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The feasibility of fusion as a practical energy source needs to be improved significantly by removing some of the restrictions that low-temperature superconductors put on the fusion magnet systems. One method to simplify the magnet system is by using high-temperature superconductors that allow for more compact magnet systems with higher performance and much larger temperature margins. The compact, ...

Cellulose nanofibrils represent a natural, sustainable source of nanofibers that can be used as reinforcing additives. Unfortunately, the hydrophilic surface properties of the cellulose nanofibrils make it difficult for them to be incorporated into hydrophobic polymer matrices of common manufacturing plastics to form fiber reinforced composites. TDA is developing technology that can be used to mod ...

A recent experiment at the DIII-D tokamak has pioneered an innovative and potentially critical actuator for burning plasmas: helicon wave current drive. Steady-state profile maintenance in future burning plasma experiments will require efficient and economically viable sources of off-axis current drive. Promising indications that helicon current drive can fill this need led to the establishment of ...

Laser plasma accelerators (LPA) enabled by the Tm laser driver to be developed by this project offer much reduced size and cost compared to conventional accelerators of the same energy. This would drastically cut the cost of highenergy particle research on collider-based facilities and advanced light sources. Planned conventional accelerators (e.g., for the proposed International Linear Collider) ...

Nano materials have a wide range of applications, ranging from drug delivery in medical applications to new composite materials in aerospace applications. Experimental data on nanoparticle growth exists, but numerical simulations are needed to understand the underlying physical mechanisms and to enable better prediction of nanomaterial production. The numerical models of plasma assisted production ...

The Department of Energy is soliciting an emergency hydrogen refueler for an individual consumer fuel cell vehicle. With sparse hydrogen filling stations at present, operators of fuel cell powered vehicles can experience range anxiety lessening the appeal of these vehicles. Skyhaven Systems, LLC is developing an emergency hydrogen refueler that can be stored in the vehicle trunk and used by the co ...

The Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly and is creating the need for a more decentralized and secure way to integrate (IoT) devices into Smartgrid and power plant control system infrastructure. With an estimated 212 Billion sensor-enabled IoT devices to be deployed by 20201, these internet-connected devices will need to be managed differently than the current centralized approac ...

Tokamak magnetic fusion torus shaped nuclear reactors, including the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) have been in development around the world for over half a century and hold the most potential for sustained nuclear fusion electrical generation. To achieve this, ITER and other tokamaks are designed with perhaps the most complex vacuum system ever imagined, requiring more t ...

One of the key recommended research activities in a recent DOE development roadmap for next generation CSP plants (CSP Gen3) was to develop an in-situ molten salt composition/chemistry monitoring system. In-situ, real time, online monitoring is the first step in carefully controlling the salts’ composition which is key to achieving thermal performance and reducing corrosion kinetics and grain bo ...

"The next generation of very high field accelerator magnets (20 T or more) are expected to be made with high-temperature superconductors (HTS) along with conventional low-temperature superconductors (LTS) to reduce cost. The operation and protection of these magnets becomes very challenging particularly if the HTS coils are made with the tapes and operate at a much lower current than the LTS coils ...