Find below faculty research that has been funded by the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.
2014 Research Funded by the Andlinger Center
Climate Syndromes of Seasonality (Climate SoS): Perspectives on Future Climate Change
Primary Investigator: David Medvigy
Co Investigators: Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe Elena Shevliakova
Year Funded: 2014
This project focuses on understanding climate syndromes of seasonality from both ecological and atmospheric perspectives. We seek to advance education and research by creating a broad understanding of seasonality, including its sensitivity to global change. We are using our analyses to address a wide range of climate-related environmental problems.
Electrochemical Direct Injection Reactor (ECDI)
Primary Investigator: Daniel Steingart
Co Investigators: Marcus Hultmark Michael Mueller
Year Funded: 2014
This project examins how different particulate fuels settle within a volume and studying how the surface energies can be exploited to create “fast” self assembly and disassembly of a small thin film battery. This project is inspired by self assembled battery efforts, but we are now assembling and disassembling the battery on a time scale of seconds to minutes.
Nanofracture Stabilization via in situ Precipitation
Primary Investigator: Claire White
Co Investigators: Sankaran Sundaresan
Year Funded: 2014
Precipitation of aluminosilicates in nanosized pores has been investigated using membrane-separated reactants (sodium silicate and aluminate solutions) under hydrothermal conditions. Reactants are seen to diffuse through the nanoporous membrane, with precipitation occurring predominately on the membrane surface. Further work is being conducted on assessing if precipitates formed in nanopores.
Overloaded Structures: Bearing Multiple Loads for Sustainable Building Operation
Primary Investigator: Daniel Steingart
Co Investigators: Forrest Meggers Barry Rand Claire White
Year Funded: 2014
This project examined two systems this year. System one included an alkaline-geopolymer battery, in which a brick becomes a battery through dual function materials. System two examined a perovskite photovoltaic ion conductor that attempts to exploit the transport properties of new photovoltaic systems as battery electrolytes.
2013 Research Funded by the Andlinger Center
Controlling Microcracking in Low Embodied Energy Concrete
Primary Investigator: Claire White
Co Investigators: Satish Myneni Jeffrey Fitts
Year Funded: 2013
Exposure of silicate-activated slag cement to various drying environments leads to extensive microcracking. Research has revealed that adding of a small amount of ZnO nanoparticles (approx. 1% wt.) significantly reduces the extent of microcracking. Underlying mechanisms have been investigated using optical microscopy, diffraction, porosimetry and synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography.
Design and Cost Analysis of Low-Carbon Transportation Fuel and Electricity Coproduction that Includes Carbon Capture and Storage in Shale Gas Formations
Primary Investigator: Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo
Co Investigators: Michael A. Celia Eric D. Larson
Year Funded: 2013
This project explored processes for making liquid fuels from biomass, or biomass/shale gas co-feeds, and storing CO2 captured in the process in gas-depleted shales. Prospective CO2 injection rates into shale were found to be modest, but well matched to the CO2 capture rates. Under a strong carbon mitigation policy, low-carbon fuels from such systems may compete at crude oil prices below $100 per barrel.
Publications:
Funding Source: Addy/ISN North American Low Carbon Emission Energy Self-Sufficiency Fund
On the Optimal Regulation of Electricity Distribution in the Presence of Distributed Energy
Primary Investigator: Amy Craft
Year Funded: 2013
This research examines how our existing regulatory framework towards electricity markets needs to be amended as new distribution energy technologies emerge. This is important because many new renewable energy technologies reside near the end-user. We find that treating both distributed and system generation the same will lead to sub-optimal investments.
2012 Research Funded by the Andlinger Center
A New Method for Assessing the Role of Metals as Fertilizers for Nitrogen Fixation in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Primary Investigator: Anne M. Kraepiel
Co Investigators: Peter Jaffe Francois Morel
Year Funded: 2012
The production of ammonium for crop fertilization consumes a substantial fraction of global fossil energy. Researchers are developing a technique (ISARA = isotope acetylene reduction assay) to quantify the activities of the different nitrogenase enzymes that catalyze the reduction of N2 to NH3 in nature. The technique has been successfully tested with laboratory cultures and is now being applied to natural samples.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Air Quality and Climate Benefits of Current and Potential Future Wind Energy Penetration in China
Primary Investigator: Denise Mauzerall
Co Investigators: Eric Larson
Year Funded: 2012
The aim of this research is to evaluate air quality and climate benefits of current and potential future wind energy use in China, and to design wind deployment strategies that maximize environmental benefits. To achieve these objectives, investigators are collaborating with Chinese and European researchers to optimize various wind penetration scenarios and conduct regional air pollution model simulations to identify those that, given wind resource, coal power plant vintage, and transmission constraints, lead to the largest air quality and climate improvements. Results show that enlarging the power sector planning area to facilitate electricity transport from wind power production provinces to high electricity demand centers and preferentially decommissioning inefficient and highly polluting coal-fired power plants are key to maximizing emission reductions from increased wind power production.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Development of Optimal Aerodynamic Shapes for Stall Delay and Mitigation in Wind Turbine Applications
Primary Investigator: Luigi Martinelli
Co Investigators: Elie Bou-Zeid Alexander Smits
Year Funded: 2012
Very efficient and accurate time-dependent 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solvers and automatic shape optimization methods, developed at Princeton by L. Martinelli and collaborators over a period of twenty years, are used to carry out aerodynamic analysis and design of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines and other cross-flow rotors. The aim is to improve the aerodynamic performance of turbines by designing blades with wider stall margins. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of blades with leading-edge tubercles, as well as thickness variation along the span.
Publications:
- L. Martinelli and A. Jameson “Computational Aerodynamics - Solvers and Shape Optimization",J. Heat Transfer -- January 2013 -- Volume 135, Issue 1, 011002
- M. W.Lohry,L. Martinelli and J. Kollasch “Genetic Algorithm and Adjoint Optimization of Periodic Wing Protuberences for Stall Mitigation”, AIAA Fluid Dynamics and Co-located Conferences, June 2013.
- Buchner, A.-J., Smits, A. J. and Soria, J., “Scaling of vertical axis wind turbine dynamic stall,” Proceedings of the 19th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 8-11 December, 2014.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Elastic Structures for Energy-Efficient Architecture
Primary Investigator: Sigrid Adriaenssens
Co Investigators: Axel Kilian
Year Funded: 2012
The goal of this study was to scale-up elastic deformations, found in complex plant movements, as a shape-shifting strategy for lighter shading modules for building facades. A graduate student performed research in integration of biomimetic design in energy-efficient architecture, and wrote a master thesis, research proposal, and publications.
Publications:
- Adriaenssens, S.; Rhode-Barbarigos, L; Kilian, A,; Baverel, O.; Charpentier, V.; Horner, M., Buzatu, D (2014). ‘Dialectic form finding of passive and active shading enclosures.’ In: Energies (under review)
- Rhode-Barbarigos, L., Adriaenssens, S., Charpentier, V., Baverel, O. (2015), ‘Dialectic Form Finding of Structurally Integrated Adaptive Structures’, In: American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, special issue on Structural Engineering (submitted).
- "Shell Structures for Architecture - Form Finding and Optimization" is available at http://www.routledge.com/u/shellstructures - 20% off with discount code DC361
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
In Situ High Resolution Studies of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase Layer
Primary Investigator: Daniel Steingart
Co Investigators: Bruce Koel
Year Funded: 2012
This project observes the growth of crystalline SiC nanoparticles on Si(001) at 900 ºC using in situ electron microscopy. Following nucleation and growth of the SiC, there is a massive migration of Si, forming a crystalline Si mound underneath each nanoparticle that lifts it 4-5 nm above the initial growth surface. The volume of the Si mounds is roughly five to seven times the volume of the SiC nanoparticles. We propose that relaxation of strain drives the mound formation. This new mechanism for relieving interfacial strain, which involves a dramatic restructuring of the substrate, is in striking contrast to the familiar scenario in which only the deposited material restructures to relieve strain.
Publications:
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Metal-organic Framework Composite Electrodes: An Avenue Toward Realizing Mg-ion Battery Systems
Primary Investigator: Craig B. Arnold
Year Funded: 2012
This project seeks to develop a new class of low-cost and scalable composite electrode materials with high electronic conductivity and the potential to provide rapid ionic transport through a nanoporous architecture. In tackling these key challenges for Mg-ion positive electrodes, this research can open the door to new types of high-density, non-lithium based battery systems for use in large-scale energy storage.
Funding Source: Addy/ISN North American Low Carbon Emission Energy Self-Sufficiency Fund
Modern Alchemy for Carbon Neutrality
Primary Investigator: Paul Chirik
Year Funded: 2012
This project explored the development of earth abundant catalysts, specifically cobalt, for the reduction of carbon dioxide. New synthetic entry points usually readily available cobalt sources were discovered, as were new convenient catalyst activation modes. Catalytic carbon dioxide reduction and unique alkene hydrofunctionalization reactions were developed and published.
Publications:
- Scheuermann, M. L.; Johnson, E. J.; Chirik, P. J. “Alkene isomerization-hydroboration promoted by phosphine-ligated cobalt catalysts.” Org. Lett. 2015, 17, 2716-2719.
- Scheuermann, M. L.; Semproni, S. P.; Pappas, I.; Chirik, P. J. "Carbon Dioxide Hydrosilylation Promoted by Cobalt Pincer Complexes." Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 9463.
Funding Source: Addy/ISN North American Low Carbon Emission Energy Self-Sufficiency Fund
New Multispecies Diagnostics and Elementary Rate Constant Measurements in Biofuel Combustion
Primary Investigator: Yiguang Ju
Co Investigators: Gerard Wysocki
Year Funded: 2012
This research project was focused on development of new non-intrusive diagnostic tools of key intermediate species (OH, HO2, CH2O) and elementary reaction rates in fuel oxidation at low-temperatures (< 1500 K). The results of this research support development of novel combustion engine technologies operating at low-temperatures to increase efficiency while reducing emissions.
Publications:
- Kurimoto, N., Brumfield, B., Yang, X.L., Wada, T., Dievart, P., Wysocki, G., Ju, Y. (2014), Quantitative Measurements of HO2 / H2O2 and Intermediate Species in Low and Intermediate Temperature Oxidation of Dimethyl Ether, Proceedings of Combustion Institute, Vol. 35, Issue 1, 2015, pp. 457-464 DOI:10.1016/j.proci.2014.05.120.
- Brumfield, B., Sun, W., Wang, Y., Ju, Y., and Wysocki, G. (2014), Dual Modulation Faraday Rotation Spectroscopy of HO2 in a Flow Reactor, Optics Letters, Vol. 39, Issue 7, pp. 1783-1786 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OL.39.001783
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Novel Municipal Solid Waste to Liquid Transportation Fuels Processes: Mathematical Model of MSW Gasification, Process Synthesis, and Global Optimization Strategies
Primary Investigator: Christodoulos Floudas
Year Funded: 2012
Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a type of biomass that is abundantly available in the United States. This project developed a stoichiometric MSW gasifier model that is able to predict the effluent within a few percent of experimental data. The model can be incorporated within a process superstructure to produce liquid fuels, generate electricity, or produce commodity chemicals.
Publications:
- Onel, O.; Niziolek, A. M.; Hasan, M. M. F.; Floudas, C. A. Municipal solid waste to liquid transportation fuels - Part I: Mathematical modeling of a municipal solid waste gasifier. Computers & Chemical Engineering 2014, 71 (0), 636-6
- Niziolek, A. M; Onel, O.; Hasan, M. M. F.; Floudas, C. A Municipal solid waste to liquid transportation fuels - Part II: Process synthesis and global optimization strategies. Computers & Chemical Engineering 2015, 74 (0), 184-203
Funding Source: Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership
Photochemistry at Hematite Surfaces for Production of Renewable Hydrogen
Primary Investigator: Bruce Koel
Year Funded: 2012
Results demonstrated principles for improving performance of hematite-based photoelectrocatalysts for solar water oxidation. Synthesized WO3–a-Fe2Oa composites exhibited one of the lowest onset potentials measured for hematite-based water oxidation. Surface science studies of Ni-doped hematite model electrocatalysts connected theoretical predictions with electrochemical performance of these materials.
Publications:
- “Water Oxidation Catalysis: Effects of Nickel Incorporation on the Structural and Chemical Properties of the α-Fe2O3(0001) Surface”, P. Zhao and B. E. Koel, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, submitted.
- “WO3-α-Fe2O3 composite photoelectrodes with low onset potential for solar water oxidation”, P. Zhao, C. Kronawitter, X. Yang, J. Fu, and B. E. Koel, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 117(46), 1327-1332 (2013).
- “Facet-dependent activity and stability of Co3O4 nanocrystals towards the oxygen evolution reaction”, C. Chen and B. E. Koel, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., submitted.
Funding Source: Addy/ISN North American Low Carbon Emission Energy Self-Sufficiency Fund
Sustainable Concrete from Optimized Mixtures of Binary Aggregates
Primary Investigator: George Scherer
Co Investigators: Salvatore Torquato
Year Funded: 2012
Current world production of Portland cement accounts for over 7% of world C02 emissions and over 6% of total world energy generated for industrial purposes. Portland cement accounts for 33% of the fabrication cost of concrete, where concrete is composed of aggregates, such as crushed rock and sand, along with water and cement. Using a new method to study granular structures such as those formed by concrete aggregates, we have discovered a way to produce a denser packing of regularly shaped aggregates. Such a structure in concrete would require substantially less cement (predicted 10-20% less for concrete of equal strength), thus potentially resulting in significant reductions not only to production cost, but also to C02 emissions and energy requirements. Experimental tests of this approach yielded denser concretes, but with lower strength, apparently owing to the irregular shapes of natural aggregates that results in trapping of air pockets.
Publications:
Funding Source: Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership
Tropical Cyclone Risk Assessment with Application to Reliable and Sustainable Energy Future
Primary Investigator: Ning Lin
Co Investigators: Michael Oppenheimer Jianqing Fan
Year Funded: 2012
This project aims to create a new hurricane risk model. The developed statistical model of hurricane intensity surpasses current operational models and is being integrated into a full risk assessment framework. The risk assessment has been applied to study hurricane economic losses in the U.S., flood mitigation measures for New York City, and strategies to protect energy facilities in Galveston, TX. Unprecedented hurricane extremes (“Grey Swans”) are also studied for various regions around the world.
Publications:
- Lin, N and K. Emanuel (2015). Grey Swan Tropical Cyclones. Nature Climate Change, doi:10.1038/nclimate2777.
- Aerts, J., W.J. W. Botzen, K. Emanuel, N. Lin, H. de Moel and E. Michel-Kerjan (2014). Evaluating flood resilience strategies for coastal mega-cities. Science, May 2014: 473-475. doi:10.1126/science.1248222.
- Lickley, M.J., N. Lin, and H.D. Jacoby (2015). Analysis of coastal protection under rising flood risk. Climate Risk Management. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2015.01.001
- 2013 Probabilistic framework for assessing the ice sheet contribution to sea level change (CM Little, NM Urban, M Oppenheimer), PNAS 110, 3264-69
- 2013 Upper bounds on twenty-first-century Antarctic ice loss assessed using a probabilistic framework (CM Little, M Oppenheimer, NM Urban), Nature Climate Change 3, 654-659 doi:10.1038/nclimate1845
- 2014 Probabilistic 21st and 22nd century sea-level projections at a global network of tide gauge sites (RE Kopp et al), Earth’s Future.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
2011 Research Funded by the Andlinger Center
Surface-modified Iron and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Remediation of U(VI)-containing Groundwater
Primary Investigator: Bruce Koel
Co Investigators: Peter Jaffe
Year Funded: 2011
Results demonstrate that transport of iron oxide NP can be achieved in saturated aquifer sediments by introducing negatively charged polyelectrolytes and optimizing polymer concentrations, and that these coated NPs retain their bioavailability that is needed for applications in bio-environmental remediation. High Ca++ levels can coagulate the PAA coated nanoparticles, which needs to be taken into account.
Publications:
- “Transport of Poly(Acrylic Acid) Coated 2-Line Ferrihydrite Nanoparticles in Saturated Aquifer Sediments for Environmental Remediation”, A. Xiang, S. Zhou, B. E. Koel, and P. R. Jaffé, J. Nanopart. Res., 16:2294, 1-10 (2014).
- “Poly(Acrylic Acid) Coating Induced 2-Line Ferrihydrite Nanoparticle Transport in Saturated Porous Media”, A. Xiang, W. Yan, B. E. Koel, and P. R. Jaffé, J. Nanoparticle Research, 15, 1705-1713 (2013).
- “Iron nanoparticles for environmental clean-up: recent developments and future outlook”, W. Yan, H.-L. Lien, B. E. Koel and W.-X. Zhang, Environ. Sci.: Processes and Impacts, 15, 63-77 (2013).
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Thermal Energy Harvesting via Size-Enhanced Pyroelectricity in PZT NWs
Primary Investigator: Michael McAlpine
Co Investigators: Naveen Verma
Year Funded: 2011
Thermal energy harvesting represents a promising avenue for recovering waste heat. Low-grade heat emanating from mills, factories, plants, and power stations is normally released to the environment, due to bulky and expensive equipment for effective heat reutilization. Direct conversion of waste heat to usable electricity could revolutionize areas ranging from improving building efficiency to portable power generation with variations in temperature.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Wet Walls From the Pore-scale to the City-scale: A Study of a Novel Passive Cooling Approach
Primary Investigator: Elie Bou-Zeid
Co Investigators: Howard Stone
Year Funded: 2011
Bou-Zeid group developed numerical simulation tools for evaporative/green walls and applied it to assess their cooling benefits. Reductions in the heat flux to the indoor by up to 80% were documented. These configurations have inspired the Stone group to design and perform associated experiments. The current design uses a continuous thin film flow of water to produce measurable cooling of an enclosed space.
Funding Source: Gerhard R. Andlinger Innovation Fund
Beyond Shading: New Materials, Technologies, and Forms for Cool Spaces
Primary Investigator: Forrest Meggers
Year Funded: 2014
The Beyond Shading project redefines the concept of cooling the built environment by exploiting overlooked modes of radiant heat transfer and new materials and methods for evaporative cooling, bridging fundamental research, applied research and design research, which has resulted in the 8m Thermoheliodome – a robotically fabricated foam pavilion following the sun path, exploiting indirect evaporative cooling, and making occupants perceive a cooler temperature by radiant heat transfer that is geometrically expanded through spectral reflection.