental compatibility for future generations of fixed-wing, subsonic transports. The AATT project is primarily focused on the N+3 timeframe, or 3 generations from current technology levels. As should be expected, many of the propulsion system architectures technologies envisioned for N+3 vary significantly from todays engines. The use of batteries in a hybrid-electric configuration or deploying multiple fans distributed across the airframe to enable higher bypass ratios are just two examples of potential advances that could enable substantial energy reductions over current propulsion systems.

Double-heterojunction nanorod light-responsive LEDs for display applications.

PubMed

Oh, Nuri; Kim, Bong Hoon; Cho, Seong-Yong; Nam, Sooji; Rogers, Steven P; Jiang, Yiran; Flanagan, Joseph C; Zhai, You; Kim, Jae-Hwan; Lee, Jungyup; Yu, Yongjoon; Cho, Youn Kyoung; Hur, Gyum; Zhang, Jieqian; Trefonas, Peter; Rogers, John A; Shim, Moonsub

2017-02-10

Dual-functioning displays, which can simultaneously transmit and receive information and energy through visible light, would enable enhanced user interfaces and device-to-device interactivity. We demonstrate that double heterojunctions designed into colloidal semiconductor nanorods allow both efficient photocurrent generation through a photovoltaic response and electroluminescence within a single device. These dual-functioning, all-solution-processed double-heterojunction nanorod light-responsive light-emitting diodes open feasible routes to a variety of advanced applications, from touchless interactive screens to energy harvesting and scavenging displays and massively parallel display-to-display data communication. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Cogeneration and beyond: The need and opportunity for high efficiency, renewable community energy systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gleason, T.C.J.

1992-06-01

The justification, strategies, and technology options for implementing advanced district heating and cooling systems in the United States are presented. The need for such systems is discussed in terms of global warming, ozone depletion, and the need for a sustainable energy policy. Strategies for implementation are presented in the context of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act and proposed new institutional arrangements. Technology opportunities are highlighted in the areas of advanced block-scale cogeneration, CFC-free chiller technologies, and renewable sources of heating and cooling that are particularly applicable to district systems.

Photoionization Efficiencies of Five Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Johansson, K Olof; Campbell, Matthew F; Elvati, Paolo; Schrader, Paul E; Zádor, Judit; Richards-Henderson, Nicole K; Wilson, Kevin R; Violi, Angela; Michelsen, Hope A

2017-06-15

We have measured photoionization-efficiency curves for pyrene, fluoranthene, chrysene, perylene, and coronene in the photon energy range of 7.5-10.2 eV and derived their photoionization cross-section curves in this energy range. All measurements were performed using tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation generated at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The VUV radiation was used for photoionization, and detection was performed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. We measured the photoionization efficiency of 2,5-dimethylfuran simultaneously with those of pyrene, fluoranthene, chrysene, perylene, and coronene to obtain references of the photon flux during each measurement from the known photoionization cross-section curve of 2,5-dimethylfuran.

Energy Efficient Engine combustor test hardware detailed design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrus, D. L.; Chahrour, C. A.; Foltz, H. L.; Sabla, P. E.; Seto, S. P.; Taylor, J. R.

1984-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) Combustor Development effort was conducted as part of the overall NASA/GE E3 Program. This effort included the selection of an advanced double-annular combustion system design. The primary intent was to evolve a design which meets the stringent emissions and life goals of the E3 as well as all of the usual performance requirements of combustion systems for modern turbofan engines. Numerous detailed design studies were conducted to define the features of the combustion system design. Development test hardware was fabricated, and an extensive testing effort was undertaken to evaluate the combustion system subcomponents in order to verify and refine the design. Technology derived from this development effort will be incorporated into the engine combustion system hardware design. This advanced engine combustion system will then be evaluated in component testing to verify the design intent. What is evolving from this development effort is an advanced combustion system capable of satisfying all of the combustion system design objectives and requirements of the E3. Fuel nozzle, diffuser, starting, and emissions design studies are discussed.

Energy Efficient Engine Program: Technology Benefit/Cost Study, Volume II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, D. E.; Gardner, W. B.

1983-01-01

The Benefit/Cost Study portion of the NASA-sponsored Energy Efficient Engine Component Development and Integration program was successful in achieving its objectives: identification of air transport propulsion system technology requirements for the years 2000 and 2010, and formulation of programs for developing these technologies. It is projected that the advanced technologies identified, when developed to a state of readiness, will provide future commercial and military turbofan engines with significant savings in fuel consumption and related operating costs. These benefits are significant and far from exhausted. The potential savings translate into billions of dollars in annual savings for the airlines. Analyses indicate that a significant portion of the overall savings is attributed to aerodynamic and structure advancements. Another important consideration in acquiring these benefits is developing a viable reference technology base that will permit engines to operate at substantially higher overall pressure ratios and bypass ratios. Results have pointed the direction for future research and a comprehensive program plan for achieving this was formulated. The next major step is initiating the program effort that will convert the advanced technologies into the expected benefits.

Conservation and renewable energy technologies for transportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-11-01

The Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) is charged with long-term, high-risk, and potentially high-payoff research and development of promising transportation technologies that are unlikely to be undertaken by the private sector alone. OTT activities are designed to develop an advanced technology base within the U.S. transportation industry for future manufacture of more energy-efficient, fuel-flexible, and environmentally sound transportation systems. OTT operations are focused on three areas: advanced automotive propulsion systems including gas turbines, low heat rejection diesel, and electric vehicle technologies; advanced materials development and tribology research; and research, development, demonstration, test, and evaluation (including field testing in fleet operations) of alternative fuels. Five papers describing the transportation technologies program have been indexed separately for inclusion on the data base.

Performance and economics of advanced energy conversion systems for coal and coal-derived fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corman, J. C.; Fox, G. R.

1978-01-01

The desire to establish an efficient Energy Conversion System to utilize the fossil fuel of the future - coal - has produced many candidate systems. A comparative technical/economic evaluation was performed on the seven most attractive advanced energy conversion systems. The evaluation maintains a cycle-to-cycle consistency in both performance and economic projections. The technical information base can be employed to make program decisions regarding the most attractive concept. A reference steam power plant was analyzed to the same detail and, under the same ground rules, was used as a comparison base. The power plants were all designed to utilize coal or coal-derived fuels and were targeted to meet an environmental standard. The systems evaluated were two advanced steam systems, a potassium topping cycle, a closed cycle helium system, two open cycle gas turbine combined cycles, and an open cycle MHD system.

U.S. DOE Roundtable and Workshop on Advanced Steel Technologies: Emerging Global Technologies and R&D Opportunities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pellegrino, Joan; Jamison, Keith

2015-12-01

This report is based on the proceedings of the U.S. DOE Roundtable and Workshop on Advanced Steel Technologies Workshop hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE s) Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) on held on June 23, 2015. Representatives from industry, government, and academia met at the offices of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Washington, DC, to share information on emerging steel technologies, issues impacting technology investment and deployment, gaps in research and development (R&D), and opportunities for greater energy efficiency. The results of the workshop are summarized in thismore » report. They reflect a snapshot of the perspectives and ideas generated by the individuals who attended and not all-inclusive of the steel industry and stakeholder community.« less

A Compendium of Energy Conservation: Success Stories 90

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

1990-12-01

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy proudly presents this summary of some its most successful projects and activities. The projects included in this document have made significant contributions to improving energy efficiency and fuel flexibility in the United States. The energy savings that can be realized from these projects are considerable. Americans have shown an impressive ability to reduce energy consumption since 1973. Studies show that 34 quadrillion Btus (quads) of energy were saved in 1988 alone as a result of energy conservation and other factors. These savings, worth approximately $180 billion, represent more energy than the United States obtains from any other single source. The availability of new, energy-efficient technologies has been an important ingredient in achieving these savings. Federal efforts to develop and commercialize energy-saving technologies and processes are a part of the reason for this progress. Over the past 10 years, DOE has carefully invested more than $2 billion in hundreds of research and development (R&D) projects to ensure the availability of advanced technology in the marketplace. These energy-efficient projects are carried out through DOE's Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy and reflect opportunities in the three energy-consuming, end-use sectors of the economy: buildings, transportation, and industry.

Advanced CHP Control Algorithms: Scope Specification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Katipamula, Srinivas; Brambley, Michael R.

2006-04-28

The primary objective of this multiyear project is to develop algorithms for combined heat and power systems to ensure optimal performance, increase reliability, and lead to the goal of clean, efficient, reliable and affordable next generation energy systems.

Electric Power Systems Are Profoundly Changing | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

. Advances in efficiency and smart grid technologies also have the potential to change historical demand installations are increasing. NREL works within these currents of change, and helps shape them to enhance our

Radioisotope Power System Pool Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rusick, Jeffrey J.; Bolotin, Gary S.

2015-01-01

Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for NASA deep space science missions have historically used static thermoelectric-based designs because they are highly reliable, and their radioisotope heat sources can be passively cooled throughout the mission life cycle. Recently, a significant effort to develop a dynamic RPS, the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG), was conducted by NASA and the Department of Energy, because Stirling based designs offer energy conversion efficiencies four times higher than heritage thermoelectric designs; and the efficiency would proportionately reduce the amount of radioisotope fuel needed for the same power output. However, the long term reliability of a Stirling based design is a concern compared to thermoelectric designs, because for certain Stirling system architectures the radioisotope heat sources must be actively cooled via the dynamic operation of Stirling converters throughout the mission life cycle. To address this reliability concern, a new dynamic Stirling cycle RPS architecture is proposed called the RPS Pool Concept.

A numerical investigation on the efficiency of range extending systems using Advanced Vehicle Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varnhagen, Scott; Same, Adam; Remillard, Jesse; Park, Jae Wan

2011-03-01

Series plug-in hybrid electric vehicles of varying engine configuration and battery capacity are modeled using Advanced Vehicle Simulator (ADVISOR). The performance of these vehicles is analyzed on the bases of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on the tank-to-wheel and well-to-wheel paths. Both city and highway driving conditions are considered during the simulation. When simulated on the well-to-wheel path, it is shown that the range extender with a Wankel rotary engine consumes less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases compared to the other systems with reciprocating engines during many driving cycles. The rotary engine has a higher power-to-weight ratio and lower noise, vibration and harshness compared to conventional reciprocating engines, although performs less efficiently. The benefits of a Wankel engine make it an attractive option for use as a range extender in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Energy efficiency analysis and implementation of AES on an FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenney, David

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) was developed by Joan Daemen and Vincent Rjimen and endorsed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2001. It was designed to replace the aging Data Encryption Standard (DES) and be useful for a wide range of applications with varying throughput, area, power dissipation and energy consumption requirements. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are flexible and reconfigurable integrated circuits that are useful for many different applications including the implementation of AES. Though they are highly flexible, FPGAs are often less efficient than Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs); they tend to operate slower, take up more space and dissipate more power. There have been many FPGA AES implementations that focus on obtaining high throughput or low area usage, but very little research done in the area of low power or energy efficient FPGA based AES; in fact, it is rare for estimates on power dissipation to be made at all. This thesis presents a methodology to evaluate the energy efficiency of FPGA based AES designs and proposes a novel FPGA AES implementation which is highly flexible and energy efficient. The proposed methodology is implemented as part of a novel scripting tool, the AES Energy Analyzer, which is able to fully characterize the power dissipation and energy efficiency of FPGA based AES designs. Additionally, this thesis introduces a new FPGA power reduction technique called Opportunistic Combinational Operand Gating (OCOG) which is used in the proposed energy efficient implementation. The AES Energy Analyzer was able to estimate the power dissipation and energy efficiency of the proposed AES design during its most commonly performed operations. It was found that the proposed implementation consumes less energy per operation than any previous FPGA based AES implementations that included power estimations. Finally, the use of Opportunistic Combinational Operand Gating on an AES cipher was found to reduce its dynamic power consumption by up to 17% when compared to an identical design that did not employ the technique.

A comprehensive framework to assess, model, and enhance the human role in conserving energy in commercial buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azar, Elie

Energy conservation and sustainability are subjects of great interest today, especially in the commercial building sector which is witnessing a very high and growing demand for energy. Traditionally, efforts to reduce energy consumption in this sector consisted of researching and developing energy efficient building technologies and systems. On the other hand, recent studies indicate that human actions are major determinants of building energy performance and can lead to excessive energy use even in advanced low-energy buildings. As a result, it is essential to determine if the approach to future energy reduction initiatives should remain solely technology-focused, or if a human-focused approach is also needed to complement advancements in technology and improve building operation and performance. In practice, while technology-focused solutions have been extensively researched, promoted, and adopted in commercial buildings, research efforts on the role of human actions and energy use behaviors in energy conservation remain very limited. This study fills the missing gap in literature by presenting a comprehensive framework to (1) understand and quantify the influence of human actions on building energy performance, (2) model building occupants' energy use behaviors and account for potential changes in these behaviors over time, and (3) test and optimize different human-focused energy reduction interventions to increase their adoption in commercial buildings. Results are significant and prove that human actions have a major role to play in reducing the energy intensity of the commercial building sector. This sheds the light on the need for a shift in how people currently use and control different buildings systems, as this is crucial to ensure efficient building operation and to maximize the return on investment in energy-efficient technologies. Furthermore, this study proposes methods and tools that can be applied on any individual or groups of commercial buildings to evaluate the human impact on their energy performance. This is expected to boost research on the topic and promote the integration of human-focused interventions in large-scale energy reduction initiatives and policies. Finally, this dissertation presents a roadmap for the future challenges to energy conservation and the steps to take towards a more sustainable building sector and society.

Material Science for High-Efficiency Photovoltaics: From Advanced Optical Coatings to Cell Design for High-Temperature Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perl, Emmett Edward

Solar cells based on III-V compound semiconductors are ideally suited to convert solar energy into electricity. The highest efficiency single-junction solar cells are made of gallium arsenide, and have attained an efficiency of 28.8%. Multiple III-V materials can be combined to construct multijunction solar cells, which have reached record efficiencies greater than 45% under concentration. III-V solar cells are also well suited to operate efficiently at elevated temperatures, due in large part to their high material quality. These properties make III-V solar cells an excellent choice for use in concentrator systems. Concentrator photovoltaic systems have attained module efficiencies that exceed 40%, and have the potential to reach the lowest levelized cost of electricity in sunny places like the desert southwest. Hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar energy systems can utilize high-temperature III-V solar cells to simultaneously achieve dispatchability and a high sunlight-to-electricity efficiency. This dissertation explores material science to advance the state of III-V multijunction solar cells for use in concentrator photovoltaic and hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar energy systems. The first half of this dissertation describes work on advanced optical designs to improve the efficiency of multijunction solar cells. As multijunction solar cells move to configurations with four or more subcells, they utilize a larger portion of the solar spectrum. Broadband antireflection coatings are essential to realizing efficiency gains for these state-of-the-art cells. A hybrid design consisting of antireflective nanostructures placed on top of multilayer interference-based optical coatings is developed. Antireflection coatings that utilize this hybrid approach yield unparalleled performance, minimizing reflection losses to just 0.2% on sapphire and 0.6% on gallium nitride for 300-1800nm light. Dichroic mirrors are developed for bonded 5-junction solar cells that utilize InGaN as a top junction. These designs maximize reflection of high-energy light for an InGaN top junction while minimizing reflection of low-energy light that would be absorbed by the lower four junctions. Increasing the reflectivity of high-energy photons enables a second pass of light through the InGaN cell, leading to increased absorption and a higher photocurrent. These optical designs enhanced the efficiency of a 2.65eV InGaN solar cell to a value of 3.3% under the AM0 spectrum, the highest reported efficiency for a standalone InGaN solar cell. The second half of the dissertation describes the development of III-V solar cells for high-temperature applications. As the operating temperature of a solar cell is increased, the ideal bandgap of the top junction increases. AlGaInP solar cells with bandgaps ranging from 1.9eV to 2.2eV are developed. A 2.03eV AlGaInP solar cell is demonstrated with a bandgap-voltage offset of 440mV, the lowest of any AlGaInP solar cell reported to date. Single-junction AlGaInP, GaInP, and GaAs solar cells designed for high-temperature operation are characterized up to a temperature of 400°C. The cell properties are compared to an analytical drift-diffusion model, and we find that a fundamental increase in the intrinsic carrier concentration, ni, dominates the temperature dependence of the dark currents, open-circuit voltage, and cell efficiency. These findings provide a valuable guide to the design of any system that requires high-temperature solar cell operation.

Role of national labs in energy and environmental R & D: An industrial perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaz, N.

1995-12-31

The perceived role of national laboratories in energy and environmental research and development is examined from an industrial perspective. A series of tables are used to summarize issues primarily related to the automotive industry. Impacts of policy on energy, environment, society, and international competition are outlined. Advances and further needs in automotive efficiency and pollution control, and research roles for national labs and industry are also summarized. 6 tabs.

Connected Equipment Maturity Model Version 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butzbaugh, Joshua B.; Mayhorn, Ebony T.; Sullivan, Greg

2017-05-01

The Connected Equipment Maturity Model (CEMM) evaluates the high-level functionality and characteristics that enable equipment to provide the four categories of energy-related services through communication with other entities (e.g., equipment, third parties, utilities, and users). The CEMM will help the U.S. Department of Energy, industry, energy efficiency organizations, and research institutions benchmark the current state of connected equipment and identify capabilities that may be attained to reach a more advanced, future state.

Advanced Natural Gas Reciprocating Engine(s)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pike, Edward

The objective of the Cummins ARES program, in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), is to develop advanced natural gas engine technologies that increase engine system efficiency at lower emissions levels while attaining lower cost of ownership. The goals of the project are to demonstrate engine system achieving 50% Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) in three phases, 44%, 47% and 50% (starting baseline efficiency at 36% BTE) and 0.1 g/bhp-hr NOx system out emissions (starting baseline NOx emissions at 2 – 4 g/bhp-hr NOx). Primary path towards above goals include high Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP), improved closed cyclemore » efficiency, increased air handling efficiency and optimized engine subsystems. Cummins has successfully demonstrated each of the phases of this program. All targets have been achieved through application of a combined set of advanced base engine technologies and Waste Heat Recovery from Charge Air and Exhaust streams, optimized and validated on the demonstration engine and other large engines. The following architectures were selected for each Phase: Phase 1: Lean Burn Spark Ignited (SI) Key Technologies: High Efficiency Turbocharging, Higher Efficiency Combustion System. In production on the 60/91L engines. Over 500MW of ARES Phase 1 technology has been sold. Phase 2: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) System Key Technologies: Advanced Ignition System, Combustion Improvement, Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Base engine technologies intended for production within 2 to 3 years Phase 3: Lean Burn Technology with Exhaust and Charge Air Waste Heat Recovery System Key Technologies: Lower Friction, New Cylinder Head Designs, Improved Integrated Waste Heat Recovery System. Intended for production within 5 to 6 years Cummins is committed to the launch of next generation of large advanced NG engines based on ARES technology to be commercialized worldwide.« less

Advanced radioisotope heat source for Stirling Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobry, T. J.; Walberg, G.

2001-02-01

The heat exchanger on a Stirling Engine requires a thermal energy transfer from a heat source to the engine through a very limited area on the heater head circumference. Designing an effective means to assure maximum transfer efficiency is challenging. A single General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), which has been qualified for space operations, would satisfy thermal requirements for a single Stirling Engine that would produce 55 electrical watts. However, it is not efficient to transfer its thermal energy to the engine heat exchanger from its rectangular geometry. This paper describes a conceptual design of a heat source to improve energy transfer for Stirling Engines that may be deployed to power instrumentation on space missions. .

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Achieving aggressive energy efficiency targets requires tight coordination and clear communication among owners, designers, builders, and subcontractors. For this townhome project, MassDevelopment, the quasi-governmental agency owner, selected Metric Development of Boston, teaming with Building America team Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) and Cambridge Seven Architects, to build very high performing market-rate homes. Fort Devens is part of a decommissioned army base in working-class Harvard, Massachusetts, approximately one hour northwest of Boston. The team proposed 12 net zero energy-ready townhomes that were also designed to achieve a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score of 41 before adding renewables. Themore » team carefully planned the site to maximize solar access, daylighting, and efficient building forms.« less

All-Weather Solar Cells: A Rising Photovoltaic Revolution.

PubMed

Tang, Qunwei

2017-06-16

Solar cells have been considered as one of the foremost solutions to energy and environmental problems because of clean, high efficiency, cost-effective, and inexhaustible features. The historical development and state-of-the-art solar cells mainly focus on elevating photoelectric conversion efficiency upon direct sunlight illumination. It is still a challenging problem to realize persistent high-efficiency power generation in rainy, foggy, haze, and dark-light conditions (night). The physical proof-of-concept for all-weather solar cells opens a door for an upcoming photovoltaic revolution. Our group has been exploring constructive routes to build all-weather solar cells so that these advanced photovoltaic technologies can be an indication for global solar industry in bringing down the cost of energy harvesting. How the all-weather solar cells are built without reducing photo performances and why such architectures can realize electricity outputs with no visible-light are discussed. Potential pathways and opportunities to enrich all-weather solar cell families are envisaged. The aspects discussed here may enable researchers to develop undiscovered abilities and to explore wide applications of advanced photovoltaics. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gas-phase optical fiber photocatalytic reactors for indoor air application: a preliminary study on performance indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmiste, Ü.; Voll, H.

2017-10-01

The development of advanced air cleaning technologies aims to reduce building energy consumption by reduction of outdoor air flow rates while keeping the indoor air quality at an acceptable level by air cleaning. Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology for gas-phase air cleaning that can be applied in a standalone unit or a subsystem of a building mechanical ventilation system. Quantitative information on photocatalytic reactor performance is required to evaluate the technical and economic viability of the advanced air cleaning by PCO technology as an energy conservation measure in a building air conditioning system. Photocatalytic reactors applying optical fibers as light guide or photocatalyst coating support have been reported as an approach to address the current light utilization problems and thus, improve the overall efficiency. The aim of the paper is to present a preliminary evaluation on continuous flow optical fiber photocatalytic reactors based on performance indicators commonly applied for air cleaners. Based on experimental data, monolith-type optical fiber reactor performance surpasses annular-type optical fiber reactors in single-pass removal efficiency, clean air delivery rate and operating cost efficiency.

NREL's Work for the U.S. Navy Illuminates Energy and Cost Savings | News

Science.gov Websites

load controls and whole-building energy efficiency retrofits as good investments for the Navy. " Program Director Steve Gorin said. Advanced power strips, a plug load control technology that cuts power and an office building with capacity for roughly 100 staff. While plug load savings depend on what can

Emerging Energy-efficiency and CO{sub 2} Emission-reduction Technologies for Cement and Concrete Production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hasanbeigi, Ali; Price, Lynn; Lin, Elina

2012-04-06

Globally, the cement industry accounts for approximately 5 percent of current anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions. World cement demand and production are increasing significantly, leading to an increase in this industry's absolute energy use and CO{sub 2} emissions. Development of new energy-efficiency and CO{sub 2} emission-reduction technologies and their deployment in the market will be key for the cement industry's mid- and long-term climate change mitigation strategies. This report is an initial effort to compile available information on process description, energy savings, environmental and other benefits, costs, commercialization status, and references for emerging technologies to reduce the cement industry'smore » energy use and CO{sub 2} emissions. Although studies from around the world identify a variety of sector-specific and cross-cutting energy-efficiency technologies for the cement industry that have already been commercialized, information is scarce and/or scattered regarding emerging or advanced energy-efficiency and low-carbon technologies that are not yet commercialized. This report consolidates available information on nineteen emerging technologies for the cement industry, with the goal of providing engineers, researchers, investors, cement companies, policy makers, and other interested parties with easy access to a well-structured database of information on these technologies.« less

An exergy approach to efficiency evaluation of desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Kim Choon; Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Son, Hyuk Soo; Hamed, Osman A.

2017-05-01

This paper presents an evaluation process efficiency based on the consumption of primary energy for all types of practical desalination methods available hitherto. The conventional performance ratio has, thus far, been defined with respect to the consumption of derived energy, such as the electricity or steam, which are susceptible to the conversion losses of power plants and boilers that burned the input primary fuels. As derived energies are usually expressed by the units, either kWh or Joules, these units cannot differentiate the grade of energy supplied to the processes accurately. In this paper, the specific energy consumption is revisited for the efficacy of all large-scale desalination plants. In today's combined production of electricity and desalinated water, accomplished with advanced cogeneration concept, the input exergy of fuels is utilized optimally and efficiently in a temperature cascaded manner. By discerning the exergy destruction successively in the turbines and desalination processes, the relative contribution of primary energy to the processes can be accurately apportioned to the input primary energy. Although efficiency is not a law of thermodynamics, however, a common platform for expressing the figures of merit explicit to the efficacy of desalination processes can be developed meaningfully that has the thermodynamic rigor up to the ideal or thermodynamic limit of seawater desalination for all scientists and engineers to aspire to.

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Current and advanced act control system definition study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Current and Advanced Technology ACT control system definition tasks of the Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) Technology project within the Energy Efficient Transport Program are summarized. The systems mechanize six active control functions: (1) pitch augmented stability; (2) angle of attack limiting; (3) lateral/directional augmented stability; (4) gust load alleviation; (5) maneuver load control; and (6) flutter mode control. The redundant digital control systems meet all function requirements with required reliability and declining weight and cost as advanced technology is introduced.

Energy savings opportunities in the global digital television transition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, Won Young; Gopal, Anand; Phadke, Amol

Globally, terrestrial television (TV) broadcasting is in the midst of a complete transition to digital signals. The last analog terrestrial broadcast is expected to be switched off in the early 2020s. This transition presents huge energy savings opportunities that have thus far been ignored. Digital TV switchovers have likely increased energy consumption as countries have completed transitions by providing digital TV converters to analog TV users, which increase energy consumption and extend the life of energy-inefficient analog TVs. We find that if analog TVs were retired at the time of a digital switchover and replaced with super-efficient flat-panel TVs, suchmore » as light-emitting diode (LED) backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs, there is a combined electricity savings potential of 32 terawatt hours [TWh] per year in countries that have not yet completed their digital TV transition. In view of these findings as well as the dramatic drops of super-efficient TV prices and the unique early-retirement opportunity resulting from cessation of terrestrial analog broadcasts, TV-exchange programs would easily and substantially advance energy efficiency.« less

Energy savings opportunities in the global digital television transition

DOE PAGES

Park, Won Young; Gopal, Anand; Phadke, Amol

2016-12-20

Globally, terrestrial television (TV) broadcasting is in the midst of a complete transition to digital signals. The last analog terrestrial broadcast is expected to be switched off in the early 2020s. This transition presents huge energy savings opportunities that have thus far been ignored. Digital TV switchovers have likely increased energy consumption as countries have completed transitions by providing digital TV converters to analog TV users, which increase energy consumption and extend the life of energy-inefficient analog TVs. We find that if analog TVs were retired at the time of a digital switchover and replaced with super-efficient flat-panel TVs, suchmore » as light-emitting diode (LED) backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs, there is a combined electricity savings potential of 32 terawatt hours [TWh] per year in countries that have not yet completed their digital TV transition. In view of these findings as well as the dramatic drops of super-efficient TV prices and the unique early-retirement opportunity resulting from cessation of terrestrial analog broadcasts, TV-exchange programs would easily and substantially advance energy efficiency.« less

Energy-Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT): Final Summary Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, Thornton C

2014-03-31

Energy-Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT) is a balanced portfolio of R&D tasks that address energy-saving opportunities in the metalcasting industry. E-SMARRT was created to: • Improve important capabilities of castings • Reduce carbon footprint of the foundry industry • Develop new job opportunities in manufacturing • Significantly reduce metalcasting process energy consumption and includes R&D in the areas of: • Improvements in Melting Efficiency • Innovative Casting Processes for Yield Improvement/Revert Reduction • Instrumentation and Control Improvement • Material properties for Casting or Tooling Design Improvement The energy savings and process improvements developed under E-SMARRT have been mademore » possible through the unique collaborative structure of the E-SMARRT partnership. The E-SMARRT team consisted of DOE’s Office of Industrial Technology, the three leading metalcasting technical associations in the U.S: the American Foundry Society; the North American Die Casting Association; and the Steel Founders’ Society of America; and SCRA Applied R&D, doing business as the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), a recognized leader in distributed technology management. This team provided collaborative leadership to a complex industry composed of approximately 2,000 companies, 80% of which employ less than 100 people, and only 4% of which employ more than 250 people. Without collaboration, these new processes and technologies that enable energy efficiencies and environment-friendly improvements would have been slow to develop and had trouble obtaining a broad application. The E-SMARRT R&D tasks featured low-threshold energy efficiency improvements that are attractive to the domestic industry because they do not require major capital investment. The results of this portfolio of projects are significantly reducing metalcasting process energy consumption while improving the important capabilities of metalcastings. Through June 2014, the E-SMARRT program predicts an average annual estimated savings of 59 Trillion BTUs per year over a 10 year period through Advanced Melting Efficiencies and Innovative Casting Processes. Along with these energy savings, an estimated average annual estimate of CO2 reduction per year over a ten year period is 3.56 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent (MM TCE).« less

The Resurgence of America's Auto Industry

ScienceCinema

Zimmer, Stephen; Cischke, Sue

2018-05-01

A look at how strategic investments and partnerships between the Energy Department and automakers have helped the American auto industry become a leader in advanced and fuel-efficient vehicles — creating jobs and boosting profits in the process.

New Whole-House Case Study: William Ryan Homes, Tampa, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

The builder worked with Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings to design HERS-65 homes with energy-efficient heat pumps and programmable thermostats with humidity controls, foam-filled concrete block walls, draining house wrap, and airsealed kneewalls.

Desired and Undesired Effects of Energy Labels--An Eye-Tracking Study.

PubMed

Waechter, Signe; Sütterlin, Bernadette; Siegrist, Michael

2015-01-01

Saving energy is an important pillar for the mitigation of climate change. Electric devices (e.g., freezer and television) are an important player in the residential sector in the final demand for energy. Consumers' purchase decisions are therefore crucial to successfully reach the energy-efficiency goals. Putting energy labels on products is often considered an adequate way of empowering consumers to make informed purchase decisions. Consequently, this approach should contribute to reducing overall energy consumption. The effectiveness of its measurement depends on consumers' use and interpretation of the information provided. Despite advances in energy efficiency and a mandatory labeling policy, final energy consumption per capita is in many countries still increasing. This paper provides a systematic analysis of consumers' reactions to one of the most widely used eco-labels, the European Union (EU) energy label, by using eye-tracking methodology as an objective measurement. The study's results partially support the EU's mandatory policy, showing that the energy label triggers attention toward energy information in general. However, the energy label's effect on consumers' actual product choices seems to be rather low. The study's results show that the currently used presentation format on the label is insufficient. The findings suggest that it does not facilitate the integration of energy-related information. Furthermore, the current format can attract consumers to focus more on energy-efficiency information, leading them to disregard information about actual energy consumption. As a result, the final energy consumption may increase because excellent ratings on energy efficiency (e.g., A++) do not automatically imply little consumption. Finally, implications for policymakers and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Improving Gas Furnace Performance: A Field and Laboratory Study at End of Life

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brand, L.; Yee, S.; Baker, J.

2015-02-01

In 2010, natural gas provided 54% of total residential space heating energy the U.S. on a source basis, or 3.5 Quadrillion Btu. Natural gas burned in furnaces accounted for 92% of that total, and boilers and other equipment made up the remainder. A better understanding of installed furnace performance is a key to energy savings for this significant energy usage. In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit examined the impact that common installation practices and age-induced equipment degradation may have on the installed performance of natural gas furnaces over the lifemore » of the product, as measured by steady-state efficiency and annual efficiency. The team identified 12 furnaces of various ages and efficiencies that were operating in residential homes in the Des Moines, Iowa, metropolitan area and worked with a local heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor to retrieve furnaces and test them at the Gas Technology Institute laboratory for steady-state efficiency and annual efficiency. Prior to removal, system airflow, static pressure, equipment temperature rise, and flue loss measurements were recorded for each furnace as installed in the house.« less

Factors Affecting the Corporate Decision-Making Process of Air Transport Manufacturers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ollila, R. G.; Hill, J. D.; Noton, B. R.; Duffy, M. A.; Epstein, M. M.

1976-01-01

Fuel economy is a pivotal question influencing the future sale and utilization of commercial aircraft. The NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program Office has a program intended to accelerate the readiness of advanced technologies for energy efficient aircraft. Because the decision to develop a new airframe or engine is a major financial hazard for manufacturers, it is important to know what factors influence the decision making process. A method is described for identifying and ranking individuals and organizations involved at each stage of commercial air transport development, and the barriers that must be overcome in adopting new technologies.

System Dynamics Modeling of Households' Electricity Consumption and Cost-Income Ratio: a Case Study of Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bariss, Uldis; Bazbauers, Gatis; Blumberga, Andra; Blumberga, Dagnija

2017-11-01

Increased energy efficiency of the building sector is high on the list of priorities for energy policy since better energy efficiency would help to reduce impact on climate change and increase security of energy supply. One aim of the present study was to find a relative effect of growth of demand for energy services due to changes in income, energy consumption per unit of demand due to technological development, changes in electricity price and household income on household electricity consumption in Latvia. The method applied included system dynamics modeling and data from a household survey regarding the relationship between electricity saving activities and the electricity cost-income ratio. The results revealed that, in direct contrast to the expected, a potential reduction of the electricity consumption is rather insensitive to electricity price and electricity cost-income ratio, and that the efficiency of technologies could be the main drivers for future electricity savings. The results suggest that support to advancement of technologies and faster replacement of inefficient ones rather than influencing the energy price could be effective energy policy measures. The model, developed in the study could be used in similar assessments in other countries.

Measure Guideline: High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brand, L.; Rose, W.

2012-10-01

This Measure Guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces. Topics covered include when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.

Measure Guideline. High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brand, L.; Rose, W.

2012-10-01

This measure guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces, including: when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure; how to identify and address risks; and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.

Premium Efficiency Motor Selection and Application Guide – A Handbook for Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilbert A. McCoy and John G. Douglass

2014-02-01

This handbook informs new motor purchase decisions by identifying energy and cost savings that can come from replacing motors with premium efficiency units. The handbook provides an overview of current motor use in the industrial sector, including the development of motor efficiency standards, currently available and emerging advanced efficiency motor technologies, and guidance on how to evaluate motor efficiency opportunities. It also several tips on getting the most out of industrial motors, such as how to avoid adverse motor interactions with electronic adjustable speed drives and how to ensure efficiency gains are not lost to undervoltage operation or excessive voltagemore » unbalance.« less

Study of cost/benefit tradeoffs for reducing the energy consumption of the commercial air transportation system. [Advanced turboprop introduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coykendall, R.E.; Curry, J.K.; Domke, A.E.

1976-06-01

Economic studies were conducted for three general fuel-conserving options: (1) improving fuel-consumption characteristics of existing aircraft via retrofit modifications; (2) introducing fuel-efficient derivations of existing production aircraft and/or introducing fuel efficient, current state-of-the-art new aircraft; and (3) introducing an advanced state-of-the-art turboprop airplane. These studies were designed to produce an optimum airline fleet mix for the years 1980, 1985 and 1990. The fleet selected accommodated a normal growth market by introducing somewhat larger aircraft while solving for maximum departure frequencies and a minimum load factor corresponding to a 15% investment hurdle rate. Fuel burnt per available-seat-mile flown would drop 22%more » from 1980 to 1990 due to the use of more fuel efficient aircraft designs, larger average aircraft size, and increased seating density. An inflight survey was taken to determine air traveler attitudes towards a new generation of advanced turboprops. (Author) (GRA)« less

The Status and Promise of Advanced M&V: An Overview of “M&V 2.0” Methods, Tools, and Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Franconi, Ellen; Gee, Matt; Goldberg, Miriam

Advanced measurement and verification (M&V) of energy efficiency savings, often referred to as M&V 2.0 or advanced M&V, is currently an object of much industry attention. Thus far, however, there has been a lack of clarity about what techniques M&V 2.0 includes, how those techniques differ from traditional approaches, what the key considerations are for their use, and what value propositions M&V 2.0 presents to different stakeholders. The objective of this paper is to provide background information and frame key discussion points related to advanced M&V. The paper identifies the benefits, methods, and requirements of advanced M&V and outlines keymore » technical issues for applying these methods. It presents an overview of the distinguishing elements of M&V 2.0 tools and of how the industry is addressing needs for tool testing, consistency, and standardization, and it identifies opportunities for collaboration. In this paper, we consider two key features of M&V 2.0: (1) automated analytics that can provide ongoing, near-real-time savings estimates, and (2) increased data granularity in terms of frequency, volume, or end-use detail. Greater data granularity for large numbers of customers, such as that derived from comprehensive implementation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems, leads to very large data volumes. This drives interest in automated processing systems. It is worth noting, however, that automated processing can provide value even when applied to less granular data, such as monthly consumption data series. Likewise, more granular data, such as interval or end-use data, delivers value with or without automated processing, provided the processing is manageable. But it is the combination of greater data detail with automated processing that offers the greatest opportunity for value. Using M&V methods that capture load shapes together with automated processing1 can determine savings in near-real time to provide stakeholders with more timely and detailed information. This information can be used to inform ongoing building operations, provide early input on energy efficiency program design, or assess the impact of efficiency by location and time of day. Stakeholders who can make use of such information include regulators, energy efficiency program administrators, program evaluators, contractors and aggregators, building owners, the investment community, and grid planners. Although each stakeholder has its own priorities and challenges related to savings measurement and verification, the potential exists for all to draw from a single set of efficiency valuation data. Such an integrated approach could provide a base consistency across stakeholder uses.« less

Field Evaluation of Advances in Energy-Efficiency Practices for Manufactured Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E. Levy; Dentz, J.; Ansanelli, E.

2016-03-01

Through field-testing and analysis, this project evaluated whole-building approaches and estimated the relative contributions of select technologies toward reducing energy use related to space conditioning in new manufactured homes. Three lab houses of varying designs were built and tested side-by-side under controlled conditions in Russellville, Alabama. The tests provided a valuable indicator of how changes in the construction of manufactured homes can contribute to significant reductions in energy use.

Inertial energy storage for advanced space station applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Tassel, K. E.; Simon, W. E.

1985-01-01

Because the NASA Space Station will spend approximately one-third of its orbital time in the earth's shadow, depriving it of solar energy and requiring an energy storage system to meet system demands, attention has been given to flywheel energy storage systems. These systems promise high mechanical efficiency, long life, light weight, flexible design, and easily monitored depth of discharge. An assessment is presently made of three critical technology areas: rotor materials, magnetic suspension bearings, and motor-generators for energy conversion. Conclusions are presented regarding the viability of inertial energy storage systems and of problem areas requiring further technology development efforts.

Photoionization Efficiencies of Five Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

DOE PAGES

Johansson, K. Olof; Campbell, Matthew F.; Elvati, Paolo; ...

2017-05-18

We have measured photoionization-efficiency curves for pyrene, fluoranthene, chrysene, perylene, and coronene in the photon energy range of 7.5-10.2 eV and derived their photoionization cross-section curves in this energy range. All measurements were performed using tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation generated at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The VUV radiation was used for photoionization, and detection was performed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. We measured the photoionization efficiency of 2,5-dimethylfuran simultaneously with those of pyrene, fluoranthene, chrysene, perylene, and coronene to obtain references of the photon flux during each measurement from the known photoionization cross-sectionmore » curve of 2,5- dimethylfuran.« less

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CYBERNETICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig R. RIeger; David H. Scheidt; William D. Smart

2014-11-01

MODERN societies depend on complex and critical infrastructures for energy, transportation, sustenance, medical care, emergency response, communications security. As computers, automation, and information technology (IT) have advanced, these technologies have been exploited to enhance the efficiency of operating the processes that make up these infrastructures

Energy efficient engine component development and integration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The objective of the Energy Efficient Engine Component Development and Integration program is to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the technology for achieving lower installed fuel consumption and lower operating costs in future commercial turbofan engines. Minimum goals have been set for a 12 percent reduction in thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC), 5 percent reduction in direct operating cost (DOC), and 50 percent reduction in performance degradation for the Energy Efficient Engine (flight propulsion system) relative to the JT9D-7A reference engine. The Energy Efficienct Engine features a twin spool, direct drive, mixed flow exhaust configuration, utilizing an integrated engine nacelle structure. A short, stiff, high rotor and a single stage high pressure turbine are among the major enhancements in providing for both performance retention and major reductions in maintenance and direct operating costs. Improved clearance control in the high pressure compressor and turbines, and advanced single crystal materials in turbine blades and vanes are among the major features providing performance improvement. Highlights of work accomplished and programs modifications and deletions are presented.

Efficient micromagnetics for magnetic storage devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escobar Acevedo, Marco Antonio

Micromagnetics is an important component for advancing the magnetic nanostructures understanding and design. Numerous existing and prospective magnetic devices rely on micromagnetic analysis, these include hard disk drives, magnetic sensors, memories, microwave generators, and magnetic logic. The ability to examine, describe, and predict the magnetic behavior, and macroscopic properties of nanoscale magnetic systems is essential for improving the existing devices, for progressing in their understanding, and for enabling new technologies. This dissertation describes efficient micromagnetic methods as required for magnetic storage analysis. Their performance and accuracy is demonstrated by studying realistic, complex, and relevant micromagnetic system case studies. An efficient methodology for dynamic micromagnetics in large scale simulations is used to study the writing process in a full scale model of a magnetic write head. An efficient scheme, tailored for micromagnetics, to find the minimum energy state on a magnetic system is presented. This scheme can be used to calculate hysteresis loops. An efficient scheme, tailored for micromagnetics, to find the minimum energy path between two stable states on a magnetic system is presented. This minimum energy path is intimately related to the thermal stability.

Smart Buildings and Demand Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiliccote, Sila; Piette, Mary Ann; Ghatikar, Girish

2011-11-01

Advances in communications and control technology, the strengthening of the Internet, and the growing appreciation of the urgency to reduce demand side energy use are motivating the development of improvements in both energy efficiency and demand response (DR) systems in buildings. This paper provides a framework linking continuous energy management and continuous communications for automated demand response (Auto-DR) in various times scales. We provide a set of concepts for monitoring and controls linked to standards and procedures such as Open Automation Demand Response Communication Standards (OpenADR). Basic building energy science and control issues in this approach begin with key building components, systems, end-uses and whole building energy performance metrics. The paper presents a framework about when energy is used, levels of services by energy using systems, granularity of control, and speed of telemetry. DR, when defined as a discrete event, requires a different set of building service levels than daily operations. We provide examples of lessons from DR case studies and links to energy efficiency.

Energy efficient engine combustor test hardware detailed design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeisser, M. H.; Greene, W.; Dubiel, D. J.

1982-01-01

The combustor for the Energy Efficient Engine is an annular, two-zone component. As designed, it either meets or exceeds all program goals for performance, safety, durability, and emissions, with the exception of oxides of nitrogen. When compared to the configuration investigated under the NASA-sponsored Experimental Clean Combustor Program, which was used as a basis for design, the Energy Efficient Engine combustor component has several technology advancements. The prediffuser section is designed with short, strutless, curved-walls to provide a uniform inlet airflow profile. Emissions control is achieved by a two-zone combustor that utilizes two types of fuel injectors to improve fuel atomization for more complete combustion. The combustor liners are a segmented configuration to meet the durability requirements at the high combustor operating pressures and temperatures. Liner cooling is accomplished with a counter-parallel FINWALL technique, which provides more effective heat transfer with less coolant.

Water splitting-biosynthetic system with CO₂ reduction efficiencies exceeding photosynthesis.

PubMed

Liu, Chong; Colón, Brendan C; Ziesack, Marika; Silver, Pamela A; Nocera, Daniel G

2016-06-03

Artificial photosynthetic systems can store solar energy and chemically reduce CO2 We developed a hybrid water splitting-biosynthetic system based on a biocompatible Earth-abundant inorganic catalyst system to split water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen (H2 and O2) at low driving voltages. When grown in contact with these catalysts, Ralstonia eutropha consumed the produced H2 to synthesize biomass and fuels or chemical products from low CO2 concentration in the presence of O2 This scalable system has a CO2 reduction energy efficiency of ~50% when producing bacterial biomass and liquid fusel alcohols, scrubbing 180 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Coupling this hybrid device to existing photovoltaic systems would yield a CO2 reduction energy efficiency of ~10%, exceeding that of natural photosynthetic systems. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Negotiating a franchise agreement in a competitive environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Overstreet, E.L.

In urban centers where there is more than one district energy company, the administrative branch of municipal government is in a position to manipulate its taxing policy for the use of the public right of way by advancing the goal of {open_quotes}remaining revenue neutral.{close_quotes} In order for a district energy company to be successful, it must be able to produce energy more efficiently. Greater efficiency in the production of energy creates a dilemma for a municipal government. A city government depends on a number of revenue producing sources to fund its annual operating budget. Taxing energy demand by commercial customersmore » is one source of revenue. Thus, in effect, reducing energy demand through increased efficiency will reduce the revenue a city receives by taxing demand. As this relates to a district energy company, the city must determine how to replace the revenue that was previously generated by taxing demand of high energy use production equipment by looking to district energy companies to replace this revenue. Negotiating a franchise fee for use of the public right of way for distribution piping is one way a city can attempt to recoup lost revenue. In a market where there is competition between district energy companies, the city can leverage its position as the granting authority.« less

Energy Efficiency of the Outotec® Ausmelt Process for Primary Copper Smelting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Jacob; Hoang, Joey; Hughes, Stephen

2017-03-01

The global, non-ferrous smelting industry has witnessed the continual development and evolution of processing technologies in a bid to reduce operating costs and improve the safety and environmental performance of processing plants. This is particularly true in the copper industry, which has seen a number of bath smelting technologies developed and implemented during the past 30 years. The Outotec® Ausmelt Top Submerged Lance Process is one such example, which has been widely adopted in the modernisation of copper processing facilities in China and Russia. Despite improvements in the energy efficiency of modern copper smelting and converting technologies, additional innovation and development is required to further reduce energy consumption, whilst still complying with stringent environmental regulations. In response to this challenge, the Ausmelt Process has undergone significant change and improvement over the course of its history, in an effort to improve its overall competitiveness, particularly with respect to energy efficiency and operating costs. This paper covers a number of recent advances to the technology and highlights the impacts of these developments in reducing energy consumptions for a range of different copper flowsheets. It also compares the energy efficiency of the Ausmelt Process against the Bottom Blown Smelting process, which has become widely adopted in China over the past 5-10 years.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Sterling Brook Custom Homes — Village Park Eco Home, Double Park, TX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

This builder won a Custom Builder honor in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards for this showcase home that serves as an energy-efficient model home for the custom home builder: 1,300 visitors toured the home, thousands more learned about the home’s advanced construction via the webpage, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Fiscal Year 2012 Operational Energy Budget Certification Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

High temperature  superconducting  degaussing systems  • Advanced material, energy efficient propellers and waterjets  • Ship drag reduction and...solutions  resulting in significant savings include: optimizing aircraft centers of  gravity , diplomatic cleared  routing, European routing, aircraft

Novel Nanocomposite Materials for Advanced Li-Ion Rechargeable Batteries

PubMed Central

Cai, Chuan; Wang, Ying

2009-01-01

Nanostructured materials lie at the heart of fundamental advances in efficient energy storage and/or conversion, in which surface processes and transport kinetics play determining roles. Nanocomposite materials will have a further enhancement in properties compared to their constituent phases. This Review describes some recent developments of nanocomposite materials for high-performance Li-ion rechargeable batteries, including carbon-oxide nanocomposites, polymer-oxide nanocomposites, metal-oxide nanocomposites, and silicon-based nanocomposites, etc. The major goal of this Review is to highlight some new progress in using these nanocomposite materials as electrodes to develop Li-ion rechargeable batteries with high energy density, high rate capability, and excellent cycling stability.

AMPED Program Overview

ScienceCinema

Gur, Ilan

2018-01-16

An overview presentation about ARPA-E's AMPED program. AMPED projects seek to develop advanced sensing, control, and power management technologies that redefine the way we think about battery management. Energy storage can significantly improve U.S. energy independence, efficiency, and security by enabling a new generation of electric vehicles. While rapid progress is being made in new battery materials and storage technologies, few innovations have emerged in the management of advanced battery systems. AMPED aims to unlock enormous untapped potential in the performance, safety, and lifetime of today's commercial battery systems exclusively through system-level innovations, and is thus distinct from existing efforts to enhance underlying battery materials and architectures.

Towards energy-efficient nonoscillatory forward-in-time integrations on lat-lon grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polkowski, Marcin; Piotrowski, Zbigniew; Ryczkowski, Adam

2017-04-01

The design of the next-generation weather prediction models calls for new algorithmic approaches allowing for robust integrations of atmospheric flow over complex orography at sub-km resolutions. These need to be accompanied by efficient implementations exposing multi-level parallelism, capable to run on modern supercomputing architectures. Here we present the recent advances in the energy-efficient implementation of the consistent soundproof/implicit compressible EULAG dynamical core of the COSMO weather prediction framework. Based on the experiences of the atmospheric dwarfs developed within H2020 ESCAPE project, we develop efficient, architecture agnostic implementations of fully three-dimensional MPDATA advection schemes and generalized diffusion operator in curvilinear coordinates and spherical geometry. We compare optimized Fortran implementation with preliminary C++ implementation employing the Gridtools library, allowing for integrations on CPU and GPU while maintaining single source code.

Conformal piezoelectric energy harvesting and storage from motions of the heart, lung, and diaphragm

PubMed Central

Dagdeviren, Canan; Yang, Byung Duk; Su, Yewang; Tran, Phat L.; Joe, Pauline; Anderson, Eric; Xia, Jing; Doraiswamy, Vijay; Dehdashti, Behrooz; Feng, Xue; Lu, Bingwei; Poston, Robert; Khalpey, Zain; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Huang, Yonggang; Slepian, Marvin J.; Rogers, John A.

2014-01-01

Here, we report advanced materials and devices that enable high-efficiency mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion from the natural contractile and relaxation motions of the heart, lung, and diaphragm, demonstrated in several different animal models, each of which has organs with sizes that approach human scales. A cointegrated collection of such energy-harvesting elements with rectifiers and microbatteries provides an entire flexible system, capable of viable integration with the beating heart via medical sutures and operation with efficiencies of ∼2%. Additional experiments, computational models, and results in multilayer configurations capture the key behaviors, illuminate essential design aspects, and offer sufficient power outputs for operation of pacemakers, with or without battery assist. PMID:24449853

Scoping Report: Advanced Technologies for Multi-Load Washers in Hospitality and Healthcare

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Graham B.; Boyd, Brian K.; Petersen, Joseph M.

The purpose of this demonstration project is to quantify the energy savings and water efficiency potential of commercial laundry wastewater recycling systems and low-temperature detergent supply systems to help promote the adoption of these technologies in the commercial sector. This project will create a set of technical specifications for efficient multi-load laundry systems (both new and retrofit) tailored for specific applications and/or sectors (e.g., hospitality, health care). The specifications will be vetted with the appropriate Better Buildings Alliance (BBA) members (e.g., Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance, Hospital Energy Alliance), finalized, published, and disseminated to enable widespread technology transfer in themore » industry and specifically among BBA partners.« less

Towards the Ultimate Membranes: Two-dimensional Nanoporous Materials and Films.

PubMed

Agrawal, Kumar Varoon

2018-05-30

The energy-efficient separation of molecules has been a popular topic in chemistry and chemical engineering as a consequence of the large energy-footprint of separation processes in the chemical industry. The Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS) at EPFL, led by Prof. Kumar Varoon Agrawal, is focused to develop next-generation, high-performance membranes that can improve the energy efficiency of hydrogen purification, carbon capture, hydrocarbon and water purification. For this, LAS is seeking to develop the ultimate nanoporous membranes, those with a thickness of 1 nm and possessing an array of size-selective nanopores. In this article, the research activities at LAS, especially in the bottom-up and top-down synthesis of chemically and thermally stable, nanoporous two-dimensional materials and membranes are discussed.

FY2010 Annual Progress Report for Propulsion Materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, Patrick B.; Schutte, Carol L.; Gibbs, Jerry L.

The Propulsion Materials Technology actively supports the energy security and reduction of greenhouse emissions goals of the Vehicle Technologies Program by developing advanced materials that enable development of higher efficiency powertrains for ground transportation. Propulsion Materials works closely with the other disciplines within the VT Program to identify the materials properties essential for the development of cost-effective, highly efficient, and environmentally friendly next-generation heavy and light duty powertrains.

Sunlight absorption engineering for thermophotovoltaics: contributions from the optical design.

PubMed

Míguez, Hernán

2015-03-01

Nowadays, solar thermophotovoltaic systems constitute a platform in which sophisticated optical material designs are put into practice with the aim of achieving the long sought after dream of developing an efficient energy conversion device based on this concept. Recent advances demonstrate that higher efficiencies are at reach using photonic nanostructures amenable to mass production and scale-up. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of Structural Energy Storage for Aeronautics Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santiago-Dejesus, Diana; Loyselle, Patricia L.; Demattia, Brianne; Bednarcyk, Brett; Olson, Erik; Smith, Russell; Hare, David

2017-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has identified Multifunctional Structures for High Efficiency Lightweight Load-bearing Storage (M-SHELLS) as critical to development of hybrid gas-electric propulsion for commercial aeronautical transport in the N+3 timeframe. The established goals include reducing emissions by 80 and fuel consumption by 60 from todays state of the art. The advancement will enable technology for NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorates (ARMD) Strategic Thrust 3 to pioneer big leaps in efficiency and environmental performance for ultra-efficient commercial transports, as well as Strategic Thrust 4 to pioneer low-carbon propulsion technology in the transition to that scheme. The M-SHELLS concept addresses the hybrid gas-electric highest risk with its primary objective: to save structures energy storage system weight for future commercial hybrid electric propulsion aircraft by melding the load-carrying structure with energy storage in a single material. NASA's multifunctional approach also combines supercapacitor and battery chemistries in a synergistic energy storage arrangement in tandem with supporting good mechanical properties. The arrangement provides an advantageous combination of specific power, energy, and strength.

Nanomaterials for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells; Materials Challenges Facing Electrical Energy Storate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gopal Rao, MRS Web-Editor; Yury Gogotsi, Drexel University; Karen Swider-Lyons, Naval Research Laboratory

Symposium T: Nanomaterials for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are under intense investigation worldwide for applications ranging from transportation to portable power. The purpose of this seminar is to focus on the nanomaterials and nanostructures inherent to polymer fuel cells. Symposium topics will range from high-activity cathode and anode catalysts, to theory and new analytical methods. Symposium U: Materials Challenges Facing Electrical Energy Storage Electricity, which can be generated in a variety of ways, offers a great potential for meeting future energy demands as a clean and efficient energy source. However, the use ofmore » electricity generated from renewable sources, such as wind or sunlight, requires efficient electrical energy storage. This symposium will cover the latest material developments for batteries, advanced capacitors, and related technologies, with a focus on new or emerging materials science challenges.« less

Graphene Based Ultra-Capacitors for Safer, More Efficient Energy Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberson, Luke B.; Mackey, Paul J.; Zide, Carson J.

2016-01-01

Current power storage methods must be continuously improved in order to keep up with the increasingly competitive electronics industry. This technological advancement is also essential for the continuation of deep space exploration. Today's energy storage industry relies heavily on the use of dangerous and corrosive chemicals such as lithium and phosphoric acid. These chemicals can prove hazardous to the user if the device is ruptured. Similarly they can damage the environment if they are disposed of improperly. A safer, more efficient alternative is needed across a wide range of NASA missions. One solution would a solid-state carbon based energy storage device. Carbon is a safer, less environmentally hazardous alternative to current energy storage materials. Using the amorphous carbon nanostructure, graphene, this idea of a safer portable energy is possible. Graphene was electrochemically produced in the lab and several coin cell devices were built this summer to create a working prototype of a solid-state graphene battery.

Technology Solutions for Existing Homes Overview: Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-04-01

In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) worked with Elevate Energy on three tasks: to conduct pre- and post-retrofit analysis on the income and expense data of 13 Chicago-area multifamily buildings, to compare Chicago income and expense data to two national samples, and to explore the ramifications that energy-efficiency retrofits have on nine Chicago-area neighborhoods. The project team collected building, energy, and income and expense data from multiple private and public sources.

Design and Implementation of Green Construction Scheme for a High-rise Residential Building Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yong; Huang, You Zhen

2018-06-01

This paper mainly studies the green construction scheme of a high-rise residential building project. From "four sections one environmental protection", saving material, water saving, energy saving, economical use of land and environmental protection conduct analysis and research. Adopting scientific, advanced, reasonable and economical construction technology measures, implementing green construction method. Promoting energy-saving technologies in buildings, ensuring the sustainable use of resources, Maximum savings of resources and energy, increase energy efficiency, to reduce pollution, reducing the adverse environmental impact of construction activities, ensure construction safety, build sustainable buildings.

Light and oxygenic photosynthesis: energy dissipation as a protection mechanism against photo-oxidation

PubMed Central

Szabó, Ildikó; Bergantino, Elisabetta; Giacometti, Giorgio Mario

2005-01-01

Efficient photosynthesis is of fundamental importance for plant survival and fitness. However, in oxygenic photosynthesis, the complex apparatus responsible for the conversion of light into chemical energy is susceptible to photodamage. Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms have therefore evolved several protective mechanisms to deal with light energy. Rapidly inducible non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is a short-term response by which plants and eukaryotic algae dissipate excitation energy as heat. This review focuses on recent advances in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying this protective quenching pathway in higher plants. PMID:15995679

Advanced Lubrication for Energy Efficiency, Durability and Lower Maintenance Costs of Advanced Naval Components and Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-20

for transmitting the required power and torque. The proper gear set has also been sized to insure life expectancy of the test rig. The shaft design ...these at minimal cost and great environmental safety. These materials specifically designed on antiwear and extreme pressure chemistries can...nanolubricant additives are designed as surface-stabilized nanomaterials that are dispersed in a hydrocarbon medium for maximum effectiveness. This

An Energy Integrated Dispatching Strategy of Multi- energy Based on Energy Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Weixia; Han, Jun

2018-01-01

Energy internet is a new way of energy use. Energy internet achieves energy efficiency and low cost by scheduling a variety of different forms of energy. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is an advanced algorithm with few parameters, high computational precision and fast convergence speed. By improving the parameters ω, c1 and c2, PSO can improve the convergence speed and calculation accuracy. The objective of optimizing model is lowest cost of fuel, which can meet the load of electricity, heat and cold after all the renewable energy is received. Due to the different energy structure and price in different regions, the optimization strategy needs to be determined according to the algorithm and model.

Trials advance low-salinity culture of cobia, pompano, other species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A collaborative effort between the Agricultural Research Service of USDA and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute of Florida Atlantic University, which was established to develop technologies for rearing marine fish in low-cost, energy efficient low-salinity recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) ...

Efficient Use of Electricity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fickett, Arnold P.; And Others

1990-01-01

Discussed are advanced technologies which may offer an opportunity to meet the world's future energy needs while minimizing the environmental impact. Savings to both suppliers and consumers are described. International electricity usage is compared. Government standards for the manufacture of electrical products in the United States are…

Powertrain Materials: The Road to Higher Efficiencies

ScienceCinema

None

2018-01-16

Advanced powertrain materials are critical for automakers to meet new fuel economy standards. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working with industry to develop new propulsion materials that offer improved performance at lower costs.

Electrical and thermal modeling of a large-format lithium titanate oxide battery system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

The future of mass transportation is clearly moving towards the increased efficiency of hybrid and electric vehicles. Electrical : energy storage is a key component in most of these advanced vehicles, with the system complexity and vehicle cost shift...

An Evaluation of Ecotoxicity Test Guidelines: Their Adequacy for Nanomaterials

EPA Science Inventory

Advances in nanotechnology are resulting in the production of new nanomaterials at a rapid pace. Driving the dramatic development of new materials and products is the prospect of stronger and lighter materials, better and more efficient energy systems, potential tremendous benefi...

Direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion via inverted metamorphic multi-junction semiconductor architectures

DOE PAGES

Young, James L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Döscher, Henning; ...

2017-03-13

Solar water splitting via multi-junction semiconductor photoelectrochemical cells provides direct conversion of solar energy to stored chemical energy as hydrogen bonds. Economical hydrogen production demands high conversion efficiency to reduce balance-of-systems costs. For sufficient photovoltage, water-splitting efficiency is proportional to the device photocurrent, which can be tuned by judicious selection and integration of optimal semiconductor bandgaps. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient, immersed water-splitting electrodes enabled by inverted metamorphic epitaxy and a transparent graded buffer that allows the bandgap of each junction to be independently varied. Voltage losses at the electrolyte interface are reduced by 0.55 V over traditional, uniformly p-dopedmore » photocathodes by using a buried p-n junction. Lastly, advanced on-sun benchmarking, spectrally corrected and validated with incident photon-to-current efficiency, yields over 16% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency with GaInP/GaInAs tandem absorbers, representing a 60% improvement over the classical, high-efficiency tandem III-V device.« less

Towards ultra-thin plasmonic silicon wafer solar cells with minimized efficiency loss.

PubMed

Zhang, Yinan; Stokes, Nicholas; Jia, Baohua; Fan, Shanhui; Gu, Min

2014-05-13

The cost-effectiveness of market-dominating silicon wafer solar cells plays a key role in determining the competiveness of solar energy with other exhaustible energy sources. Reducing the silicon wafer thickness at a minimized efficiency loss represents a mainstream trend in increasing the cost-effectiveness of wafer-based solar cells. In this paper we demonstrate that, using the advanced light trapping strategy with a properly designed nanoparticle architecture, the wafer thickness can be dramatically reduced to only around 1/10 of the current thickness (180 μm) without any solar cell efficiency loss at 18.2%. Nanoparticle integrated ultra-thin solar cells with only 3% of the current wafer thickness can potentially achieve 15.3% efficiency combining the absorption enhancement with the benefit of thinner wafer induced open circuit voltage increase. This represents a 97% material saving with only 15% relative efficiency loss. These results demonstrate the feasibility and prospect of achieving high-efficiency ultra-thin silicon wafer cells with plasmonic light trapping.

Direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion via inverted metamorphic multi-junction semiconductor architectures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, James L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Döscher, Henning

Solar water splitting via multi-junction semiconductor photoelectrochemical cells provides direct conversion of solar energy to stored chemical energy as hydrogen bonds. Economical hydrogen production demands high conversion efficiency to reduce balance-of-systems costs. For sufficient photovoltage, water-splitting efficiency is proportional to the device photocurrent, which can be tuned by judicious selection and integration of optimal semiconductor bandgaps. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient, immersed water-splitting electrodes enabled by inverted metamorphic epitaxy and a transparent graded buffer that allows the bandgap of each junction to be independently varied. Voltage losses at the electrolyte interface are reduced by 0.55 V over traditional, uniformly p-dopedmore » photocathodes by using a buried p-n junction. Lastly, advanced on-sun benchmarking, spectrally corrected and validated with incident photon-to-current efficiency, yields over 16% solar-to-hydrogen efficiency with GaInP/GaInAs tandem absorbers, representing a 60% improvement over the classical, high-efficiency tandem III-V device.« less

Solar synthesis of advanced materials: A solar industrial program initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewandowski, A.

1992-06-01

This is an initiative for accelerating the use of solar energy in the advanced materials manufacturing industry in the United States. The initiative will be based on government-industry collaborations that will develop the technology and help US industry compete in the rapidly expanding global advanced materials marketplace. Breakthroughs in solar technology over the last 5 years have created exceptional new tools for developing advanced materials. Concentrated sunlight from solar furnaces can produce intensities that approach those on the surface of the sun and can generate temperatures well over 2000 C. Very thin layers of illuminated surfaces can be driven to remarkably high temperatures in a fraction of a second. Concentrated solar energy can be delivered over large areas, allowing for rapid processing and high production rates. By using this technology, researchers are transforming low-cost raw materials into high-performance products. Solar synthesis of advanced materials uses bulk materials and energy more efficiently, lowers processing costs, and reduces the need for strategic materials -- all with a technology that does not harm the environment. The Solar Industrial Program has built a unique, world class solar furnace at NREL to help meet the growing need for applied research in advanced materials. Many new advanced materials processes have been successfully demonstrated in this facility, including metalorganic deposition, ceramic powders, diamond-like carbon materials, rapid heat treating, and cladding (hard coating).

Desired and Undesired Effects of Energy Labels—An Eye-Tracking Study

PubMed Central

Waechter, Signe; Sütterlin, Bernadette; Siegrist, Michael

2015-01-01

Saving energy is an important pillar for the mitigation of climate change. Electric devices (e.g., freezer and television) are an important player in the residential sector in the final demand for energy. Consumers’ purchase decisions are therefore crucial to successfully reach the energy-efficiency goals. Putting energy labels on products is often considered an adequate way of empowering consumers to make informed purchase decisions. Consequently, this approach should contribute to reducing overall energy consumption. The effectiveness of its measurement depends on consumers’ use and interpretation of the information provided. Despite advances in energy efficiency and a mandatory labeling policy, final energy consumption per capita is in many countries still increasing. This paper provides a systematic analysis of consumers’ reactions to one of the most widely used eco-labels, the European Union (EU) energy label, by using eye-tracking methodology as an objective measurement. The study’s results partially support the EU’s mandatory policy, showing that the energy label triggers attention toward energy information in general. However, the energy label’s effect on consumers’ actual product choices seems to be rather low. The study’s results show that the currently used presentation format on the label is insufficient. The findings suggest that it does not facilitate the integration of energy-related information. Furthermore, the current format can attract consumers to focus more on energy-efficiency information, leading them to disregard information about actual energy consumption. As a result, the final energy consumption may increase because excellent ratings on energy efficiency (e.g., A++) do not automatically imply little consumption. Finally, implications for policymakers and suggestions for further research are discussed. PMID:26231028

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carpenter, Alberta; Mann, Margaret; Gelman, Rachel

In evaluating next-generation materials and processes, the supply chain can have a large impact on the life cycle energy impacts. The Materials Flow through Industry (MFI) tool was developed for the Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office to be able to evaluate the energy impacts of the U.S. supply chain. The tool allows users to perform process comparisons, material substitutions, and grid modifications, and to see the effects of implementing sector efficiency potentials (Masanet, et al. 2009). This paper reviews the methodology of the tool and provides results around specific scenarios.

India and the 21st Century Power Partnership: Paving the Way to a Smarter, Cleaner, More Resilient System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-05-09

The 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP) aims to accelerate the global transformation of power systems. The Power Partnership is a multilateral effort of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and serves as a platform for public-private collaboration to advance integrated policy, regulatory, financial, and technical solutions for the large-scale deployment of renewable energy in combination with deep energy efficiency and smart grid solutions. This fact sheet details the 21CPP's work in India.

Review of betavoltaic energy conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Larry C.

1993-05-01

Betavoltaic energy conversion refers to the generation of power by coupling a beta source to a semiconductor junction device. The theory of betavoltaic energy conversion and some past studies of the subject are briefly reviewed. Calculations of limiting efficiencies for semiconductor cells versus bandgap are presented along with specific studies for Pm-147 and Ni-63 fueled devices. The approach used for fabricating Pm-147 fueled batteries by the author in the early 1970's is reviewed. Finally, the potential performance of advanced betavoltaic power sources is considered.

Review of betavoltaic energy conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Larry C.

1993-01-01

Betavoltaic energy conversion refers to the generation of power by coupling a beta source to a semiconductor junction device. The theory of betavoltaic energy conversion and some past studies of the subject are briefly reviewed. Calculations of limiting efficiencies for semiconductor cells versus bandgap are presented along with specific studies for Pm-147 and Ni-63 fueled devices. The approach used for fabricating Pm-147 fueled batteries by the author in the early 1970's is reviewed. Finally, the potential performance of advanced betavoltaic power sources is considered.

Vehicle Technologies Program Funding Opportunities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) provides funding opportunities for advanced vehicle technology projects that are aimed at removing technical and cost barriers. Much of the funding available to the Vehicle Technologies Program is distributed to private firms, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, Native American organizations, and individuals, through competitive solicitations. DOE is strongly committed to partnerships to help ensure the eventual market acceptance of the technologies being developed. New solicitations are announced regularly.

Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), General Electric Phase 1. Volume 3: Energy conversion subsystems and components. Part 3: Gasification, process fuels, and balance of plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boothe, W. A.; Corman, J. C.; Johnson, G. G.; Cassel, T. A. V.

1976-01-01

Results are presented of an investigation of gasification and clean fuels from coal. Factors discussed include: coal and coal transportation costs; clean liquid and gas fuel process efficiencies and costs; and cost, performance, and environmental intrusion elements of the integrated low-Btu coal gasification system. Cost estimates for the balance-of-plant requirements associated with advanced energy conversion systems utilizing coal or coal-derived fuels are included.

Energy Security Requires Diversity: An Argument for The Defense Production Act Title III Biofuel Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-19

restriction. At that time, Congress also amended the “Declaration of Policy” to include renewable energy sources “ biomass ” and “more efficient energy...minimum mandates for advanced biofuels are one billion gallons for biomass -based diesel, 16 billion gallons for cellulosic fuels, and four billion...biofuels-and- the-u-s-military-has-it-wrong/ 162 BARTIS, supra note 159. 163 United to Purchase Biofuels from AltAir Fuels, BIOMASS MAGAZINE (July 1

Solar optics-based active panel for solar energy storage and disinfection of greywater.

PubMed

Lee, W; Song, J; Son, J H; Gutierrez, M P; Kang, T; Kim, D; Lee, L P

2016-09-01

Smart city and innovative building strategies are becoming increasingly more necessary because advancing a sustainable building system is regarded as a promising solution to overcome the depleting water and energy. However, current sustainable building systems mainly focus on energy saving and miss a holistic integration of water regeneration and energy generation. Here, we present a theoretical study of a solar optics-based active panel (SOAP) that enables both solar energy storage and photothermal disinfection of greywater simultaneously. Solar collector efficiency of energy storage and disinfection rate of greywater have been investigated. Due to the light focusing by microlens, the solar collector efficiency is enhanced from 25% to 65%, compared to that without the microlens. The simulation of greywater sterilization shows that 100% disinfection can be accomplished by our SOAP for different types of bacteria including Escherichia coli . Numerical simulation reveals that our SOAP as a lab-on-a-wall system can resolve the water and energy problem in future sustainable building systems.

High-energy (> 70 KeV) x-ray conversion efficiency measurement on the ARC laser at the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Chen, Hui; Hermann, M. R.; Kalantar, D. H.; ...

2017-03-16

Here, the Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) laser system at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is designed to ultimately provide eight beamlets with a pulse duration adjustable from 1 to 30 ps, and energies up to 1.5 kJ per beamlet. Currently, four beamlets have been commissioned. In the first set of 6 commissioning target experiments, the individual beamlets were fired onto gold foil targets with energy up to 1 kJ per beamlet at 20–30 ps pulse length. The x-ray energy distribution and pulse duration were measured, yielding energy conversion efficiencies of 4–9 × 10 –4 for x-rays with energies greater thanmore » 70 keV. With greater than 3 J of such x-rays, ARC provides a high-precision x-ray backlighting capability for upcoming inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics experiments on NIF.« less

Solar optics-based active panel for solar energy storage and disinfection of greywater

PubMed Central

Lee, W.; Song, J.; Son, J. H.; Gutierrez, M. P.; Kang, T.; Kim, D.; Lee, L. P.

2016-01-01

Smart city and innovative building strategies are becoming increasingly more necessary because advancing a sustainable building system is regarded as a promising solution to overcome the depleting water and energy. However, current sustainable building systems mainly focus on energy saving and miss a holistic integration of water regeneration and energy generation. Here, we present a theoretical study of a solar optics-based active panel (SOAP) that enables both solar energy storage and photothermal disinfection of greywater simultaneously. Solar collector efficiency of energy storage and disinfection rate of greywater have been investigated. Due to the light focusing by microlens, the solar collector efficiency is enhanced from 25% to 65%, compared to that without the microlens. The simulation of greywater sterilization shows that 100% disinfection can be accomplished by our SOAP for different types of bacteria including Escherichia coli. Numerical simulation reveals that our SOAP as a lab-on-a-wall system can resolve the water and energy problem in future sustainable building systems. PMID:27822328

Transportation Energy Futures: Combining Strategies for Deep Reductions in Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions (Brochure)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2013-03-01

This fact sheet summarizes actions in the areas of light-duty vehicle, non-light-duty vehicle, fuel, and transportation demand that show promise for deep reductions in energy use. Energy efficient transportation strategies have the potential to simultaneously reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) project examined how the combination of multiple strategies could achieve deep reductions in GHG emissions and petroleum use on the order of 80%. Led by NREL, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, the project's primary goal was to help inform domestic decisions about transportation energy strategies, priorities, and investments, with an emphasismore » on underexplored opportunities. TEF findings reveal three strategies with the potential to displace most transportation-related petroleum use and GHG emissions: 1) Stabilizing energy use in the transportation sector through efficiency and demand-side approaches. 2) Using additional advanced biofuels. 3) Expanding electric drivetrain technologies.« less

The U.S. Department of Energy advanced radioisotope power system program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herrera, L.

1998-07-01

Radioisotope power systems for spacecraft are and will continue to be an enabling power technology for deep space exploration. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for the Nation's development of Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems (ARPS) to meet harsh environments and long life requirements. The DOE has provided radioisotope power systems for space missions since 1961. The radioisotope power system used for the recent Cassini mission included three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) which provided a total of 888 Watts electric at 6.7% conversion efficiency. The DOE's goal is to develop a higher efficiency and lower mass ARPS for futuremore » deep space missions. The ARPS program involves the design, development, fabrication, and qualification, and safety analysis of the ARPS units. Organizations that support the development, fabrication and testing of the ARPS include the Lockheed Martin Astronautics (LMA), Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS), Mound, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The Europa Orbiter and Pluto/Kuiper Express missions represent the near term programs targeted for the application of ARPS in addressing the issues and questions existing for deep space exploration.« less

Induction Consolidation of Thermoplastic Composites Using Smart Susceptors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsen, Marc R

2012-06-14

This project has focused on the area of energy efficient consolidation and molding of fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite components as an energy efficient alternative to the conventional processing methods such as autoclave processing. The expanding application of composite materials in wind energy, automotive, and aerospace provides an attractive energy efficiency target for process development. The intent is to have this efficient processing along with the recyclable thermoplastic materials ready for large scale application before these high production volume levels are reached. Therefore, the process can be implemented in a timely manner to realize the maximum economic, energy, and environmental efficiencies.more » Under this project an increased understanding of the use of induction heating with smart susceptors applied to consolidation of thermoplastic has been achieved. This was done by the establishment of processing equipment and tooling and the subsequent demonstration of this fabrication technology by consolidating/molding of entry level components for each of the participating industrial segments, wind energy, aerospace, and automotive. This understanding adds to the nation's capability to affordably manufacture high quality lightweight high performance components from advanced recyclable composite materials in a lean and energy efficient manner. The use of induction heating with smart susceptors is a precisely controlled low energy method for the consolidation and molding of thermoplastic composites. The smart susceptor provides intrinsic thermal control based on the interaction with the magnetic field from the induction coil thereby producing highly repeatable processing. The low energy usage is enabled by the fact that only the smart susceptor surface of the tool is heated, not the entire tool. Therefore much less mass is heated resulting in significantly less required energy to consolidate/mold the desired composite components. This energy efficiency results in potential energy savings of {approx}75% as compared to autoclave processing in aerospace, {approx}63% as compared to compression molding in automotive, and {approx}42% energy savings as compared to convectively heated tools in wind energy. The ability to make parts in a rapid and controlled manner provides significant economic advantages for each of the industrial segments. These attributes were demonstrated during the processing of the demonstration components on this project.« less

Insights into energy delivery to myocardial tissue during radiofrequency ablation through application of the first law of thermodynamics.

PubMed

Bunch, T Jared; Day, John D; Packer, Douglas L

2009-04-01

The approach to catheter-based radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation has evolved, and as a consequence, more energy is delivered in the posterior left atrium, exposing neighboring tissue to untoward thermal injury. Simultaneously, catheter technology has advanced to allow more efficient energy delivery into the myocardium, which compounds the likelihood of collateral injury. This review focuses on the basic principles of thermodynamics as they apply to energy delivery during radiofrequency ablation. These principles can be used to titrate energy delivery and plan ablative approaches in an effort to minimize complications during the procedure.

Energy Savings Through Thermally Efficient Crucible Technology: Fundamentals, Process Modeling, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Wenwu; Pinto, Brian

2017-12-01

Melting and holding molten metals within crucibles accounts for a large portion of total energy demand in the resource-intensive nonferrous foundry industry. Multivariate mathematical modeling aided by detailed material characterization and advancements in crucible technologies can make a significant impact in the areas of cost-efficiency and carbon footprint reduction. Key thermal properties such as conductivity and specific heat capacity were studied to understand their influence on crucible furnace energy consumption during melting and holding processes. The effects of conductivity on thermal stresses and longevity of crucibles were also evaluated. With this information, accurate theoretical models using finite element analysis were developed to study total energy consumption and melting time. By applying these findings to recent crucible developments, considerable improvements in field performance were reported and documented as case studies in applications such as aluminum melting and holding.

Competition and Cooperation of Distributed Generation and Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Masatoshi; Nanahara, Toshiya

Advances in distributed generation technologies together with the deregulation of an electric power industry can lead to a massive introduction of distributed generation. Since most of distributed generation will be interconnected to a power system, coordination and competition between distributed generators and large-scale power sources would be a vital issue in realizing a more desirable energy system in the future. This paper analyzes competitions between electric utilities and cogenerators from the viewpoints of economic and energy efficiency based on the simulation results on an energy system including a cogeneration system. First, we examine best response correspondence of an electric utility and a cogenerator with a noncooperative game approach: we obtain a Nash equilibrium point. Secondly, we examine the optimum strategy that attains the highest social surplus and the highest energy efficiency through global optimization.

AICD -- Advanced Industrial Concepts Division Biological and Chemical Technologies Research Program. 1993 Annual summary report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, G.; Bair, K.; Ross, J.

1994-03-01

The annual summary report presents the fiscal year (FY) 1993 research activities and accomplishments for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Biological and Chemical Technologies Research (BCTR) Program of the Advanced Industrial Concepts Division (AICD). This AICD program resides within the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE). The annual summary report for 1993 (ASR 93) contains the following: A program description (including BCTR program mission statement, historical background, relevance, goals and objectives), program structure and organization, selected technical and programmatic highlights for 1993, detailed descriptions of individual projects, a listingmore » of program output, including a bibliography of published work, patents, and awards arising from work supported by BCTR.« less

Emerging Energy-Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Technologies for the Pulp and Paper Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kong, Lingbo; Hasanbeigi, Ali; Price, Lynn

2012-11-01

The pulp and paper industry ranks fourth in terms of energy consumption among industries worldwide. Globally, the pulp and paper industry accounted for approximately 5 percent of total world industrial final energy consumption in 2007, and contributed 2 percent of direct carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industry. Worldwide pulp and paper demand and production are projected to increase significantly by 2050, leading to an increase in this industry’s absolute energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Development of new energy-efficiency and GHG mitigation technologies and their deployment in the market will be crucial for the pulp and paper industry’s mid-more » and long-term climate change mitigation strategies. This report describes the industry’s processes and compiles available information on the energy savings, environmental and other benefits, costs, commercialization status, and references for 36 emerging technologies to reduce the industry’s energy use and GHG emissions. Although studies from around the world identify a variety of sector-specific and cross-cutting energy-efficiency technologies that have already been commercialized for the pulp and paper industry, information is scarce and/or scattered regarding emerging or advanced energy-efficiency and low-carbon technologies that are not yet commercialized. The purpose of this report is to provide engineers, researchers, investors, paper companies, policy makers, and other interested parties with easy access to a well-structured resource of information on these technologies.« less

Lightweighting Automotive Materials for Increased Fuel Efficiency and Delivering Advanced Modeling and Simulation Capabilities to U.S. Manufacturers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hale, Steve

Abstract The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) worked with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), to bring together research and development (R&D) collaborations to develop and accelerate the knowledgebase and infrastructure for lightweighting materials and manufacturing processes for their use in structural and applications in the automotive sector. The purpose/importance of this DOE program: • 2016 CAFÉ standards. • Automotive industry technology that shall adopt the insertion of lightweighting material concepts towards manufacturing of production vehicles. • Development and manufacture of advanced research tools for modeling and simulation (M&S) applications to reduce manufacturing andmore » material costs. • U.S. competitiveness that will help drive the development and manufacture of the next generation of materials. NCMS established a focused portfolio of applied R&D projects utilizing lightweighting materials for manufacture into automotive structures and components. Areas that were targeted in this program: • Functionality of new lightweighting materials to meet present safety requirements. • Manufacturability using new lightweighting materials. • Cost reduction for the development and use of new lightweighting materials. The automotive industry’s future continuously evolves through innovation, and lightweight materials are key in achieving a new era of lighter, more efficient vehicles. Lightweight materials are among the technical advances needed to achieve fuel/energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions: • Establish design criteria methodology to identify the best materials for lightweighting. • Employ state-of-the-art design tools for optimum material development for their specific applications. • Match new manufacturing technology to production volume. • Address new process variability with new production-ready processes.« less

An Analysis of Methanol and Hydrogen Production via High-Temperature Electrolysis Using the Sodium Cooled Advanced Fast Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shannon M. Bragg-Sitton; Richard D. Boardman; Robert S. Cherry

2014-03-01

Integration of an advanced, sodium-cooled fast spectrum reactor into nuclear hybrid energy system (NHES) architectures is the focus of the present study. A techno-economic evaluation of several conceptual system designs was performed for the integration of a sodium-cooled Advanced Fast Reactor (AFR) with the electric grid in conjunction with wind-generated electricity. Cases in which excess thermal and electrical energy would be reapportioned within an integrated energy system to a chemical plant are presented. The process applications evaluated include hydrogen production via high temperature steam electrolysis and methanol production via steam methane reforming to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen which feedmore » a methanol synthesis reactor. Three power cycles were considered for integration with the AFR, including subcritical and supercritical Rankine cycles and a modified supercritical carbon dioxide modified Brayton cycle. The thermal efficiencies of all of the modeled power conversions units were greater than 40%. A thermal efficiency of 42% was adopted in economic studies because two of the cycles either performed at that level or could potentially do so (subcritical Rankine and S-CO2 Brayton). Each of the evaluated hybrid architectures would be technically feasible but would demonstrate a different internal rate of return (IRR) as a function of multiple parameters; all evaluated configurations showed a positive IRR. As expected, integration of an AFR with a chemical plant increases the IRR when “must-take” wind-generated electricity is added to the energy system. Additional dynamic system analyses are recommended to draw detailed conclusions on the feasibility and economic benefits associated with AFR-hybrid energy system operation.« less

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Electric Drive Technologies Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ozpineci, Burak

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in May 2011 a new cooperative research effort comprising DOE, the US Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, and Chrysler Group), Tesla Motors, and representatives of the electric utility and petroleum industries. Known as U.S. DRIVE (Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle efficiency and Energy sustainability), it represents DOE’s commitment to developing public–private partnerships to fund high-risk–high-reward research into advanced automotive technologies. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the partnership known as FreedomCAR (derived from “Freedom” and “Cooperative Automotive Research”) that ran from 2002 throughmore » 2010 and the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993 through 2001. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) Electric Drive Technologies (EDT) subprogram within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor (EM), and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies, leading to lower cost and better efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency through research in more efficient TDSs. In supporting the development of advanced vehicle propulsion systems, the EDT subprogram fosters the development of technologies that will significantly improve efficiency, costs, and fuel economy« less

Harsh environment sensor development for advanced energy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanosky, Robert R.; Maley, Susan M.

2013-05-01

Highly efficient, low emission power systems have extreme conditions of high temperature, high pressure, and corrosivity that require monitoring. Sensing in these harsh environments can provide key information that directly impacts process control and system reliability. To achieve the goals and demands of clean energy, the conditions under which fossil fuels are converted into heat and power are harsh compared to traditional combustion/steam cycles. Temperatures can extend as high as 1600 Celsius (°C) in certain systems and pressures can reach as high as 5000 pounds per square inch (psi)/340 atmospheres (atm). The lack of suitable measurement technology serves as a driver for the innovations in harsh environment sensor development. Two major considerations in the development of harsh environments sensors are the materials used for sensing and the design of the sensing device. This paper will highlight the U.S. Department of Energy's, Office of Fossil Energy and National Energy Technology Laboratory's Program in advanced sensing concepts that are aimed at addressing the technology needs and drivers through the development of new sensor materials and designs capable of withstanding harsh environment conditions. Recent developments with harsh environment sensors will be highlighted and future directions towards in advanced sensing will be introduced.

Advanced Photonic Processes for Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Systems.

PubMed

Sygletou, Maria; Petridis, Constantinos; Kymakis, Emmanuel; Stratakis, Emmanuel

2017-10-01

Solar-energy harvesting through photovoltaic (PV) conversion is the most promising technology for long-term renewable energy production. At the same time, significant progress has been made in the development of energy-storage (ES) systems, which are essential components within the cycle of energy generation, transmission, and usage. Toward commercial applications, the enhancement of the performance and competitiveness of PV and ES systems requires the adoption of precise, but simple and low-cost manufacturing solutions, compatible with large-scale and high-throughput production lines. Photonic processes enable cost-efficient, noncontact, highly precise, and selective engineering of materials via photothermal, photochemical, or photophysical routes. Laser-based processes, in particular, provide access to a plethora of processing parameters that can be tuned with a remarkably high degree of precision to enable innovative processing routes that cannot be attained by conventional approaches. The focus here is on the application of advanced light-driven approaches for the fabrication, as well as the synthesis, of materials and components relevant to PV and ES systems. Besides presenting recent advances on recent achievements, the existing limitations are outlined and future possibilities and emerging prospects discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Green Propulsion Technologies for Advanced Air Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Rosario, Ruben

2015-01-01

Air transportation is critical to U.S. and Global economic vitality. However, energy and climate issues challenge aviations ability to be sustainable in the long term. Aviation must dramatically reduce fuel use and related emissions. Energy costs to U.S. airlines nearly tripled between 1995 and 2011, and continue to be the highest percentage of operating costs. The NASA Advanced Air Transports Technology Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advanced technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. The presentation will highlight the NASA vision of revolutionary systems and propulsion technologies needed to achieve these challenging goals. Specifically, the primary focus is on the N+3 generation; that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe, which are envisioned as being powered by Hybrid Electric Propulsion Systems.

Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 20th, Miami Beach, FL, August 18-23, 1985, Proceedings. Volumes 1, 2, & 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1985-12-01

Topics related to aerospace power are discussed, taking into account trends and issues of military space power systems technology, space station power system advanced development, the application and use of nuclear power for future spacecraft, the current status of advanced solar array technology development, the application of a parabolic trough concentrator to space station power needs, life test results of the Intelsat-V nickel-cadmium battery, and metal hydride hydrogen storage in nickel hydrogen batteries. Other subjects explored are concerned with alternative fuels, biomass energy, biomedical power, coal gasification, electric power cycles, and electric propulsion. Attention is given to an advanced terrestrial vehicle electric propulsion systems assessment, fuel cells as electric propulsion power plants, a sinewave synthesis for high efficiency dc-ac conversion, steam desulfurization of coal, leadless transfer of energy into the body to power implanted blood pumps, oil production via entrained flow pyrolysis of biomass, and a New Zealand synthetic gasoline plant.

Advanced optical systems for ultra high energy cosmic rays detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambicorti, L.; Pace, E.; Mazzinghi, P.

2017-11-01

A new advanced optical system is proposed and analysed in this work with the purpose to improve the photons collection efficiency of Multi-AnodePhotoMultipliers (MAPMT) detectors, which will be used to cover large focal surface of instruments dedicated to the Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs, above 1019eV) and Ultra High Energy Neutrino (UHEN) detection. The employment of the advanced optical system allows to focus all photons inside the sensitive area of detectors and to improve the signal-to-noise ratios in the wavelength range of interest (300-400nm), thus coupling imaging and filtering capability. Filter is realised with a multilayer coating to reach high transparency in UV range and with a sharp cut-off outside. In this work the applications on different series of PMTs have been studied and results of simulations are shown. First prototypes have been realised. Finally, this paper proposes another class of adapters to be optically coupled on each pixel of MAPMT detector selected, consisting of non-imaging concentrators as Winston cones.

Green Propulsion Technologies for Advanced Air Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Rosario, Ruben

2015-01-01

Air transportation is critical to U.S. and Global economic vitality. However, energy and climate issues challenge aviation's ability to be sustainable in the long term. Aviation must dramatically reduce fuel use and related emissions. Energy costs to U.S. airlines nearly tripled between 1995 and 2011, and continue to be the highest percentage of operating costs. The NASA Advanced Air Transports Technology Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advanced technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. The presentation will highlight the NASA vision of revolutionary systems and propulsion technologies needed to achieve these challenging goals. Specifically, the primary focus is on the N+3 generation; that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe.

Ceramic Integration Technologies for Advanced Energy Systems: Critical Needs, Technical Challenges, and Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Mrityunjay

2010-01-01

Advanced ceramic integration technologies dramatically impact the energy landscape due to wide scale application of ceramics in all aspects of alternative energy production, storage, distribution, conservation, and efficiency. Examples include fuel cells, thermoelectrics, photovoltaics, gas turbine propulsion systems, distribution and transmission systems based on superconductors, nuclear power generation and waste disposal. Ceramic integration technologies play a key role in fabrication and manufacturing of large and complex shaped parts with multifunctional properties. However, the development of robust and reliable integrated systems with optimum performance requires the understanding of many thermochemical and thermomechanical factors, particularly for high temperature applications. In this presentation, various needs, challenges, and opportunities in design, fabrication, and testing of integrated similar (ceramic ceramic) and dissimilar (ceramic metal) material www.nasa.gov 45 ceramic-ceramic-systems have been discussed. Experimental results for bonding and integration of SiC based Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) LDI fuel injector and advanced ceramics and composites for gas turbine applications are presented.

Flexible Friction Stir Joining Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Zhili; Lim, Yong Chae; Mahoney, Murray

2015-07-23

Reported herein is the final report on a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) project with industry cost-share that was jointly carried out by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company (ExxonMobil), and MegaStir Technologies (MegaStir). The project was aimed to advance the state of the art of friction stir welding (FSW) technology, a highly energy-efficient solid-state joining process, for field deployable, on-site fabrications of large, complex and thick-sectioned structures of high-performance and high-temperature materials. The technology innovations developed herein attempted to address two fundamental shortcomings of FSW: 1) the inability for on-site welding andmore » 2) the inability to weld thick section steels, both of which have impeded widespread use of FSW in manufacturing. Through this work, major advance has been made toward transforming FSW technology from a “specialty” process to a mainstream materials joining technology to realize its pervasive energy, environmental, and economic benefits across industry.« less

China's Pathways to Achieving 40% ~ 45% Reduction in CO{sub 2} Emissions per Unit of GDP in 2020: Sectoral Outlook and Assessment of Savings Potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Nina; Fridley, David; Zhou, Nan

2011-09-30

Achieving China’s goal of reducing its carbon intensity (CO{sub 2} per unit of GDP) by 40% to 45% percent below 2005 levels by 2020 will require the strengthening and expansion of energy efficiency policies across the buildings, industries and transport sectors. This study uses a bottom-up, end-use model and two scenarios -- an enhanced energy efficiency (E3) scenario and an alternative maximum technically feasible energy efficiency improvement (Max Tech) scenario – to evaluate what policies and technical improvements are needed to achieve the 2020 carbon intensity reduction target. The findings from this study show that a determined approach by Chinamore » can lead to the achievement of its 2020 goal. In particular, with full success in deepening its energy efficiency policies and programs but following the same general approach used during the 11th Five Year Plan, it is possible to achieve 49% reduction in CO{sub 2} emissions per unit of GDP (CO{sub 2} emissions intensity) in 2020 from 2005 levels (E3 case). Under the more optimistic but feasible assumptions of development and penetration of advanced energy efficiency technology (Max Tech case), China could achieve a 56% reduction in CO{sub 2} emissions intensity in 2020 relative to 2005 with cumulative reduction of energy use by 2700 Mtce and of CO{sub 2} emissions of 8107 Mt CO{sub 2} between 2010 and 2020. Energy savings and CO{sub 2} mitigation potential varies by sector but most of the energy savings potential is found in energy-intensive industry. At the same time, electricity savings and the associated emissions reduction are magnified by increasing renewable generation and improving coal generation efficiency, underscoring the dual importance of end-use efficiency improvements and power sector decarbonization.« less

Characterization of Polycapillary Optics in a TES Microcalorimeter EDS System Installed on an SEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takano, A.; Maehata, K.; Iyomoto, N.; Yasuda, K.; Maeno, H.; Shiiyama, K.; Tanaka, K.

2016-08-01

Energy-dispersive spectroscopic measurements are performed using a superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter mounted on a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for advanced research at Kyushu University. Because the sensitive area of the TES microcalorimeter is about 0.02~mm2, polycapillary optics is used to collect the X-rays emitted by the SEM specimen on the TES microcalorimeter. The X-ray transmission efficiency of the polycapillary optics is obtained by analyzing the X-ray energy spectra measured by the TES microcalorimeter. The obtained transmission efficiency of the polycapillary optics is reproduced by the calculated results of the simulation.

Fiscal Year 2012 Operational Energy Budget Certification Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

superconducting  degaussing systems  • Advanced material, energy efficient propellers and waterjets  • Ship drag reduction and corrosion resistant surface...significant savings include: optimizing aircraft centers of  gravity , diplomatic cleared  routing, European routing, aircraft crew ratios, and departure

A High-Performance Sintered Iron Electrode for Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries to Enable Large-Scale Energy Storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Chenguang; Manohar, Aswin K.; Narayanan, S. R.

Iron-based alkaline rechargeable batteries such as iron-air and nickel-iron batteries are particularly attractive for large-scale energy storage because these batteries can be relatively inexpensive, environment- friendly, and also safe. Therefore, our study has focused on achieving the essential electrical performance and cycling properties needed for the widespread use of iron-based alkaline batteries in stationary and distributed energy storage applications.We have demonstrated for the first time, an advanced sintered iron electrode capable of 3500 cycles of repeated charge and discharge at the 1-hour rate and 100% depth of discharge in each cycle, and an average Coulombic efficiency of over 97%. Suchmore » a robust and efficient rechargeable iron electrode is also capable of continuous discharge at rates as high as 3C with no noticeable loss in utilization. We have shown that the porosity, pore size and thickness of the sintered electrode can be selected rationally to optimize specific capacity, rate capability and robustness. As a result, these advances in the electrical performance and durability of the iron electrode enables iron-based alkaline batteries to be a viable technology solution for meeting the dire need for large-scale electrical energy storage.« less

A High-Performance Sintered Iron Electrode for Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries to Enable Large-Scale Energy Storage

DOE PAGES

Yang, Chenguang; Manohar, Aswin K.; Narayanan, S. R.

2017-01-07

Iron-based alkaline rechargeable batteries such as iron-air and nickel-iron batteries are particularly attractive for large-scale energy storage because these batteries can be relatively inexpensive, environment- friendly, and also safe. Therefore, our study has focused on achieving the essential electrical performance and cycling properties needed for the widespread use of iron-based alkaline batteries in stationary and distributed energy storage applications.We have demonstrated for the first time, an advanced sintered iron electrode capable of 3500 cycles of repeated charge and discharge at the 1-hour rate and 100% depth of discharge in each cycle, and an average Coulombic efficiency of over 97%. Suchmore » a robust and efficient rechargeable iron electrode is also capable of continuous discharge at rates as high as 3C with no noticeable loss in utilization. We have shown that the porosity, pore size and thickness of the sintered electrode can be selected rationally to optimize specific capacity, rate capability and robustness. As a result, these advances in the electrical performance and durability of the iron electrode enables iron-based alkaline batteries to be a viable technology solution for meeting the dire need for large-scale electrical energy storage.« less

Carbon nanomaterials for advanced energy conversion and storage.

PubMed

Dai, Liming; Chang, Dong Wook; Baek, Jong-Beom; Lu, Wen

2012-04-23

It is estimated that the world will need to double its energy supply by 2050. Nanotechnology has opened up new frontiers in materials science and engineering to meet this challenge by creating new materials, particularly carbon nanomaterials, for efficient energy conversion and storage. Comparing to conventional energy materials, carbon nanomaterials possess unique size-/surface-dependent (e.g., morphological, electrical, optical, and mechanical) properties useful for enhancing the energy-conversion and storage performances. During the past 25 years or so, therefore, considerable efforts have been made to utilize the unique properties of carbon nanomaterials, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, as energy materials, and tremendous progress has been achieved in developing high-performance energy conversion (e.g., solar cells and fuel cells) and storage (e.g., supercapacitors and batteries) devices. This article reviews progress in the research and development of carbon nanomaterials during the past twenty years or so for advanced energy conversion and storage, along with some discussions on challenges and perspectives in this exciting field. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluating architecture impact on system energy efficiency

PubMed Central

Yu, Shijie; Wang, Rui; Luan, Zhongzhi; Qian, Depei

2017-01-01

As the energy consumption has been surging in an unsustainable way, it is important to understand the impact of existing architecture designs from energy efficiency perspective, which is especially valuable for High Performance Computing (HPC) and datacenter environment hosting tens of thousands of servers. One obstacle hindering the advance of comprehensive evaluation on energy efficiency is the deficient power measuring approach. Most of the energy study relies on either external power meters or power models, both of these two methods contain intrinsic drawbacks in their practical adoption and measuring accuracy. Fortunately, the advent of Intel Running Average Power Limit (RAPL) interfaces has promoted the power measurement ability into next level, with higher accuracy and finer time resolution. Therefore, we argue it is the exact time to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the existing architecture designs to understand their impact on system energy efficiency. In this paper, we leverage representative benchmark suites including serial and parallel workloads from diverse domains to evaluate the architecture features such as Non Uniform Memory Access (NUMA), Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) and Turbo Boost. The energy is tracked at subcomponent level such as Central Processing Unit (CPU) cores, uncore components and Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) through exploiting the power measurement ability exposed by RAPL. The experiments reveal non-intuitive results: 1) the mismatch between local compute and remote memory node caused by NUMA effect not only generates dramatic power and energy surge but also deteriorates the energy efficiency significantly; 2) for multithreaded application such as the Princeton Application Repository for Shared-Memory Computers (PARSEC), most of the workloads benefit a notable increase of energy efficiency using SMT, with more than 40% decline in average power consumption; 3) Turbo Boost is effective to accelerate the workload execution and further preserve the energy, however it may not be applicable on system with tight power budget. PMID:29161317

Evaluating architecture impact on system energy efficiency.

PubMed

Yu, Shijie; Yang, Hailong; Wang, Rui; Luan, Zhongzhi; Qian, Depei

2017-01-01

As the energy consumption has been surging in an unsustainable way, it is important to understand the impact of existing architecture designs from energy efficiency perspective, which is especially valuable for High Performance Computing (HPC) and datacenter environment hosting tens of thousands of servers. One obstacle hindering the advance of comprehensive evaluation on energy efficiency is the deficient power measuring approach. Most of the energy study relies on either external power meters or power models, both of these two methods contain intrinsic drawbacks in their practical adoption and measuring accuracy. Fortunately, the advent of Intel Running Average Power Limit (RAPL) interfaces has promoted the power measurement ability into next level, with higher accuracy and finer time resolution. Therefore, we argue it is the exact time to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the existing architecture designs to understand their impact on system energy efficiency. In this paper, we leverage representative benchmark suites including serial and parallel workloads from diverse domains to evaluate the architecture features such as Non Uniform Memory Access (NUMA), Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) and Turbo Boost. The energy is tracked at subcomponent level such as Central Processing Unit (CPU) cores, uncore components and Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) through exploiting the power measurement ability exposed by RAPL. The experiments reveal non-intuitive results: 1) the mismatch between local compute and remote memory node caused by NUMA effect not only generates dramatic power and energy surge but also deteriorates the energy efficiency significantly; 2) for multithreaded application such as the Princeton Application Repository for Shared-Memory Computers (PARSEC), most of the workloads benefit a notable increase of energy efficiency using SMT, with more than 40% decline in average power consumption; 3) Turbo Boost is effective to accelerate the workload execution and further preserve the energy, however it may not be applicable on system with tight power budget.

US Department of Energy`s high-temperature and high-pressure particulate cleanup for advanced coal-based power systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dennis, R.A.

1997-05-01

The availability of reliable, low-cost electricity is a cornerstone for the United States` ability to compete in the world market. The Department of Energy (DOE) projects the total consumption of electricity in the US to rise from 2.7 trillion kilowatt-hours in 1990 to 3.5 trillion in 2010. Although energy sources are diversifying, fossil fuel still produces 90 percent of the nation`s energy. Coal is our most abundant fossil fuel resource and the source of 56 percent of our electricity. It has been the fuel of choice because of its availability and low cost. A new generation of high-efficiency power systemsmore » has made it possible to continue the use of coal while still protecting the environment. Such power systems greatly reduce the pollutants associated with cola-fired plants built before the 1970s. To realize this high efficiency and superior environmental performance, advanced coal-based power systems will require gas stream cleanup under high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) process conditions. Presented in this paper are the HTHP particulate capture requirements for the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and Pressurized Fluidized-Bed Combustion (PFBC) power systems, the HTHP particulate cleanup systems being implemented in the PFBC and IGCC Clean Coal Technology (CCT) Projects, and the currently available particulate capture performance results.« less

Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program annual progress report, FY 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-05-01

The Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program is a part of the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy (DOE). The mission of AIM is to support development and commercialization of new or improved materials to improve energy efficiency, productivity, product quality, and reduced waste in the major process industries. OIT has embarked on a fundamentally new way of working with industries--the Industries of the Future (IOF) strategy--concentrating on the major process industries that consume about 90% of the energy and generate about 90% of the waste in the industrial sector. These are themore » aluminum, chemical, forest products, glass, metalcasting, and steel industries. OIT has encouraged and assisted these industries in developing visions of what they will be like 20 or 30 years into the future, defining the drivers, technology needs, and barriers to realization of their visions. These visions provide a framework for development of technology roadmaps and implementation plans, some of which have been completed. The AIM Program supports IOF by conducting research and development on materials to solve problems identified in the roadmaps. This is done by National Laboratory/industry/university teams with the facilities and expertise needed to develop new and improved materials. Each project in the AIM Program has active industrial participation and support.« less

Additively Manufactured, Net Shape Powder Metallurgy Cans for Valves Used in Energy Production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peter, William H.; Gandy, David; Lannom, Robert

This CRADA NFE-14-05241 was conducted as a Technical Collaboration project within the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) sponsored by the US Department of Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office (CPS Agreement Number 24761). Opportunities for MDF technical collaborations are listed in the announcement “Manufacturing Demonstration Facility Technology Collaborations for US Manufacturers in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Technologies” posted at http://web.ornl.gov/sci/manufacturing/docs/FBO-ORNL-MDF-2013-2.pdf. The goal of technical collaborations is to engage industry partners to participate in short-term, collaborative projects within the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) to assess applicability and of new energy efficient manufacturing technologies. Research sponsored by the U.S. Departmentmore » of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.ORNL would like to acknowledge the leadership of EPRI in pulling together the extensive team and managing the execution of the project. In addition, ORNL would like to acknowledge the other contributions of the team members associated with this project. Quintus provided time, access, expertise, and labor of their hydro forming capabilities to evaluate both conventional and additively manufactured tools through this process. Crane ChemPharma Energy provided guidance and information on valve geometries. Carpenter Powder Products was involved with the team providing information on powder processing as it pertains to the canning and hot isostatic pressing of powder. on providing powder and knowledge as it pertains to powder supply for hot isostatic pressing; they also provided powder for the test trials by the industrial team. Bodycote provided guidance on hot isostatic pressing and can requirements. They were also responsible for the hot isostatic pressing of the test valve performed by the industrial team.« less

Ohio Advanced Energy Manufacturing Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimberly Gibson; Mark Norfolk

2012-07-30

The program goal of the Ohio Advanced Energy Manufacturing Center (OAEMC) is to support advanced energy manufacturing and to create responsive manufacturing clusters that will support the production of advanced energy and energy-efficient products to help ensure the nation's energy and environmental security. This goal cuts across a number of existing industry segments critical to the nation's future. Many of the advanced energy businesses are starting to make the transition from technology development to commercial production. Historically, this transition from laboratory prototypes through initial production for early adopters to full production for mass markets has taken several years. Developing andmore » implementing manufacturing technology to enable production at a price point the market will accept is a key step. Since these start-up operations are configured to advance the technology readiness of the core energy technology, they have neither the expertise nor the resources to address manufacturing readiness issues they encounter as the technology advances toward market entry. Given the economic realities of today's business environment, finding ways to accelerate this transition can make the difference between success and failure for a new product or business. The advanced energy industry touches a wide range of industry segments that are not accustomed to working together in complex supply chains to serve large markets such as automotive and construction. During its first three years, the Center has catalyzed the communication between companies and industry groups that serve the wide range of advanced energy markets. The Center has also found areas of common concern, and worked to help companies address these concerns on a segment or industry basis rather than having each company work to solve common problems individually. EWI worked with three industries through public-private partnerships to sew together disparate segments helping to promote overall industry health. To aid the overall advanced energy industry, EWI developed and launched an Ohio chapter of the non-profit Advanced Energy Economy. In this venture, Ohio joins with six other states including Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont to help promote technologies that deliver energy that is affordable, abundant and secure. In a more specific arena, EWI's advanced energy group collaborated with the EWI-run Nuclear Fabrication Consortium to promote the nuclear supply chain. Through this project EWI has helped bring the supply chain up to date for the upcoming period of construction, and assisted them in understanding the demands for the next generation of facilities now being designed. In a more targeted manner, EWI worked with 115 individual advanced energy companies that are attempting to bring new technology to market. First, these interactions helped EWI develop an awareness of issues common to companies in different advanced energy sectors. By identifying and addressing common issues, EWI helps companies bring technology to market sooner and at a lower cost. These visits also helped EWI develop a picture of industry capability. This helped EWI provide companies with contacts that can supply commercial solutions to their new product development challenges. By providing assistance in developing supply chain partnerships, EWI helped companies bring their technology to market faster and at a lower cost than they might have been able to do by themselves. Finally, at the most granular level EWI performed dedicated research and development on new manufacturing processes for advanced energy. During discussions with companies participating in advanced energy markets, several technology issues that cut across market segments were identified. To address some of these issues, three crosscutting technology development projects were initiated and completed with Center support. This included reversible welds for batteries and high temperature heat exchangers. It also included a novel advanced weld trainer that EWI has recently commercialized.« less

Science and Technology Highlights | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Leads to Enhanced Upgrading Methods NREL's efforts to standardize techniques for bio-oil analysis inform enhanced modeling capability and affordable methods to increase energy efficiency. December 2012 NREL Meets Performance Demands of Advanced Lithium-ion Batteries Novel surface modification methods are

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

In an important step toward advancing intelligent, efficient, and autonomous electric vehicles, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) plans to partner on research and development efforts with EasyMile, a smart mobility solutions company. EasyMile provided a demo of its driverless EZ10 shuttle on the NREL campus in September 2017.

Nuclear Power in Space.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

Research has shown that nuclear radioisotope power generators can supply compact, reliable, and efficient sources of energy for a broad range of space missions. These missions range from televising views of planetary surfaces to communicating scientific data to Earth. This publication presents many applications of the advancing technology and…

Advanced Nanoscale Thin Film & Bulk Materials Towards Thermoelectric Power Conversion Efficiencies of 30%

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-27

Electron Microscopy. Detailed Kronig -Penny (K-P)) modeling of electron transport through these superlattices suggests an estimated e-h transition energy...superalttices was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy. Detailed Kronig -Penny (K-P)) modeling of electron transport through these superlattices

HORIZONTAL HYBRID SOLAR LIGHT PIPE: AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF DAYLIGHT AND ELECTRIC LIGHT

EPA Science Inventory

This project will test the feasibility of an advanced energy efficient perimeter lighting system that integrates daylighting, electric lighting, and lighting controls to reduce electricity consumption. The system is designed to provide adequate illuminance levels in deep-floor...

Low Mass Printable Devices for Energy Capture, Storage, and Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazier, Donald O.; Singer, Christopher E.; Rogers, Jan R.; Schramm, Harry F.; Fabisinski, Leo L.; Lowenthal, Mark; Ray, William J.; Fuller, Kirk A.

2010-01-01

The energy-efficient, environmentally friendly technology that will be presented is the result of a Space Act Agreement between NthDegree Technologies Worldwide, Inc., and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The work combines semiconductor and printing technologies to advance lightweight electronic and photonic devices having excellent potential for commercial and exploration applications. Device development involves three projects that relate to energy generation and consumption: (1) a low-mass efficient (low power, low heat emission) micro light-emitting diode (LED) area lighting device; (2) a low-mass omni-directional efficient photovoltaic (PV) device with significantly improved energy capture; and (3) a new approach to building super-capacitors. These three technologies, energy capture, storage, and usage (e.g., lighting), represent a systematic approach for building efficient local micro-grids that are commercially feasible; furthermore, these same technologies, appropriately replacing lighting with lightweight power generation, will be useful for enabling inner planetary missions using smaller launch vehicles and to facilitate surface operations during lunar and planetary surface missions. The PV device model is a two sphere, light trapped sheet approximately 2-mm thick. The model suggests a significant improvement over current thin film systems. For lighting applications, all three technology components are printable in-line by printing sequential layers on a standard screen or flexographic direct impact press using the three-dimensional printing technique (3DFM) patented by NthDegree. One primary contribution to this work in the near term by the MSFC is to test the robustness of prototype devices in the harsh environments that prevail in space and on the lunar surface. It is anticipated that this composite device, of which the lighting component has passed off-gassing testing, will function appropriately in such environments consistent with NASA s exploration missions. Advanced technologies such as this show promise for both space flight and terrestrial applications.

Advanced Power Electronics Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarze, Gene E.

2004-01-01

This paper will give a description and status of the Advanced Power Electronics Materials and Components Technology program being conducted by the NASA Glenn Research Center for future aerospace power applications. The focus of this research program is on the following: 1) New and/or significantly improved dielectric materials for the development of power capacitors with increased volumetric efficiency, energy density, and operating temperature. Materials being investigated include nanocrystalline and composite ceramic dielectrics and diamond-like carbon films; 2) New and/or significantly improved high frequency, high temperature, low loss soft magnetic materials for the development of transformers/inductors with increased power/energy density, electrical efficiency, and operating temperature. Materials being investigated include nanocrystalline and nanocomposite soft magnetic materials; 3) Packaged high temperature, high power density, high voltage, and low loss SiC diodes and switches. Development of high quality 4H- and 6H- SiC atomically smooth substrates to significantly improve device performance is a major emphasis of the SiC materials program; 4) Demonstration of high temperature (> 200 C) circuits using the components developed above.

Guest Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on 'Advanced Signal Processing Techniques and Telecommunications Network Infrastructures for Smart Grid Analysis, Monitoring, and Management'

DOE PAGES

Bracale, Antonio; Barros, Julio; Cacciapuoti, Angela Sara; ...

2015-06-10

Electrical power systems are undergoing a radical change in structure, components, and operational paradigms, and are progressively approaching the new concept of smart grids (SGs). Future power distribution systems will be characterized by the simultaneous presence of various distributed resources, such as renewable energy systems (i.e., photovoltaic power plant and wind farms), storage systems, and controllable/non-controllable loads. Control and optimization architectures will enable network-wide coordination of these grid components in order to improve system efficiency and reliability and to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, the energy flows will be bidirectional from large power plants to end users andmore » vice versa; producers and consumers will continuously interact at different voltage levels to determine in advance the requests of loads and to adapt the production and demand for electricity flexibly and efficiently also taking into account the presence of storage systems.« less

Accelerated molecular dynamics: A promising and efficient simulation method for biomolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamelberg, Donald; Mongan, John; McCammon, J. Andrew

2004-06-01

Many interesting dynamic properties of biological molecules cannot be simulated directly using molecular dynamics because of nanosecond time scale limitations. These systems are trapped in potential energy minima with high free energy barriers for large numbers of computational steps. The dynamic evolution of many molecular systems occurs through a series of rare events as the system moves from one potential energy basin to another. Therefore, we have proposed a robust bias potential function that can be used in an efficient accelerated molecular dynamics approach to simulate the transition of high energy barriers without any advance knowledge of the location of either the potential energy wells or saddle points. In this method, the potential energy landscape is altered by adding a bias potential to the true potential such that the escape rates from potential wells are enhanced, which accelerates and extends the time scale in molecular dynamics simulations. Our definition of the bias potential echoes the underlying shape of the potential energy landscape on the modified surface, thus allowing for the potential energy minima to be well defined, and hence properly sampled during the simulation. We have shown that our approach, which can be extended to biomolecules, samples the conformational space more efficiently than normal molecular dynamics simulations, and converges to the correct canonical distribution.

High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project Advanced Space-Rated Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Concha M.

2011-01-01

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) has an agreement with China National Offshore Oil Corporation New Energy Investment Company, Ltd. (CNOOC), under the United States-China EcoPartnerships Framework, to create a bi-national entity seeking to develop technically feasible and economically viable solutions to energy and environmental issues. Advanced batteries have been identified as one of the initial areas targeted for collaborations. CWRU invited NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) personnel from the Electrochemistry Branch to CWRU to discuss various aspects of advanced battery development as they might apply to this partnership. Topics discussed included: the process for the selection of a battery chemistry; the establishment of an integrated development program; project management/technical interactions; new technology developments; and synergies between batteries for automotive and space operations. Additional collaborations between CWRU and NASA GRC's Electrochemistry Branch were also discussed.

Battery Test Manual For Electric Vehicles, Revision 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christophersen, Jon P.

2015-06-01

This battery test procedure manual was prepared for the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office. It is based on technical targets for commercial viability established for energy storage development projects aimed at meeting system level DOE goals for Electric Vehicles (EV). The specific procedures defined in this manual support the performance and life characterization of advanced battery devices under development for EVs. However, it does share some methods described in the previously published battery test manual for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Due to the complexity of some of themore » procedures and supporting analysis, future revisions including some modifications and clarifications of these procedures are expected. As in previous battery and capacitor test manuals, this version of the manual defines testing methods for full-size battery systems, along with provisions for scaling these tests for modules, cells or other subscale level devices. The DOE-United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) supported the development of the manual. Technical Team points of contact responsible for its development and revision are Chul Bae of Ford Motor Company and Jon P. Christophersen of the Idaho National Laboratory. The development of this manual was funded by the Unites States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office. Technical direction from DOE was provided by David Howell, Energy Storage R&D Manager and Hybrid Electric Systems Team Leader. Comments and questions regarding the manual should be directed to Jon P. Christophersen at the Idaho National Laboratory (jon.christophersen@inl.gov).« less

Widely tunable gas laser for remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothe, D. E.

1988-01-01

An advanced, highly efficient and reliable Rare-Gas Halide laser was developed. It employs the following: (1) novel prepulse techniques and impedance matching for efficient energy transfer; (2) magnetic switches for high reliability; (3) x-ray preionization for discharge uniformity and beam quality; and (4) an integrated gas flow loop for compactness. When operated as a XeCl laser, the unit produces 2 J per pulse with good beam uniformity. Optical pulse duration is 100 ns. Pulse repetition rate was tested up to 25 Hz. Efficiency is 3 percent.

Development of a Highly Loaded Rotor Blade for Steam Turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segawa, Kiyoshi; Shikano, Yoshio; Tsubouchi, Kuniyoshi; Shibashita, Naoaki

Turbine manufacturers have been concerned about efficient utilization of limited energy resources and prevention of environmental pollution. For steam turbine power plants, a higher efficiency gain is necessary to reduce the fuel consumption rate. Blade configurations have been studied for reductions of profile loss and endwall loss that lead to decreased steam turbine internal efficiency, by applying recent aerodynamic technologies based on advanced numerical analysis methods. This paper discusses increase of pitch-chord ratio by 14% (reduction of rotor blade numbers by 14%) and increased blade aerodynamic loading without deterioration of performance. A new rotor cascade is found which improves blade performance, especially at the root section where the reduction in the energy loss coefficient is about 40%. This rotor blade also provides lower manufacturing cost.

High Temperature Polybenzimidazole Hollow Fiber Membranes for Hydrogen Separation and Carbon Dioxide Capture from Synthesis Gas

DOE PAGES

Singh, Rajinder P.; Dahe, Ganpat J.; Dudeck, Kevin W.; ...

2014-12-31

Sustainable reliance on hydrocarbon feedstocks for energy generation requires CO₂ separation technology development for energy efficient carbon capture from industrial mixed gas streams. High temperature H₂ selective glassy polymer membranes are an attractive option for energy efficient H₂/CO₂ separations in advanced power production schemes with integrated carbon capture. They enable high overall process efficiencies by providing energy efficient CO₂ separations at process relevant operating conditions and correspondingly, minimized parasitic energy losses. Polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based materials have demonstrated commercially attractive H₂/CO₂ separation characteristics and exceptional tolerance to hydrocarbon fuel derived synthesis (syngas) gas operating conditions and chemical environments. To realize a commerciallymore » attractive carbon capture technology based on these PBI materials, development of high performance, robust PBI hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) is required. In this work, we discuss outcomes of our recent efforts to demonstrate and optimize the fabrication and performance of PBI HFMs for use in pre-combustion carbon capture schemes. These efforts have resulted in PBI HFMs with commercially attractive fabrication protocols, defect minimized structures, and commercially attractive permselectivity characteristics at IGCC syngas process relevant conditions. The H₂/CO₂ separation performance of these PBI HFMs presented in this document regarding realistic process conditions is greater than that of any other polymeric system reported to-date.« less

FY2014 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Power Electronics and Electric Motors Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ozpineci, Burak

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in May 2011 a new cooperative research effort comprising DOE, the US Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, and Chrysler Group), Tesla Motors, and representatives of the electric utility and petroleum industries. Known as U.S. DRIVE (Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle efficiency and Energy sustainability), it represents DOE’s commitment to developing public–private partnerships to fund high-risk–high-reward research into advanced automotive technologies. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the partnership known as FreedomCAR (derived from “Freedom” and “Cooperative Automotive Research”) that ran from 2002 throughmore » 2010 and the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993 through 2001. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors (APEEM) subprogram within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies, leading to lower cost and better efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency through research in more efficient TDSs.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hightower, Marion Michael; Baca, Michael J.; VanderMey, Carissa

In June 2016, the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) in collaboration with the Renewable Energy Branch for the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO), the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA), the United States Navy (Navy), and Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) established a project to 1) assess the current functionality of the energy infrastructure at the Kalaeloa Community Development District, and 2) evaluate options to use both existing and new distributed and renewable energy generation and storage resources within advanced microgrid frameworks to cost-effectively enhance energy security and reliability for critical stakeholder needs during bothmore » short-term and extended electric power outages. This report discusses the results of a stakeholder workshop and associated site visits conducted by Sandia in October 2016 to identify major Kalaeloa stakeholder and tenant energy issues, concerns, and priorities. The report also documents information on the performance and cost benefits of a range of possible energy system improvement options including traditional electric grid upgrade approaches, advanced microgrid upgrades, and combined grid/microgrid improvements. The costs and benefits of the different improvement options are presented, comparing options to see how well they address the energy system reliability, sustainability, and resiliency priorities identified by the Kalaeloa stakeholders.« less

Carbon-based electrocatalysts for advanced energy conversion and storage

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jintao; Xia, Zhenhai; Dai, Liming

2015-01-01

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play curial roles in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Having rich multidimensional nanoarchitectures [for example, zero-dimensional (0D) fullerenes, 1D carbon nanotubes, 2D graphene, and 3D graphite] with tunable electronic and surface characteristics, various carbon nanomaterials have been demonstrated to act as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for ORR and OER in fuel cells and batteries. We present a critical review on the recent advances in carbon-based metal-free catalysts for fuel cells and metal-air batteries, and discuss the perspectives and challenges in this rapidly developing field of practical significance. PMID:26601241

Recent advances and challenges for diode-pumped solid-state lasers as an inertial fusion energy driver candidate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Payne, S.A.; Beach, R.J.; Bibeau, C.

We discuss how solid-state laser technology can serve in the interests of fusion energy beyond the goals of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which is now being constructed to ignite a deuterium-tritium target to fusion conditions in the laboratory for the first time. We think that advanced solid-state laser technology can offer the repetition-rate and efficiency needed to drive a fusion power plant, in contrast to the single-shot character of NIF. As discuss below, we propose that a gas-cooled, diode-pumped Yb:S-FAP laser can provide a new paradigm for fusion laser technology leading into the next century.

New perspectives for advanced automobile diesel engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tozzi, L.; Sekar, R.; Kamo, R.; Wood, J. C.

1983-01-01

Computer simulation results are presented for advanced automobile diesel engine performance. Four critical factors for performance enhancement were identified: (1) part load preheating and exhaust gas energy recovery, (2) fast heat release combustion process, (3) reduction in friction, and (4) air handling system efficiency. Four different technology levels were considered in the analysis. Simulation results are compared in terms of brake specific fuel consumption and vehicle fuel economy in km/liter (miles per gallon). Major critical performance sensitivity areas are: (1) combustion process, (2) expander and compressor efficiency, and (3) part load preheating and compound system. When compared to the state of the art direct injection, cooled, automobile diesel engine, the advanced adiabatic compound engine concept showed the unique potential of doubling the fuel economy. Other important performance criteria such as acceleration, emissions, reliability, durability and multifuel capability are comparable to or better than current passenger car diesel engines.

High Energy Density Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems for Terrestrial Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A.

1999-01-01

Regenerative Fuel Cell System (RFCS) technology for energy storage has been a NASA power system concept for many years. Compared to battery-based energy storage systems, RFCS has received relatively little attention or resources for development because the energy density and electrical efficiency were not sufficiently attractive relative to advanced battery systems. Even today, RFCS remains at a very low technology readiness level (TRL of about 2 indicating feasibility has been demonstrated). Commercial development of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells for automobiles and other terrestrial applications and improvements in lightweight pressure vessel design to reduce weight and improve performance make possible a high energy density RFCS energy storage system. The results from this study of a lightweight RFCS energy storage system for a remotely piloted, solar-powered, high altitude aircraft indicate an energy density up to 790 w-h/kg with electrical efficiency of 53.4% is attainable. Such an energy storage system would allow a solar-powered aircraft to carry hundreds of kilograms of payload and remain in flight indefinitely for use in atmospheric research, earth observation, resource mapping. and telecommunications. Future developments in the areas of hydrogen and oxygen storage, pressure vessel design, higher temperature and higher- pressure fuel cell operation, unitized regenerative fuel cells, and commercial development of fuel cell technology will improve both the energy density and electrical efficiency of the RFCS.

Renewal of the Advanced Photon Source.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibson, J. M.

2008-12-31

To ensure that state-of-the-art hard x-ray tools are available for US scientists and engineers who are solving key problems in energy, environment, technology development and human health, the nation's unique high-energy x-ray source needs a major renewal of its capabilities. The Advanced Photon Source renewal program responds to key scientific needs driven by our user community. The renewal encompasses many innovations in beamlines and accelerator capabilities, each of which will transform our tools and allow new problems to be solved. In particular the APS renewal dramatically expands two compelling avenues for research. Through x-ray imaging, we can illuminate complex hierarchical structures from the molecular level to the macroscopic level, and study how they change in time and in response to stimuli. Images will facilitate understanding how proteins fit together to make living organisms, contribute to development of lighter, higher-strength alloys for fuel-efficient transportation and advance the use of biomass for alternative fuels. Hard x-rays are also especially suited to the study of real materials, under realistic conditions and in real-time. The advances proposed in this area would help develop more efficient catalysts, enhance green manufacturing, point the way to artificial light-harvesting inspired by biology and help us develop more efficient lighting. The scope of the renewal of our {approx}more » $$1.5B facility is estimated to be {approx}$$350M over five years. It is vital that the investment begin as soon as possible. The renewed APS would complement other national investments such as the National Synchrotron Light Source-II and would keep the U.S. internationally competitive.« less

Engineered Nanomaterial Ecological Effects Research within ORD's National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory

EPA Science Inventory

Advances in nanotechnology are resulting in the production of new nanomaterials at a rapid pace. Driving the dramatic development of new materials and products is the prospect of stronger and lighter materials, better and more efficient energy systems, potential tremendous benefi...

Energy Efficiency on Parade

Science.gov Websites

heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, structural insulated panels to improve products and systems. NREL building engineers estimate the combination of advanced products and design Building America program manager George James. "All of the technologies and systems used in this house

Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), Westinghouse phase 1. Volume 11: Advanced steam systems. [energy conversion efficiency for electric power plants using steam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfe, R. W.

1976-01-01

A parametric analysis was made of three types of advanced steam power plants that use coal in order to have a comparison of the cost of electricity produced by them a wide range of primary performance variables. Increasing the temperature and pressure of the steam above current industry levels resulted in increased energy costs because the cost of capital increased more than the fuel cost decreased. While the three plant types produced comparable energy cost levels, the pressurized fluidized bed boiler plant produced the lowest energy cost by the small margin of 0.69 mills/MJ (2.5 mills/kWh). It is recommended that this plant be designed in greater detail to determine its cost and performance more accurately than was possible in a broad parametric study and to ascertain problem areas which will require development effort. Also considered are pollution control measures such as scrubbers and separates for particulate emissions from stack gases.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Advanced Boiler Load Monitoring Controls, Chicago, Illinois

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-09-01

Most of Chicago’s older multifamily housing stock is heated by centrally metered steam or hydronic systems. The cost of heat is typically absorbed into the owner’s operating cost and is then passed to tenants. Central boilers typically have long service lifetimes; the incentive for retrofit system efficiency upgrades is greater than equipment replacement for the efficiency-minded owner. System improvements as the “low-hanging fruit” are familiar, from improved pipe insulation to aftermarket controls such as outdoor temperature reset (OTR) or lead/lag controllers for sites with multiple boilers. Beyond these initial system efficiency upgrades are an emerging class of Advanced Load Monitoringmore » (ALM) aftermarket controllers that dynamically respond to the boiler load, with claims of 10% to 30% of fuel savings over a heating season. In this project, the Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) installed and monitored an ALM aftermarket controller, the M2G from Greffen Systems, at two Chicago area multifamily buildings with existing OTR control. Results show that energy savings depend on the degree to which boilers are oversized for their load, represented by cycling rates. Also, savings vary over the heating season with cycling rates, with greater savings observed in shoulder months. Over the monitoring period, oversized boilers at one site showed reductions in cycling and energy consumption in line with prior laboratory studies, while less oversized boilers at another site showed muted savings.« less

High-Efficiency Solar Thermal Vacuum Demonstration Completed for Refractive Secondary Concentrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Wayne A.

2001-01-01

Common to many of the space applications that utilize solar thermal energy--such as electric power conversion, thermal propulsion, and furnaces--is a need for highly efficient, solar concentration systems. An effort is underway at the NASA Glenn Research Center to develop the refractive secondary concentrator, which uses refraction and total internal reflection to efficiently concentrate and direct solar energy. When used in combination with advanced lightweight primary concentrators, the refractive secondary concentrator enables very high system concentration ratios (10,000 to 1) and very high temperatures (>2000 K). The innovative refractive secondary concentrator offers significant advantages over all other types of secondary concentrators. The refractive secondary offers the highest throughput efficiency, provides for flux tailoring, requires no active cooling, relaxes the pointing and tracking requirements of the primary concentrator, and enables very high system concentration ratios. This technology has broad applicability to any system that requires the conversion of solar energy to heat. Glenn initiated the development of the refractive secondary concentrator in support of Shooting Star, a solar thermal propulsion flight experiment, and continued the development in support of Space Solar Power.

Future Automotive Aftertreatment Solutions: The 150°C Challenge Workshop Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zammit, Michael; DiMaggio, Craig L.; Kim, Chang H.

2013-10-15

With future fuel economy standards enacted, the U.S. automotive manufacturers (OEMs) are committed to pursuing a variety of high risk/highly efficient stoichiometric and lean combustion strategies to achieve superior performance. In recognition of this need, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has partnered with domestic automotive manufacturers through U.S. DRIVE to develop these advanced technologies. However, before these advancements can be introduced into the U.S. market, they must also be able to meet increasingly stringent emissions requirements. A significant roadblock to this implementation is the inability of current catalyst and aftertreatment technologies to provide the required activity at the muchmore » lower exhaust temperatures that will accompany highly efficient combustion processes and powertrain strategies. Therefore, the goal of this workshop and report is to create a U.S. DRIVE emission control roadmap that will identify new materials and aftertreatment approaches that offer the potential for 90% conversion of emissions at low temperature (150°C) and are consistent with highly efficient combustion technologies currently under investigation within U.S. DRIVE Advanced Combustion and Emission Control (ACEC) programs.« less

Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF): Golden, CO - Energy Integration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheppy, Michael; VanGeet, Otto; Pless, Shanti

2015-03-01

At NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) in Golden, Colo., scientists and engineers work to overcome challenges related to how the nation generates, delivers and uses energy by modernizing the interplay between energy sources, infrastructure, and data. Test facilities include a megawatt-scale ac electric grid, photovoltaic simulators and a load bank. Additionally, a high performance computing data center (HPCDC) is dedicated to advancing renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. A key design strategy is to use waste heat from the HPCDC to heat parts of the building. The ESIF boasts an annual EUI of 168.3 kBtu/ft2. This article describes themore » building's procurement, design and first year of performance.« less

Efficient Construction of Free Energy Profiles of Breathing Metal–Organic Frameworks Using Advanced Molecular Dynamics Simulations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In order to reliably predict and understand the breathing behavior of highly flexible metal–organic frameworks from thermodynamic considerations, an accurate estimation of the free energy difference between their different metastable states is a prerequisite. Herein, a variety of free energy estimation methods are thoroughly tested for their ability to construct the free energy profile as a function of the unit cell volume of MIL-53(Al). The methods comprise free energy perturbation, thermodynamic integration, umbrella sampling, metadynamics, and variationally enhanced sampling. A series of molecular dynamics simulations have been performed in the frame of each of the five methods to describe structural transformations in flexible materials with the volume as the collective variable, which offers a unique opportunity to assess their computational efficiency. Subsequently, the most efficient method, umbrella sampling, is used to construct an accurate free energy profile at different temperatures for MIL-53(Al) from first principles at the PBE+D3(BJ) level of theory. This study yields insight into the importance of the different aspects such as entropy contributions and anharmonic contributions on the resulting free energy profile. As such, this thorough study provides unparalleled insight in the thermodynamics of the large structural deformations of flexible materials. PMID:29131647

Efficient Construction of Free Energy Profiles of Breathing Metal-Organic Frameworks Using Advanced Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

PubMed

Demuynck, Ruben; Rogge, Sven M J; Vanduyfhuys, Louis; Wieme, Jelle; Waroquier, Michel; Van Speybroeck, Veronique

2017-12-12

In order to reliably predict and understand the breathing behavior of highly flexible metal-organic frameworks from thermodynamic considerations, an accurate estimation of the free energy difference between their different metastable states is a prerequisite. Herein, a variety of free energy estimation methods are thoroughly tested for their ability to construct the free energy profile as a function of the unit cell volume of MIL-53(Al). The methods comprise free energy perturbation, thermodynamic integration, umbrella sampling, metadynamics, and variationally enhanced sampling. A series of molecular dynamics simulations have been performed in the frame of each of the five methods to describe structural transformations in flexible materials with the volume as the collective variable, which offers a unique opportunity to assess their computational efficiency. Subsequently, the most efficient method, umbrella sampling, is used to construct an accurate free energy profile at different temperatures for MIL-53(Al) from first principles at the PBE+D3(BJ) level of theory. This study yields insight into the importance of the different aspects such as entropy contributions and anharmonic contributions on the resulting free energy profile. As such, this thorough study provides unparalleled insight in the thermodynamics of the large structural deformations of flexible materials.

Energy and fuels from electrochemical interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamenkovic, Vojislav R.; Strmcnik, Dusan; Lopes, Pietro P.; Markovic, Nenad M.

2017-01-01

Advances in electrocatalysis at solid-liquid interfaces are vital for driving the technological innovations that are needed to deliver reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly energy. Here, we highlight the key achievements in the development of new materials for efficient hydrogen and oxygen production in electrolysers and, in reverse, their use in fuel cells. A key issue addressed here is the degree to which the fundamental understanding of the synergy between covalent and non-covalent interactions can form the basis for any predictive ability in tailor-making real-world catalysts. Common descriptors such as the substrate-hydroxide binding energy and the interactions in the double layer between hydroxide-oxides and H---OH are found to control individual parts of the hydrogen and oxygen electrochemistry that govern the efficiency of water-based energy conversion and storage systems. Links between aqueous- and organic-based environments are also established, encouraging the 'fuel cell' and 'battery' communities to move forward together.

Megawatt-Scale Application of Thermoelectric Devices in Thermal Power Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, A. R.; Buckle, J.; Siviter, J.; Montecucco, A.; McCulloch, E.

2013-07-01

Despite the recent investment in renewable and sustainable energy sources, over 95% of the UK's electrical energy generation relies on the use of thermal power plants utilizing the Rankine cycle. Advanced supercritical Rankine cycle power plants typically have a steam temperature in excess of 600°C at a pressure of 290 bar and yet still have an overall efficiency below 50%, with much of this wasted energy being rejected to the environment through the condenser/cooling tower. This paper examines the opportunity for large-scale application of thermoelectric heat pumps to modify the Rankine cycle in such plants by preheating the boiler feedwater using energy recovered from the condenser system at a rate of approximately 1 MWth per °C temperature rise. A derivation of the improved process cycle efficiency and breakeven coefficient of performance required for economic operation is presented for a typical supercritical 600-MWe installation.

Smart Energy Cryo-refrigerator Technology for the next generation Very Large Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spagna, Stefano

2018-01-01

We describe a “smart energy” cryocooler technology architecture for the next generation Very Large Array that makes use of multiple variable frequency cold heads driven from a single variable speed air cooled compressor. Preliminary experiments indicate that the compressor variable flow control, advanced diagnostics, and the cryo-refrigerator low vibration, provide a unique energy efficient capability for the very large number of antennas that will be employed in this array.

Advanced energy system program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trester, K.

1987-06-01

The ogjectives are to design, develop, and demonstrate a natural-gas-fueled, highly recuperated, 50 kw Brayton-cycle cogeneration system for commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential applications. Recent marketing studies have shown that the Advanced Energy System (AES), with its many cost-effective features, has the potential to offer significant reductions in annual electrical and thermal energy costs to the consumer. Specific advantates of the system that result in low cost ownership are high electrical efficiency (34 percent, LHV), low maintenance, high reliability and long life (20 years). Significant technical features include: an integral turbogenerator with shaft-speed permanent magnet generator; a rotating assembly supported by compliant foil air bearings; a formed-tubesheet plate/fin recuperator with 91 percent effectiveness; and a bi-directional power conditioner to ultilize the generator for system startup. The planned introduction of catalytic combustion will further enhance the economic and ecological attractiveness.

Advanced control for ground source heat pump systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, Patrick; Gehl, Anthony C.; Liu, Xiaobing

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP), also known as geothermal heat pumps (GHP), are proven advanced HVAC systems that utilize clean and renewable geothermal energy, as well as the massive thermal storage capacity of the ground, to provide space conditioning and water heating for both residential and commercial buildings. GSHPs have higher energy efficiencies than conventional HVAC systems. It is estimated, if GSHPs achieve a 10% market share in the US, in each year, 0.6 Quad Btu primary energy consumption can be saved and 36 million tons carbon emissions can be avoided (Liu et al. 2017). However, the current market sharemore » of GSHPs is less than 1%. The foremost barrier preventing wider adoption of GSHPs is their high installation costs. To enable wider adoption of GSHPs, the costeffectiveness of GSHP applications must be improved.« less

Modular High-Energy Systems for Solar Power Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, Joe T.; Carrington, Connie K.; Marzwell, Neville I.; Mankins, John C.

2006-01-01

Modular High-Energy Systems are Stepping Stones to provide capabilities for energy-rich infrastructure located in space to support a variety of exploration scenarios as well as provide a supplemental source of energy during peak demands to ground grid systems. Abundant renewable energy at lunar or other locations could support propellant production and storage in refueling scenarios that enable affordable exploration. Renewable energy platforms in geosynchronous Earth orbits can collect and transmit power to satellites, or to Earth-surface locations. Energy-rich space technologies also enable the use of electric-powered propulsion systems that could efficiently deliver cargo and exploration facilities to remote locations. A first step to an energy-rich space infrastructure is a 100-kWe class solar-powered platform in Earth orbit. The platform would utilize advanced technologies in solar power collection and generation, power management and distribution, thermal management, electric propulsion, wireless avionics, autonomous in space rendezvous and docking, servicing, and robotic assembly. It would also provide an energy-rich free-flying platform to demonstrate in space a portfolio of technology flight experiments. This paper summary a preliminary design concept for a 100-kWe solar-powered satellite system to demonstrate in-flight a variety of advanced technologies, each as a separate payload. These technologies include, but are not limited to state-of-the-art solar concentrators, highly efficient multi-junction solar cells, integrated thermal management on the arrays, and innovative deployable structure design and packaging to enable the 100-kW satellite feasible to launch on one existing launch vehicle. Higher voltage arrays and power distribution systems (PDS) reduce or eliminate the need for massive power converters, and could enable direct-drive of high-voltage solar electric thrusters.

U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program: Battery Test Manual For Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christophersen, Jon P.

2014-09-01

This battery test procedure manual was prepared for the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office. It is based on technical targets for commercial viability established for energy storage development projects aimed at meeting system level DOE goals for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). The specific procedures defined in this manual support the performance and life characterization of advanced battery devices under development for PHEV’s. However, it does share some methods described in the previously published battery test manual for power-assist hybrid electric vehicles. Due to the complexity of somemore » of the procedures and supporting analysis, future revisions including some modifications and clarifications of these procedures are expected. As in previous battery and capacitor test manuals, this version of the manual defines testing methods for full-size battery systems, along with provisions for scaling these tests for modules, cells or other subscale level devices. The DOE-United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) supported the development of the manual. Technical Team points of contact responsible for its development and revision are Renata M. Arsenault of Ford Motor Company and Jon P. Christophersen of the Idaho National Laboratory. The development of this manual was funded by the Unites States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office. Technical direction from DOE was provided by David Howell, Energy Storage R&D Manager and Hybrid Electric Systems Team Leader. Comments and questions regarding the manual should be directed to Jon P. Christophersen at the Idaho National Laboratory (jon.christophersen@inl.gov).« less

Pilot plant test of the advanced flash stripper for CO2 capture.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Jeng; Chen, Eric; Rochelle, Gary T

2016-10-20

Alternative stripping processes have been proposed to reduce energy use for CO 2 capture, but only a few have been applied to pilot-scale experiments. This paper presents the first pilot plant test results of one of the most promising stripper configurations, the advanced flash stripper with cold and warm rich solvent bypass. The campaign using aqueous piperazine was carried out at UT Austin in 2015. The advanced flash stripper improves the heat duty by over 25% compared to previous campaigns using the two-stage flash, achieving 2.1 GJ per tonne CO 2 of heat duty and 32 kJ mol -1 CO 2 of total equivalent work. The bypass control strategy proposed minimized the heat duty. The test successfully demonstrated the remarkable energy performance and the operability of this advanced system. An Aspen Plus® model was validated using the pilot plant data and used to explore optimum operating and design conditions. The irreversibility analysis showed that the pilot plant performance has attained 50% thermodynamic efficiency and further energy improvement should focus on the absorber and the cross exchanger by increasing absorption rate and solvent capacity.

Study of cost/benefit tradeoffs for reducing the energy consumption of the commercial air transportation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coykendall, R. E.; Curry, J. K.; Domke, A. E.; Madsen, S. E.

1976-01-01

Economic studies were conducted for three general fuel conserving options: (1) improving fuel consumption characteristics of existing aircraft via retrofit modifications; (2) introducing fuel efficient derivations of existing production aircraft and/or introducing fuel efficient, current state-of-the-art new aircraft; and (3) introducing an advanced state-of-the-art turboprop airplane. These studies were designed to produce an optimum airline fleet mix for the years 1980, 1985 and 1990. The fleet selected accommodated a normal growth market by introducing somewhat larger aircraft while solving for maximum departure frequencies and a minimum load factor corresponding to a 15% investment hurdle rate. Fuel burnt per available-seat-mile flown would drop 22% from 1980 to 1990 due to the use of more fuel efficient aircraft designs, larger average aircraft size, and increased seating density. An inflight survey was taken to determine air traveler attitudes towards a new generation of advanced turboprops.

2016 National Algal Biofuels Technology Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barry, Amanda; Wolfe, Alexis; English, Christine

The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, is committed to advancing the vision of a viable, sustainable domestic biomass industry that produces renewable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower; enhances U.S. energy security; reduces our dependence on fossil fuels; provides environmental benefits; and creates economic opportunities across the nation. BETO’s goals are driven by various federal policies and laws, including the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). To accomplish its goals, BETO has undertaken a diverse portfolio of research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities, in partnership with nationalmore » laboratories, academia, and industry.« less

Task Order 20: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Energy Conversion Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, Paul; Lindsay, Edward; McDowell, Michael

2015-04-23

AREVA Inc. developed this study for the US Department of Energy (DOE) office of Nuclear Energy (NE) in accordance with Task Order 20 Statement of Work (SOW) covering research and development activities for the Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Brayton Cycle energy conversion. The study addresses the conversion of sCO2 heat energy to electrical output by use of a Brayton Cycle system and focuses on the potential of a net efficiency increase via cycle recuperation and recompression stages. The study also addresses issues and study needed to advance development and implementation of a 10 MWe sCO2 demonstration project.

Energy efficient neural stimulation: coupling circuit design and membrane biophysics.

PubMed

Foutz, Thomas J; Ackermann, D Michael; Kilgore, Kevin L; McIntyre, Cameron C

2012-01-01

The delivery of therapeutic levels of electrical current to neural tissue is a well-established treatment for numerous indications such as Parkinson's disease and chronic pain. While the neuromodulation medical device industry has experienced steady clinical growth over the last two decades, much of the core technology underlying implanted pulse generators remain unchanged. In this study we propose some new methods for achieving increased energy-efficiency during neural stimulation. The first method exploits the biophysical features of excitable tissue through the use of a centered-triangular stimulation waveform. Neural activation with this waveform is achieved with a statistically significant reduction in energy compared to traditional rectangular waveforms. The second method demonstrates energy savings that could be achieved by advanced circuitry design. We show that the traditional practice of using a fixed compliance voltage for constant-current stimulation results in substantial energy loss. A portion of this energy can be recuperated by adjusting the compliance voltage to real-time requirements. Lastly, we demonstrate the potential impact of axon fiber diameter on defining the energy-optimal pulse-width for stimulation. When designing implantable pulse generators for energy efficiency, we propose that the future combination of a variable compliance system, a centered-triangular stimulus waveform, and an axon diameter specific stimulation pulse-width has great potential to reduce energy consumption and prolong battery life in neuromodulation devices.

Thirst for Power: Energy, Water and Human Survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, M.

2015-12-01

Energy and water are precious resources, and they are interconnected. The energy sector uses a lot of water -- the thermoelectric power sector alone is the largest user of water in the U.S., withdrawing 200 billion gallons daily for powerplant cooling. Conversely, the water sector is responsible for over twelve percent of national energy consumption for moving, pumping, treating, and heating water. This interdependence means that droughts can cause energy shortages, and power outages can bring the water system to a halt. It also means that water efficiency is a pathway to energy efficiency and vice versa. This talk will give a big-picture overview of global energy and water trends to describe how they interact, what conflicts are looming, and how they can work together. This talk will include the vulnerabilities and cross-cutting solutions such as efficient markets and smart technologies that embed more information about resource management. It will include discussion of how population growth, economic growth, climate change, and short-sighted policies are likely to make things worse. Yet, more integrated planning with long-term sustainability in mind along with cultural shifts, advanced technologies, and better design can avert such a daunting future. Combining anecdotes and personal stories with insights into the latest science of energy and water, this talk will identify a hopeful path toward wise, long-range water-energy decisions and a more reliable and abundant future for humanity.

Innovative and Advanced Coupled Neutron Transport and Thermal Hydraulic Method (Tool) for the Design, Analysis and Optimization of VHTR/NGNP Prismatic Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rahnema, Farzad; Garimeela, Srinivas; Ougouag, Abderrafi

2013-11-29

This project will develop a 3D, advanced coarse mesh transport method (COMET-Hex) for steady- state and transient analyses in advanced very high-temperature reactors (VHTRs). The project will lead to a coupled neutronics and thermal hydraulic (T/H) core simulation tool with fuel depletion capability. The computational tool will be developed in hexagonal geometry, based solely on transport theory without (spatial) homogenization in complicated 3D geometries. In addition to the hexagonal geometry extension, collaborators will concurrently develop three additional capabilities to increase the code’s versatility as an advanced and robust core simulator for VHTRs. First, the project team will develop and implementmore » a depletion method within the core simulator. Second, the team will develop an elementary (proof-of-concept) 1D time-dependent transport method for efficient transient analyses. The third capability will be a thermal hydraulic method coupled to the neutronics transport module for VHTRs. Current advancements in reactor core design are pushing VHTRs toward greater core and fuel heterogeneity to pursue higher burn-ups, efficiently transmute used fuel, maximize energy production, and improve plant economics and safety. As a result, an accurate and efficient neutron transport, with capabilities to treat heterogeneous burnable poison effects, is highly desirable for predicting VHTR neutronics performance. This research project’s primary objective is to advance the state of the art for reactor analysis.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Hua

Combustion represents a key chemical process in energy consumption in modern societies and a clear and comprehensive understanding of the elemental reactions in combustion is of great importance to a number of challenging areas such as engine efficiency and environmental protection. In this award, we proposed to develop new theoretical tools to understand elemental chemical processes in combustion environments. With the support of this DOE grant, we have made significant advances in developing new and more efficient and accurate algorithms to characterize reaction dynamics.

Predicting the ultimate potential of natural gas SOFC power cycles with CO2 capture - Part B: Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanari, Stefano; Mastropasqua, Luca; Gazzani, Matteo; Chiesa, Paolo; Romano, Matteo C.

2016-09-01

An important advantage of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as future systems for large scale power generation is the possibility of being efficiently integrated with processes for CO2 capture. Focusing on natural gas power generation, Part A of this work assessed the performances of advanced pressurised and atmospheric plant configurations (SOFC + GT and SOFC + ST, with fuel cell integration within a gas turbine or a steam turbine cycle) without CO2 separation. This Part B paper investigates such kind of power cycles when applied to CO2 capture, proposing two ultra-high efficiency plant configurations based on advanced intermediate-temperature SOFCs with internal reforming and low temperature CO2 separation process. The power plants are simulated at the 100 MW scale with a set of realistic assumptions about FC performances, main components and auxiliaries, and show the capability of exceeding 70% LHV efficiency with high CO2 capture (above 80%) and a low specific primary energy consumption for the CO2 avoided (1.1-2.4 MJ kg-1). Detailed results are presented in terms of energy and material balances, and a sensitivity analysis of plant performance is developed vs. FC voltage and fuel utilisation to investigate possible long-term improvements. Options for further improvement of the CO2 capture efficiency are also addressed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HADLEY, S.W.

This document was prepared at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) under its Technical Guidance and Assistance and Project Financing Programs. The purpose was to provide an estimate of the national potential for combined heat and power (also known as CHP; cogeneration; or cooling, heating, and power) applications at federal facilities and the associated costs and benefits including energy and emission savings. The report provides a broad overview for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other agencies on when and where CHP systems are most likely to serve the government's bestmore » interest. FEMP's mission is to reduce the cost to and environmental impact of the federal government by advancing energy efficiency and water conservation, promoting the use of renewable energy, and improving utility management decisions at federal sites. FEMP programs are driven by its customers: federal agency sites. FEMP monitors energy efficiency and renewable energy technology developments and mounts ''technology-specific'' programs to make technologies that are in strong demand by agencies more accessible. FEMP's role is often one of helping the federal government ''lead by example'' through the use of advanced energy efficiency/renewable energy (EERE) technologies in its own buildings and facilities. CHP was highlighted in the Bush Administration's National Energy Policy Report as a commercially available technology offering extraordinary benefits in terms of energy efficiencies and emission reductions. FEMP's criteria for emphasizing a technology are that it must be commercially available; be proven but underutilized; have a strong constituency and momentum; offer large energy savings and other benefits of interest to federal sites and FEMP mission; be in demand; and carry sufficient federal market potential. As discussed in the report, CHP meets all of these criteria. Executive Order 13123 directs federal facilities to use CHP when life-cycle costs indicate energy reduction goals will be met. FEMP can assist facilities to conduct this analysis. The model developed for this report estimates the magnitude of CHP that could be implemented under various performance and economic assumptions associated with different applications. This model may be useful for other energy technologies. It can be adapted to estimate the market potential in federal buildings for any energy system based on the cost and performance parameters that a user desires to assess. The model already incorporates a standard set of parameters based on available data for federal buildings including total building space, building type, energy use intensity, fuel costs, and the performance of many prime movers commonly used in CHP applications. These and other variables can be adjusted to meet user needs or updated in the future as new data become available.« less

System Design Techniques for Reducing the Power Requirements of Advanced life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finn, Cory; Levri, Julie; Pawlowski, Chris; Crawford, Sekou; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The high power requirement associated with overall operation of regenerative life support systems is a critical Z:p technological challenge. Optimization of individual processors alone will not be sufficient to produce an optimized system. System studies must be used in order to improve the overall efficiency of life support systems. Current research efforts at NASA Ames Research Center are aimed at developing approaches for reducing system power and energy usage in advanced life support systems. System energy integration and energy reuse techniques are being applied to advanced life support, in addition to advanced control methods for efficient distribution of power and thermal resources. An overview of current results of this work will be presented. The development of integrated system designs that reuse waste heat from sources such as crop lighting and solid waste processing systems will reduce overall power and cooling requirements. Using an energy integration technique known as Pinch analysis, system heat exchange designs are being developed that match hot and cold streams according to specific design principles. For various designs, the potential savings for power, heating and cooling are being identified and quantified. The use of state-of-the-art control methods for distribution of resources, such as system cooling water or electrical power, will also reduce overall power and cooling requirements. Control algorithms are being developed which dynamically adjust the use of system resources by the various subsystems and components in order to achieve an overall goal, such as smoothing of power usage and/or heat rejection profiles, while maintaining adequate reserves of food, water, oxygen, and other consumables, and preventing excessive build-up of waste materials. Reductions in the peak loading of the power and thermal systems will lead to lower overall requirements. Computer simulation models are being used to test various control system designs.

Energy efficient engine flight propulsion system: Aircraft/engine integration evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patt, R. F.

1980-01-01

Results of aircraft/engine integration studies conducted on an advanced flight propulsion system are reported. Economic evaluations of the preliminary design are included and indicate that program goals will be met. Installed sfc, DOC, noise, and emissions were evaluated. Aircraft installation considerations and growth were reviewed.

Photocatalytic oxidation of aromatic amines using MnO2@g ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

An efficient and direct oxidation of aromatic amines to aromatic azo-compounds has been achieved using a MnO2@g-C3N4 catalyst under visible light as a source of energy at room temperature Prepared for submission to the journal, Advanced Materials Letters.

Energy efficient engine flight propulsion system: Aircraft/engine integration evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patt, R.F.

Results of aircraft/engine integration studies conducted on an advanced flight propulsion system are reported. Economic evaluations of the preliminary design are included and indicate that program goals will be met. Installed sfc, DOC, noise, and emissions were evaluated. Aircraft installation considerations and growth were reviewed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

This Building America Top Innovations profile describes Building America research showing how some energy-efficiency measure cost increases can balance against measures that reduce up-front costs: Advanced framing cuts lumber costs, right sizing can mean downsizing the HVAC, moving HVAC into conditioned space cuts installation costs, designing on a 2-foot grid reduces materials waste, etc.

Modern prospects of development of branch of solar power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luchkina, Veronika

2017-10-01

Advantages of solar energy for modern companies are evident already. Article describes mechanism of the solar electricity generation. Process of production of solar modules with appliance of the modern technologies of sun energy production. The branch of solar energy “green energy” become advanced in Russia and has a stable demand. Classification of investments on the different stages of construction projects of solar power plants and calculation of their economic efficiency. Studying of introduction of these technologies allows to estimate the modern prospects of development of branch of solar power.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Soowhan; Thomsen, Edwin; Xia, Guanguang

This paper explores demonstration of an advanced vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) using a mixed acid (sulfuric and hydrochloric acid) supporting electrolyte in a kW scale. The prototype VRFB is capable of delivering more than 1.1 kW in the whole operation range (15~85% state of charge) at 80 mA/cm2 with high energy efficiency of 82% and energy content of 1.4 kWh. The system has been operated stably without any precipitation even at elevated electrolyte temperatures of > 45°C, while the control tests with the conventional sulfuric acid electrolyte suffered from precipitation after 80 cycles. The mixed acid system enabled operationmore » at elevated temperature (> 40°C), providing unique advantages over the conventional pure sulfate system; 1) high stack energy efficiency due to better kinetics and low electrolyte resistance, 2) low viscosity, resulting in reduced pumping loss, 3) elimination of additional heat exchanger, 4) high system efficiency and 5) simple system design and operation.« less

Energy efficiency technologies in cement and steel industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanoli, Silvia Maria; Cocchioni, Francesco; Pepe, Crescenzo

2018-02-01

In this paper, Advanced Process Control strategies aimed at energy efficiency achievement and improvement in cement and steel industry are proposed. A flexible and smart control structure constituted by several functional modules and blocks has been developed. The designed control strategy is based on Model Predictive Control techniques, formulated on linear models. Two industrial control solutions have been developed, oriented to energy efficiency and process control improvement in cement industry clinker rotary kilns (clinker production phase) and in steel industry billets reheating furnaces. Tailored customization procedures for the design of ad hoc control systems have been executed, based on the specific needs and specifications of the analysed processes. The installation of the developed controllers on cement and steel plants produced significant benefits in terms of process control which resulted in working closer to the imposed operating limits. With respect to the previous control systems, based on local controllers and/or operators manual conduction, more profitable configurations of the crucial process variables have been provided.

CHARACTERIZING COSTS, SAVINGS AND BENEFITS OF A SELECTION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE UNITED STATES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, T.; Slaa, J.W.; Sathaye, J.

2010-12-15

Implementation and adoption of efficient end-use technologies have proven to be one of the key measures for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the industries. In many cases, implementing energy efficiency measures is among one of the most cost effective investments that the industry could make in improving efficiency and productivity while reducing CO2 emissions. Over the years, there have been incentives to use resources and energy in a cleaner and more efficient way to create industries that are sustainable and more productive. With the working of energy programs and policies on GHG inventory and regulation, understanding and managing themore » costs associated with mitigation measures for GHG reductions is very important for the industry and policy makers around the world. Successful implementation of emerging technologies not only can help advance productivities and competitiveness but also can play a significant role in mitigation efforts by saving energy. Providing evaluation and estimation of the costs and energy savings potential of emerging technologies is the focus of our work in this project. The overall goal of the project is to identify and select emerging and under-utilized energy-efficient technologies and practices as they are important to reduce energy consumption in industry while maintaining economic growth. This report contains the results from performing Task 2"Technology evaluation" for the project titled"Research Opportunities in Emerging and Under-Utilized Energy-Efficient Industrial Technologies," which was sponsored by California Energy Commission and managed by CIEE. The project purpose is to analyze market status, market potential, and economic viability of selected technologies applicable to the U.S. In this report, LBNL first performed re-assessments of all of the 33 emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies, including re-evaluation of the 26 technologies that were previously identified by Martin et al. (2000) and their potential significance to energy use in the industries, and new evaluation of additional seven technologies. The re-assessments were essentially updated with recent information that we searched and collected from literature to the extent possible. The progress of selected technologies as they diffused into the marketplace from 2000 to 2010 was then discussed in this report. The report also includes updated detailed characterizations of 15 technologies studied in 2000, with comparisons noted.« less

Site Sustainability Plan with FY2015 Performance Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, Teresa A.; Lapsa, Melissa Voss; Hudey, Bryce D.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is both the largest science and energy laboratory in the US Department of Energy (DOE) complex and one of the oldest national laboratories still operating at its original site. ORNL implemented an aggressive modernization program in 2000, providing modern, energy-efficient facilities that help to support the growth of important national scientific missions while faced with the unique and challenging opportunity to integrate sustainability into legacy assets. ORNL is committed to leveraging the outcomes of DOE-sponsored research programs to maximize the efficient use of energy and natural resources across a diverse campus. ORNL leadership in conjunctionmore » with the Sustainable Campus Initiative (SCI) maintains a commitment to the integration of technical innovations into new and existing facilities, systems, and processes with a comprehensive approach to achieving DOE directives and the new Executive Order 13693. Energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reductions, climate change resiliency, and other pursuits toward integrated sustainability factor in all we do. ORNL continues to pursue and deploy innovative solutions and initiatives to advance regional, national, and worldwide sustainability and continues to transform its culture and engage employees in supporting sustainability at work, at home, and in the community.« less

Fuzzy Linguistic Knowledge Based Behavior Extraction for Building Energy Management Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dumidu Wijayasekara; Milos Manic

2013-08-01

Significant portion of world energy production is consumed by building Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units. Thus along with occupant comfort, energy efficiency is also an important factor in HVAC control. Modern buildings use advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) control schemes to realize these goals. However, since the performance of HVAC units is dependent on many criteria including uncertainties in weather, number of occupants, and thermal state, the performance of current state of the art systems are sub-optimal. Furthermore, because of the large number of sensors in buildings, and the high frequency of data collection, large amount ofmore » information is available. Therefore, important behavior of buildings that compromise energy efficiency or occupant comfort is difficult to identify. This paper presents an easy to use and understandable framework for identifying such behavior. The presented framework uses human understandable knowledge-base to extract important behavior of buildings and present it to users via a graphical user interface. The presented framework was tested on a building in the Pacific Northwest and was shown to be able to identify important behavior that relates to energy efficiency and occupant comfort.« less

High Energy electron and proton acceleration by circularly polarized laser pulse from near critical density hydrogen gas target.

PubMed

Sharma, Ashutosh

2018-02-01

Relativistic electron rings hold the possibility of very high accelerating rates, and hopefully a relatively cheap and compact accelerator/collimator for ultrahigh energy proton source. In this work, we investigate the generation of helical shaped quasi-monoenergetic relativistic electron beam and high-energy proton beam from near critical density plasmas driven by petawatt-circularly polarized-short laser pulses. We numerically observe the efficient proton acceleration from magnetic vortex acceleration mechanism by using the three dimensional particle-in-cell simulations; proton beam with peak energy 350 MeV, charge ~10nC and conversion efficiency more than 6% (which implies 2.4 J proton beam out of the 40 J incident laser energy) is reported. We detailed the microphysics involved in the ion acceleration mechanism, which requires investigating the role of self-generated plasma electric and magnetic fields. The concept of efficient generation of quasi-monoenergetic electron and proton beam from near critical density gas targets may be verified experimentally at advanced high power - high repetition rate laser facilities e.g. ELI-ALPS. Such study should be an important step towards the development of high quality electron and proton beam.

Advances in multi-scale modeling of solidification and casting processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Baicheng; Xu, Qingyan; Jing, Tao; Shen, Houfa; Han, Zhiqiang

2011-04-01

The development of the aviation, energy and automobile industries requires an advanced integrated product/process R&D systems which could optimize the product and the process design as well. Integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) is a promising approach to fulfill this requirement and make the product and process development efficient, economic, and environmentally friendly. Advances in multi-scale modeling of solidification and casting processes, including mathematical models as well as engineering applications are presented in the paper. Dendrite morphology of magnesium and aluminum alloy of solidification process by using phase field and cellular automaton methods, mathematical models of segregation of large steel ingot, and microstructure models of unidirectionally solidified turbine blade casting are studied and discussed. In addition, some engineering case studies, including microstructure simulation of aluminum casting for automobile industry, segregation of large steel ingot for energy industry, and microstructure simulation of unidirectionally solidified turbine blade castings for aviation industry are discussed.

Energy Efficient Engine Low Pressure Subsystem Flow Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Edward J.; Lynn, Sean R.; Heidegger, Nathan J.; Delaney, Robert A.

1998-01-01

The objective of this project is to provide the capability to analyze the aerodynamic performance of the complete low pressure subsystem (LPS) of the Energy Efficient Engine (EEE). The analyses were performed using three-dimensional Navier-Stokes numerical models employing advanced clustered processor computing platforms. The analysis evaluates the impact of steady aerodynamic interaction effects between the components of the LPS at design and off-design operating conditions. Mechanical coupling is provided by adjusting the rotational speed of common shaft-mounted components until a power balance is achieved. The Navier-Stokes modeling of the complete low pressure subsystem provides critical knowledge of component aero/mechanical interactions that previously were unknown to the designer until after hardware testing.

Energy Efficient Engine Low Pressure Subsystem Aerodynamic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Edward J.; Delaney, Robert A.; Lynn, Sean R.; Veres, Joseph P.

1998-01-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the capability to analyze the aerodynamic performance of the complete low pressure subsystem (LPS) of the Energy Efficient Engine (EEE). Detailed analyses were performed using three- dimensional Navier-Stokes numerical models employing advanced clustered processor computing platforms. The analysis evaluates the impact of steady aerodynamic interaction effects between the components of the LPS at design and off- design operating conditions. Mechanical coupling is provided by adjusting the rotational speed of common shaft-mounted components until a power balance is achieved. The Navier-Stokes modeling of the complete low pressure subsystem provides critical knowledge of component acro/mechanical interactions that previously were unknown to the designer until after hardware testing.

NASA Fixed Wing Project Propulsion Research and Technology Development Activities to Reduce Thrust Specific Energy Consumption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, Michael D.; Rosario, Ruben Del; Madavan, Nateri K.

2013-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the propulsion research and technology portfolio of NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program Fixed Wing Project. The research is aimed at significantly reducing the thrust specific fuel/energy consumption of notional advanced fixed wing aircraft (by 60 percent relative to a baseline Boeing 737-800 aircraft with CFM56-7B engines) in the 2030 to 2035 time frame. The research investments described herein are aimed at improving propulsive efficiency through higher bypass ratio fans, improving thermal efficiency through compact high overall pressure ratio gas generators, and exploring the potential benefits of boundary layer ingestion propulsion and hybrid gas-electric propulsion concepts.

NASA Fixed Wing Project Propulsion Research and Technology Development Activities to Reduce Thrust Specific Energy Consumption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, Michael D.; DelRasario, Ruben; Madavan, Nateri K.

2013-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the propulsion research and technology portfolio of NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program Fixed Wing Project. The research is aimed at significantly reducing the thrust specific fuel/energy consumption of notional advanced fixed wing aircraft (by 60 % relative to a baseline Boeing 737-800 aircraft with CFM56-7B engines) in the 2030-2035 time frame. The research investments described herein are aimed at improving propulsive efficiency through higher bypass ratio fans, improving thermal efficiency through compact high overall pressure ratio gas generators, and exploring the potential benefits of boundary layer ingestion propulsion and hybrid gas-electric propulsion concepts.

Advanced Nanostructured Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Wang, Qidi; Zhao, Chenglong; Lu, Yaxiang; Li, Yunming; Zheng, Yuheng; Qi, Yuruo; Rong, Xiaohui; Jiang, Liwei; Qi, Xinguo; Shao, Yuanjun; Pan, Du; Li, Baohua; Hu, Yong-Sheng; Chen, Liquan

2017-11-01

Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs), due to the advantages of low cost and relatively high safety, have attracted widespread attention all over the world, making them a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the inherent lower energy density to lithium-ion batteries is the issue that should be further investigated and optimized. Toward the grid-level energy storage applications, designing and discovering appropriate anode materials for NIBs are of great concern. Although many efforts on the improvements and innovations are achieved, several challenges still limit the current requirements of the large-scale application, including low energy/power densities, moderate cycle performance, and the low initial Coulombic efficiency. Advanced nanostructured strategies for anode materials can significantly improve ion or electron transport kinetic performance enhancing the electrochemical properties of battery systems. Herein, this Review intends to provide a comprehensive summary on the progress of nanostructured anode materials for NIBs, where representative examples and corresponding storage mechanisms are discussed. Meanwhile, the potential directions to obtain high-performance anode materials of NIBs are also proposed, which provide references for the further development of advanced anode materials for NIBs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Geysers advanced direct contact condenser research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henderson, J.; Bahning, T.; Bharathan, D.

1997-12-31

The first geothermal application of the Advanced Direct Contact Condenser (ADCC) technology developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is now operational and is being tested at The Geysers Power Plant Unit 11. This major research effort is being supported through the combined efforts of NREL, The Department of Energy (DOE), and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). NREL and PG&E have entered into a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) for a project to improve the direct-contact condenser performance at The Geysers Power Plant. This project is the first geothermal adaptation of an advanced condenser design developed for themore » Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems. PG&E expects this technology to improve power plant performance and to help extend the life of the steam field by using steam more efficiently. In accordance with the CRADA, no money is transferred between the contracting parties. In this case the Department of Energy is funding NREL for their efforts in this project and PG&E is contributing funds in kind. Successful application of this technology at The Geysers will provide a basis for NREL to continue to develop this technology for other geothermal and fossil power plant systems.« less

Core/Combustor Noise - Research Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hultgren, Lennart S.

2017-01-01

Contributions from the combustor to the overall propulsion noise of civilian transport aircraft are starting to become important due to turbofan design trends and advances in mitigation of other noise sources. Future propulsion systems for ultra-efficient commercial air vehicles are projected to be of increasingly higher bypass ratio from larger fans combined with much smaller cores, with ultra-clean burning fuel-flexible combustors. Unless effective noise-reduction strategies are developed, combustor noise is likely to become a prominent contributor to overall airport community noise in the future. This presentation gives a brief overview of the NASA outlook on pertinent issues and far-term research needs as well as current and planned research in the core/combustor-noise area. The research described herein is aligned with the NASA Ultra-Efficient Commercial Transport strategic thrust and is supported by the NASA Advanced Air Vehicle Program, Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, under the Aircraft Noise Reduction Subproject. The overarching goal of the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project is to explore and develop technologies and concepts to revolutionize the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of fixed wing transport aircrafts. These technological solutions are critical in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment even as this industry and the corresponding global transportation system continue to grow.

Designing lead-free antiferroelectrics for energy storage

PubMed Central

Xu, Bin; Íñiguez, Jorge; Bellaiche, L.

2017-01-01

Dielectric capacitors, although presenting faster charging/discharging rates and better stability compared with supercapacitors or batteries, are limited in applications due to their low energy density. Antiferroelectric (AFE) compounds, however, show great promise due to their atypical polarization-versus-electric field curves. Here we report our first-principles-based theoretical predictions that Bi1−xRxFeO3 systems (R being a lanthanide, Nd in this work) can potentially allow high energy densities (100–150 J cm−3) and efficiencies (80–88%) for electric fields that may be within the range of feasibility upon experimental advances (2–3 MV cm−1). In addition, a simple model is derived to describe the energy density and efficiency of a general AFE material, providing a framework to assess the effect on the storage properties of variations in doping, electric field magnitude and direction, epitaxial strain, temperature and so on, which can facilitate future search of AFE materials for energy storage. PMID:28555655

Multifunctional Graphene-based Hybrid Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Sanju

Intense research in renewable energy is stimulated by global demand of electric energy. Electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems namely, supercapacitors and batteries, represent the most efficient and environmentally benign technologies. Moreover, controlled nanoscaled architectures and surface chemistry of electrochemical electrodes is enabling emergent next-generation efficient devices approaching theoretical limit of energy and power densities. This talk will present our recent activities to advance design, development and deployment of composition, morphology and microstructure controlled two- and three-dimensional graphene-based hybrids architectures. They are chemically and molecularly bridged with carbon nanotubes, conducting polymers, transition metal oxides and mesoproprous silicon wrapped with graphene nanosheets as engineered electrodes for supercapacitor cathodes and battery anodes. They showed significant enhancement in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, interfacial capacitance, charging-discharging rate and cyclability. We will also present fundamental physical-chemical interfacial processes (ion transfer kinetics and diffusion), imaging electroactive sites, and topography at electrode/electrolyte interface governing underlying electrochemical mechanisms via scanning electrochemical microscopy. KY NSF EPSCoR.

Hierarchical Coupling of First-Principles Molecular Dynamics with Advanced Sampling Methods.

PubMed

Sevgen, Emre; Giberti, Federico; Sidky, Hythem; Whitmer, Jonathan K; Galli, Giulia; Gygi, Francois; de Pablo, Juan J

2018-05-14

We present a seamless coupling of a suite of codes designed to perform advanced sampling simulations, with a first-principles molecular dynamics (MD) engine. As an illustrative example, we discuss results for the free energy and potential surfaces of the alanine dipeptide obtained using both local and hybrid density functionals (DFT), and we compare them with those of a widely used classical force field, Amber99sb. In our calculations, the efficiency of first-principles MD using hybrid functionals is augmented by hierarchical sampling, where hybrid free energy calculations are initiated using estimates obtained with local functionals. We find that the free energy surfaces obtained from classical and first-principles calculations differ. Compared to DFT results, the classical force field overestimates the internal energy contribution of high free energy states, and it underestimates the entropic contribution along the entire free energy profile. Using the string method, we illustrate how these differences lead to different transition pathways connecting the metastable minima of the alanine dipeptide. In larger peptides, those differences would lead to qualitatively different results for the equilibrium structure and conformation of these molecules.

Performance of an Advanced Stirling Convertor Based on Heat Flux Sensor Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Scott D.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) have been developing the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) for use as a power system for space science missions. This generator would use two high-efficiency Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs), developed by Sunpower, Inc., and NASA Glenn Research Center. The ASCs convert thermal energy from a radioisotope heat source into electricity. As part of ground testing of these ASCs, different operating conditions are used to simulate expected mission conditions. These conditions require achieving a particular operating frequency, hot-end and cold-end temperatures, and specified electrical power output for a given heat input. It is difficult to measure heat input to Stirling convertors due to the complex geometries of the hot components, temperature limits of sensor materials, and invasive integration of sensors. A thin-film heat flux sensor was used to directly measure heat input to an ASC. The effort succeeded in designing and fabricating unique sensors, which were integrated into a Stirling convertor ground test and exposed to test temperatures exceeding 700 C in air for 10,000 hr. Sensor measurements were used to calculate thermal efficiency for ASC-E (Engineering Unit) #1 and #4. The post-disassembly condition of the sensors is also discussed.

Performance of the CELSS Antarctic Analog Project (CAAP) Crop Production System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David L.; Flynn, Michael T.; Bates, Maynard; Schlick, Greg; Kliss, Mark (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

Regenerative life support systems potentially offer a level of self-sufficiency and a concomitant decrease in logistics and associated costs in support of space exploration and habitation missions. Current state-of-the-art in plant based, regenerative life support requires resources in excess of resource allocations proposed for candidate mission scenarios. Feasibility thresholds have been identified for candidate exploration missions. The goal of this paper is to review recent advances in performance achieved in the CELSS Antarctic Analog Project (CAAP) in light of likely resource constraints. A prototype CAAP crop production chamber has been constructed and operated at the Ames Research Center. The chamber includes a number of unique hardware and software components focused on attempts to increase production efficiency, increase energy efficiency, and control the flow of energy and mass through the system to achieve enhanced performance efficiency. Both single crop, batch production, and continuous cultivation of mixed crops Product ion scenarios have been completed. The crop productivity as well as engineering performance of the chamber will be described. For each scenario, energy required and partitioned for lighting, cooling, pumps, fans, etc. is quantified. Crop production and the resulting lighting efficiency and energy conversion efficiencies are presented. In the mixed-crop scenario, with up to 25 different crops under cultivation, 17 sq m of crop area provided a mean of 515 g edible biomass per day (83% of the approximately 620 g required for one person). Lighting efficiency (moles on photons kWh-1) approached 4 and the conversion efficiency of light energy to biomass was greatly enhanced compared with conventional growing systems. Engineering and biological performance achieved place plant-based life support systems at the threshold of feasibility.

Geo-portal as a planning instrument: supporting decision making and fostering market potential of Energy efficiency in buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuca, Branka; Brumana, Raffaella; Oreni, Daniela; Iannaccone, Giuliana; Sesana, Marta Maria

2014-03-01

Steady technological progress has led to a noticeable advancement in disciplines associated with Earth observation. This has enabled information transition regarding changing scenarios, both natural and urban, to occur in (almost) real time. In particular, the need for integration on a local scale with the wider territorial framework has occurred in analysis and monitoring of built environments over the last few decades. The progress of Geographic Information (GI) science has provided significant advancements when it comes to spatial analysis, while the almost free availability of the internet has ensured a fast and constant exchange of geo-information, even for everyday users' requirements. Due to its descriptive and semantic nature, geo-spatial information is capable of providing a complete overview of a certain phenomenon and of predicting the implications within the natural, social and economic context. However, in order to integrate geospatial data into decision making processes, it is necessary to provide a specific context, which is well supported by verified data. This paper investigates the potentials of geo-portals as planning instruments developed to share multi-temporal/multi-scale spatial data, responding to specific end-users' demands in the case of Energy efficiency in Buildings (EeB) across European countries. The case study regards the GeoCluster geo-portal and mapping tool (Project GE2O, FP7), built upon a GeoClustering methodology for mapping of indicators relevant for energy efficiency technologies in the construction sector.

Gradient boosting machine for modeling the energy consumption of commercial buildings

DOE PAGES

Touzani, Samir; Granderson, Jessica; Fernandes, Samuel

2017-11-26

Accurate savings estimations are important to promote energy efficiency projects and demonstrate their cost-effectiveness. The increasing presence of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in commercial buildings has resulted in a rising availability of high frequency interval data. These data can be used for a variety of energy efficiency applications such as demand response, fault detection and diagnosis, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) optimization. This large amount of data has also opened the door to the use of advanced statistical learning models, which hold promise for providing accurate building baseline energy consumption predictions, and thus accurate saving estimations. The gradientmore » boosting machine is a powerful machine learning algorithm that is gaining considerable traction in a wide range of data driven applications, such as ecology, computer vision, and biology. In the present work an energy consumption baseline modeling method based on a gradient boosting machine was proposed. To assess the performance of this method, a recently published testing procedure was used on a large dataset of 410 commercial buildings. The model training periods were varied and several prediction accuracy metrics were used to evaluate the model's performance. The results show that using the gradient boosting machine model improved the R-squared prediction accuracy and the CV(RMSE) in more than 80 percent of the cases, when compared to an industry best practice model that is based on piecewise linear regression, and to a random forest algorithm.« less

Gradient boosting machine for modeling the energy consumption of commercial buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Touzani, Samir; Granderson, Jessica; Fernandes, Samuel

Accurate savings estimations are important to promote energy efficiency projects and demonstrate their cost-effectiveness. The increasing presence of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in commercial buildings has resulted in a rising availability of high frequency interval data. These data can be used for a variety of energy efficiency applications such as demand response, fault detection and diagnosis, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) optimization. This large amount of data has also opened the door to the use of advanced statistical learning models, which hold promise for providing accurate building baseline energy consumption predictions, and thus accurate saving estimations. The gradientmore » boosting machine is a powerful machine learning algorithm that is gaining considerable traction in a wide range of data driven applications, such as ecology, computer vision, and biology. In the present work an energy consumption baseline modeling method based on a gradient boosting machine was proposed. To assess the performance of this method, a recently published testing procedure was used on a large dataset of 410 commercial buildings. The model training periods were varied and several prediction accuracy metrics were used to evaluate the model's performance. The results show that using the gradient boosting machine model improved the R-squared prediction accuracy and the CV(RMSE) in more than 80 percent of the cases, when compared to an industry best practice model that is based on piecewise linear regression, and to a random forest algorithm.« less

3D-Printed, All-in-One Evaporator for High-Efficiency Solar Steam Generation under 1 Sun Illumination.

PubMed

Li, Yiju; Gao, Tingting; Yang, Zhi; Chen, Chaoji; Luo, Wei; Song, Jianwei; Hitz, Emily; Jia, Chao; Zhou, Yubing; Liu, Boyang; Yang, Bao; Hu, Liangbing

2017-07-01

Using solar energy to generate steam is a clean and sustainable approach to addressing the issue of water shortage. The current challenge for solar steam generation is to develop easy-to-manufacture and scalable methods which can convert solar irradiation into exploitable thermal energy with high efficiency. Although various material and structure designs have been reported, high efficiency in solar steam generation usually can be achieved only at concentrated solar illumination. For the first time, 3D printing to construct an all-in-one evaporator with a concave structure for high-efficiency solar steam generation under 1 sun illumination is used. The solar-steam-generation device has a high porosity (97.3%) and efficient broadband solar absorption (>97%). The 3D-printed porous evaporator with intrinsic low thermal conductivity enables heat localization and effectively alleviates thermal dissipation to the bulk water. As a result, the 3D-printed evaporator has a high solar steam efficiency of 85.6% under 1 sun illumination (1 kW m -2 ), which is among the best compared with other reported evaporators. The all-in-one structure design using the advanced 3D printing fabrication technique offers a new approach to solar energy harvesting for high-efficiency steam generation. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Powder Materials and Energy Efficiency in Transportation: Opportunities and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marquis, Fernand D. S.

2012-03-01

The transportation industry accounts for one quarter of global energy use and has by far the largest share of global oil consumption. It used 51.5% of the oil worldwide in 2003. Mobility projections show that it is expected to triple by 2050 with associated energy use. Considerable achievements recently have been obtained in the development of powder and powder-processed metallic alloys, metal matrix composites, intermetallics, and carbon fiber composites. These achievements have resulted in their introduction to the transportation industry in a wide variety of transportation components with significant impact on energy efficiency. A significant number of nano, nanostructured, and nanohybrid materials systems have been deployed. Others, some of them incorporating carbon nanotubes and graphene, are under research and development and exhibit considerable potential. Airplane redesign using a materials and functional systems integration approach was used resulting in considerable system improvements and energy efficiency. It is expected that this materials and functional systems integration soon will be adopted in the design and manufacture of other advanced aircrafts and extended to the automotive industry and then to the marine transportation industry. The opportunities for the development and application of new powder materials in the transportation industry are extensive, with considerable potential to impact energy utilization. However, significant challenges need to be overcome in several critical areas.

A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of an Innovative and Efficient Energy Release/Storage System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-30

series of investigations that have been carried out for the application of a packed bed (with encapsulated phase change material-PCM) as an energy storage...The condensing flow of a single vapor through a porous medium, on the other hand, received relatively little attention (Nilson and Montoya , 1980...analysis that does not seem to be feasible even %kith the most advanced computational facilities. The fundamentals of the application of this technique

Results from the Operational Testing of the Eaton Smart Grid Capable Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, Brion

2014-10-01

The Idaho National Laboratory conducted testing and analysis of the Eaton smart grid capable electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), which was a deliverable from Eaton for the U.S. Department of Energy FOA-554. The Idaho National Laboratory has extensive knowledge and experience in testing advanced conductive and wireless charging systems though INL’s support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity. This document details the findings from the EVSE operational testing conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory on the Eaton smart grid capable EVSE. The testing conducted on the EVSE included energy efficiency testing, SAE J1772 functionality testing, abnormalmore » conditions testing, and charging of a plug-in vehicle.« less