Award Data

75085-Internal corrosion of natural gas pipelines is a leading cause of pipeline failures, leading to product losses as well as injuries and fatalities. Although in-line inspection tools are presently utilized, 30 percent of natural gas pipelines are not accessible to these tools, and internal corrosion is not detected in real time. This project will develop a wireless sensor network to detect t ...

75772-Most coal-based power plants use pulverized coal boilers to generate superheated steam for turbine applications, accounting for over 50 percent of U.S. electricity generation. The flue gas stream from these plants contains carbon as CO2, along with N2 and other minor components such as SO2 and NOx. Although some commercial technologies are available to separate or capture the CO2 from the ...

76045-The capture of carbon dioxide at the source of its emission has been a major focus in greenhouse gas emission control. Solutions must be both compact and economic, and also address the removal of other acid gases from natural gas streams. Current technologies used for capturing CO2 suffer from inefficient mass transfer and economics. This project will develop a stable, membrane-based, CO2 ...

75270-Steam methane reforming (SMR), the predominant commercial route for producing hydrogen, is a capital-intensive process ¿ capital charges represent 35-45% of product cost. In order to achieve the significant cost reductions required for the transition to a ¿hydrogen economy,¿ a meaningful shift in the underpinning reactor technology will be needed. This project will develop a safe, cost- ...

75593-The Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Underground Detector has been identified by the DOE as a high scientific priority for Nuclear Physics research; however, the current generation of proposed experiments to determine neutrino mass would require 500 kg of germanium (Ge), isotopically enriched to 86% in 76Ge, costing more than $100 million. Therefore, several alternate parent isotopes for neut ...

AVAILABLE IN ABUNDANCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THROUGHTOUT THE WORLD, NATURAL GAS REPRESENTS AN ENORMOUS ENERGY RESERVE. HOWEVER, DIRECT USE OF NATURAL GAS AS FUEL IS CONSTRAINED BY NUMEROUS DIFICULTITES: LOW COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY, UNRELIABLE IGNITION (MISFIRING), AND TRANSPORTATION. A DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE TO DIRECT USE OF NATURAL GAS IS TO UPGRADE IT TO HIGHER VALUE, TRANSPORTABLE HYDROCARBONS ...

APPLICATIONS OF THE NEW HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS IN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF WELL-CONTROLLED TECHNIQUES FOR FABRICATING THIN FILMS OF THEMATERIALS. CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS HAS BEEN OBTAINED WITH PULSED EXCIMER LASER DEPOSITION. THIS METHOD HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENT CONTROL OVER CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHASE. HOWEVER, THE FILMS OFTEN CONTAIN UNWANTED PARTICULATE MATER ...

75843-Improving the sensitivity and time resolution of spectroscopic plasma diagnostics is required to further understanding and progress in the development of fusion energy as an economically attractive energy source. Higher throughput spectroscopic diagnostics not only will benefit present experiments, but also will be important for the next generation of fusion devices, such as ITER. Although ...

The feasibility of the universal placement of telecommunications and power supply lines below ground, as an alternative to their typically low-cost installation on utility poles, depends upon the availability of a cost-effective convenient method for placing and replacing cables belowground. A network of underground conduits constructed of field-assembled rigid sections, including straight segmen ...

THERE IS A NEED FOR NOVEL WATER-SOLUBLE BIOPOLYMERS THAT TOLERATE LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 90 DEGREES CENTIGRADE FOR USE IN ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY. THESE CONDITIONS ARE ENCOUNTERED IN DEEP WELLS. THE BIOPOLYMERS EXHIBIT A COMBINATION OF OTHER USEFUL PROPERTIES, I.E., VISCOSITY RETENTION AT HIGH TEMPERATURES, GOOD SOLUBILITY IN HARD BRINES, LOW ABSORPTIVITY IN ROCK FORMATIONS, AN ...