The goal of this project is to investigate the molecular interactions of H2 with earth materials (EMs) that may potentially affect economics and safety of H2 geological storage (HGS). We investigated (1) the H2 intercalation into interlayers of phyllosilicates, (2) the competitive adsorption of H2/CH4 onto porous materials, and (3) solubility of H2 in interfacial and confined hydrocarbons. Our results indicate that (i) H2 intercalation into hydrated interlayers is thermodynamically unfavorable and H2 solubility in hydrated clay interlayers is in the same order of magnitude as that in bulk water, (ii) CH4 outcompetes H2 in adsorption onto kerogen, due to stronger CH4-kerogen interactions than H2-kerogen interactions, (iii) H2 tends to dissolve more in oil than in water, and the introduction of CO2 as a cushion gas reduces H2 partitioning near the kaolinite surfaces. The outcomes provide foundational knowledge for preparing the USA for future storage site selection and storage system design, supporting DOE missions in clean and secured energy.
Hydrogen powered locomotives are being explored to reduce emissions in rail applications. The risks of operations like refueling should be understood to ensure safe environments for workers and members of the public. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using HyRAM+ to identify major drivers of risk and compare effects of system parameters on individual risk. The consequences of jet fires from full-bore leaks dominated the risk, compared to explosions or smaller leaks. Pipe size, leak detection capability, and leak frequencies of system components greatly affected risk while overpressure modeling parameters and ambient conditions had little effect. The effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) materials on individual risk were quantified by reducing the individual’s exposure time or absorbed thermal dose. PPE only showed a risk reduction in low-risk cases. This study highlighted target areas for risk mitigation, including leak detection equipment and component maintenance, and indicated that the minimal effects of other parameters on risk may not justify prescriptive requirements for refueling operators.
Leaks in a hydrogen system can have destructive effects on other components within the system, leading to cascading leaks. The risk of cascading leaks is not currently quantified in many existing risk frameworks, but the prevalence of cascading failures in historical hydrogen facility accidents necessitates further study. A method for quantifying the probability, frequency, and risk of cascaded leaks is proposed. The method provides example scenarios of metrics that would set off cascading failures from each physical effect, including a jet fire melting the O-ring of another component, and an overpressure event from an initial explosion shearing off another component from the system. Cascading leak frequencies and individual risk are calculated for an example hypothetical system. While cascading leaks are quantitatively demonstrated to add to the overall risk, their contributions are small and may not add value to a risk assessment when analyzed in this rigorous quantitative framework.
This a presentation for the 2024 Signal Processing Applied to Nonproliferation (SPAN) 2024 workshop. It discusses seismic research conducted at the Redmond Mine as part of the NA-22 STILGAR project.
Interpenetrating lattices consist of two or more interwoven but physically separate sub-lattices with unique behaviors derived from their multi-body construction. If the sublattices are constructed or coated with an electrically conducting material, the close proximity and high surface area of the electrically isolated conductors allow the two lattices to interact electromagnetically either across the initial dielectric filled gap or through physical contact. Changes in the size of the dielectric gap between the sub-lattices induced by deformation can be measured via capacitance or resistance, allowing a structurally competent lattice to operate as a force or deformation sensor. In addition to resistive and capacitive deformation sensing, this work explores capacitance as a fundamental metamaterial property and the environmental sensing behaviors of interpenetrating lattices.
This report accompanies Sandia’s deflectometry tool, SOFAST 2.0, providing both a user guide and a basic technical description. SOFAST is a deflectometry tool used to measure surface slope maps of concentrating solar power (CSP) mirrors and collectors. The original SOFAST performed high-resolution measurement of a variety of CSP mirror types. SOFAST 2.0 is a completely new version, re-implemented in Python and including many extensions and improvements.
Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated the Reftek Wrangler digitizer. The Wrangler digitizers are intended to record sensor output for seismic and infrasound monitoring applications. The purpose of this digitizer evaluation is to measure the performance characteristics in such areas as power consumption, input impedance, sensitivity, full scale, self-noise, dynamic range, system noise, response, passband, and timing. The Wrangler digitizers are being evaluated for potential use in the International Monitoring System (IMS) and On-site Inspection (OSI) components of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
