The US Department of Energy (DOE) has recently announced that it will provide $3.9 million in funding to 13 projects through its High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) program. The goal of this funding is to advance the performance, efficiency, and vitality of the US manufacturing sector and drive economy-wide decarbonization.
These projects will be collaborations between industry members and DOE’s National Energy Labs, and will utilize advanced modeling, simulation, and data analysis to improve manufacturing efficiency and explore new materials for clean energy applications.
The focus of this round of selections is on the HPC4EI’s HPC4Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) and HPC4Materials (HPC4Mtls) programs, which are supported by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), and the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM).
Among the projects selected are two by major automotive companies, Ford and General Motors, both related to battery technology.
Ford’s project will utilize the HPC capabilities of Argonne National Laboratory to develop a model of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in Li-ion batteries. This model could be used to accelerate battery manufacturing and help save energy and reduce CO2 emissions by promoting the use of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
General Motors will collaborate with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to integrate phase field and coarse-grained MD (molecular dynamics) models to predict the microstructure evolution and debonding during electrode drying processes. This research aims to improve the efficiency and quality of battery manufacturing.
Other selected projects include:
- Capstone Green Energy will work with Argonne National Laboratory to optimize injector design and operation for a microturbine firing 100% hydrogen. This could potentially result in a reduction of 3.5 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
- Boeing will partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to simulate impact-resistant composite fuselages for open rotor engines. This research could lead to significant fuel savings of 200 million gallons per year and a reduction of 1.9 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
- Power Systems Mfg., LLC will utilize the HPC capabilities of Argonne National Laboratory to develop a computational approach for predicting flashbacks in combustion systems. This research aims to develop highly reliable hydrogen-capable combustion systems.
- Baker Hughes will focus on de-risking the potential corrosion and embrittlement challenges associated with hydrogen transportation and its blending with natural gas. They will use HPC to select a novel metal-organic framework-based hydrogen sensor.
Each selected project will receive $300,000 in funding. The HPC4EI program is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Overall, these projects highlight the importance of leveraging advanced computing capabilities to drive innovation in the manufacturing sector and promote clean energy technologies. By improving efficiency and exploring new materials, these projects have the potential to significantly contribute to decarbonization efforts and create a more sustainable future.
