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Projects

Development of High Sensitivity Engineered Optical Fiber for Distributed Acoustic Sensing (HS-DAS)

The “Development of High Sensitivity Engineered Optical Fiber for Distributed Acoustic Sensing” project (HS-DAS) aims to build on the success of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology for monitoring CO2 sequestration by increasing the sensitivity of DAS sensing cable. DAS is an emerging technology that uses commercial telecommunications optical fiber to sense acoustic waves.

Funded by DOE-FE-Office of Fossil Energy

Direct Disposal of Dual Purpose Canister R&D

Coupled THM numerical modeling is conducted to study thermal management associated with geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in large dual-purpose canisters (DPCs). DPCs, are containers designed for SNF storage and transportation and if determined to be feasible for permanent geological disposal could provide a cost effective disposal solution....

Funded by DOE-NE-Nuclear Energy

Dynamic Earth Energy Storage: Terawatt-Year, Grid-Scale Energy Storage using Planet Earth as a Thermal Battery

This project is a collaborative project led by INL that addresses the concept of energy storage that would involve converting excess electrical energy to heat and storing it geologically in deep saline aquifers. Additionally, available/excess thermal energy (from thermal generation sources) can be directly stored geologically with minimal processing. Stored heat can then be withdrawn at a later time to be used directly (as process heat for industrial applications) or indirectly (electrical generation).

Funded by DOE-EERE-GTO-Geothermal Energy Office

Engineered Barrier System R&D

The objective of EBS Disposal R&D is to address the technical elements necessary to evaluate EBS design concepts specific to the select host media. Emphasis includes analysis and study of thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes that influence the performance of EBS and developing modeling capability for reliable assessment of these processes and ultimately supporting the Generic Disposal System Analysis (GDSA) model with detailed coupled THMC process models.

Funded by DOE-NE-Nuclear Energy

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Induced Seismicity

Induced seismicity associated with energy production and waste disposal will become an increasingly important issue (geothermal, CO2 sequestration, and oil and gas, etc.) as energy production in a climate-constrained earth progresses. Although induced seismicity has been noted for many years and associated with a variety of causes, recent attention has been focused on oil and gas, geothermal, and potential CO2 sequestration sites...

Enhanced Weathering via Soil Amendments for Negative Carbon Emissions

Weathering of geological materials is well known to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to mineral carbonates and soluble carbonate and bicarbonate species.  Enhancing the rate at which those materials weather will clearly increase the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. The key knowledge gaps associated with these processes include the magnitude of...

Bhavna Arora portrait

ENIGMA

ENIGMA— Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes and Molecular Assemblies—seeks to advance understanding of microbial biology and the impact of microbial communities on their ecosystems. Team members collaborate closely to generate detailed quantitative understanding across scales—from molecular to cellular and community levels. Scientists within ENIGMA have the technological and scientific skills and experience to link environmental microbiological field-studies to both highly advanced field and laboratory meta-functional genomic and genetics tools.

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

ExaSheds

As the world population grows, so do concerns that water availability and water quality will continue to diminish. Changes in land use, climate change, and extreme weather exacerbate these concerns, which threaten not only our freshwater supply, but also systems that rely on watershed exports such as hydropower and agriculture.

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Exploring a Changing Arctic Environment Using Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing Methods (DoD–SERDP)

LBNL-ESD and the U.S. Army Core of Engineers—Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (USACE—CRREL) are collaborating to explore the use of distributed fiber-optic sensors to monitor the state of permafrost underlying transportation infrastructure, such as roads, runways, and rail lines.

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research