Award Data

60143 Multicomponent shear-wave seismic data reveal information about subsurface lithologies and fluid properties that is difficult or impossible to obtain with compressional-wave data alone. Although commercially available three-dimensional (3D), multicomponent simulations handle many aspects of the 3D behavior of shear waves in complex media, there are serious gaps. In particular, step ...

60765 Current designs for electric motors use a housing that acts as both a structural support and as a method of cooling the stator and rotor. This approach to cooling is not as effective as possible because heat must flow from the rotor and stator through the housing to the cooling media. Because the housing must contain the coolant, it is also larger, heavier, and more expensive than n ...

60136 The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells for thermophotovoltaic (TPV) or reflective concentration systems will require a configuration that maximizes performance through dense cell packing and provides for high reliability through the use of bypass diodes. The lack of such a method is an impediment to the commercialization of TPV and reflective concentration systems. This project will use ...

60731 Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells offer many opportunities as an alternate energy source. However, problems in TPV cell characterization, needed for manufacturing process control have an adverse impact on efficient cell manufacturing and yields. This project will develop an `On Chip¿ smart sensor array to characterize TPV cell parameters such as temperature gradients, poly metal sheet ...

60768 Present technology vacuum pump power supplies do not provide the features needed for the Next Linear Collider (NLC). Most are located some distance from the pumps themselves, requiring high voltage distribution cables that can break down electrically due to radiation induced damage and cause fires. Those power supplies that do mount on pumps do not have serial control or adequately pr ...

60311 There are economic and environmental justifications for replacing conventional distillation processes with simpler membrane separations in certain applications. However, at present, there are no commercial membranes able to withstand the aggressive conditions associated with important industrial chemicals, including hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, and ozone. Prototype, chemic ...

60395 Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from gasoline refueling facilities continue to be an energy, safety, and environmental issue. In such applications, it is desired to vent the air in the system and keep the VOC behind. This project will develop a reverse separation membrane (RSM) system that allows for rapid venting of air while retaining the gasoline in underground storag ...

60119 Swiftly flowing ocean currents represent a significant untapped renewable energy resource for the United States. However, ocean current energy systems have not been economically feasible due to: (1) the difficulty of maintaining system stability while concurrently being able to quickly relocate the system to maximize power generation efficiency as current speeds change at varying d ...

Wet biomass is a potentially valuable energy resource but it cannot be shipped economically. If wet biomass could be converted to hydrogen, the hydrogen could be used in fuel cells to provide electricity and space heating to farms and other rural facilities. However, the only presently available technology for this conversion, steam reforming, is not economical for small installations. This pro ...

60224 A family of traveling wave tubes (TWT), capable of outliving a 20-year accelerator, are being mated to power supplies to produce drive power for klystrons for the Next Linear Collider, at about one-tenth the cost of available commercial amplifiers. This project will develop S, X, and C-band TWTs with full specification performance. Low current, long-life cathodes will be evaluated fo ...