Award Data

The removal of all particles over a desired micron-scale size threshold from a powder sample is critical to the development of fine-filament, powder-in-tube superconducting wires, for which the final filament size is limited by the largest particles in the precursor powder filling. This project will develop a particle-removal technology that disperses the powder in an aerosol suspension and then ...

High-field (~5 T) bent-dipole (0.7 m radius) magnets are required as part of a 180-degree-bend beam-transport region in the high radiation areas of a planned Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA). The requirements for these magnets can be met by using a novel coil design called the double-helix dipole (DHD). The double-helix approach offers a solution to the design of these curved magnets that is much ...

The objectives of this research are to enhance and accelerate the in situ bioconversion of sequestered carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into methane in the presence of hydrogen-rich coal macerals and paraffin. Methanogens require a source of hydrogen and an electron acceptor such as carbon dioxide in order to generate methane. The abundance of hydrogen coupled with sequestered carbon dioxide in ...

A STEAMFLOODING/STEAM GENERATION SYSTEM IS PROPOSED FOR DEEP, HEAVY OIL RESERVOIRS. THIS CONCEPT MINIMIZES THE DOWNHOLE HEAT LOSSES, IMPROVES RELIABILITY AND REDUCES THE COST OF STEAM GENERATION. ITS FEATURES WILL MAKE STEAMING OF VERY DEEP WELLS (BELOW 7500 FEET) TECHNICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE, AND WILL IMPROVE THE ECONOMICS OF SHALLOWER WELL STEAMFLOODING. THIS NOVEL CONCEPT SUPPLIES HEAT ...

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Electronic ballasts for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps have achieved significant improvements over magnetic ballasts by increasing efficiencies from ~80-85% to ~90-93%, while improving power factor, lamp re-start, and the avoidance of acoustic resonance. In order to further improve the efficiency of these ballasts to greater than 95%, advanced power electronics ¿ such as silicon carbide (S ...

The data storage market constitutes a sizeable and rapidly growing facet of the world economy, and worldwide data storage needs are growing at an unprecedented rate. New technologies are needed to keep up with the demand for affordable, efficient, and permanent (archival) digital storage. This project will develop a new type of data storage system that uses very thin layers of material to perman ...

Because investment in the United States power-grid infrastructure has not kept pace with increased energy demands, existing power lines must operate close to conservative safety limits. Advanced instrumentation can simultaneously improve efficiency and maintain reliability by enabling true dynamic rating, identifying grid operational instability, and improving operator response to contingencies. ...

A FREE FALL WATER SAMPLER BASED ON THE CHOPSTICK WATER SAMPLER BAG WILL BE DEVELOPED. THIS PORCUPINE SAMPLER WILL BE CAPABLE OF TAKING UP TO 36 THREE LITER WATER SAMPLES AT DEPTHS CONTROLLED FROM THE SURFACE, OR AT DEPTHS DETERMINED BY AN INTERNAL CONTROLLER. THE SAMPLE WILL BE OPTIMIZED FORMINIMUM TRAVEL TIME FROM THE SURFACE TO THE BOTTOM AND BACK SO THAT THE CURRENT FOUR HOUR ON STATION TIME FO ...

THIS PROJECT IS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A MICROCOMPUTER-BASED INSTRUMENT FOR QUANTITATING SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS OF NUCLEIC ACIDS (DNA AND RNA) SEPARATED ACCORDING TO SIZE BY GEL ELECTROPHORESIS. THE STARTING POINT FOR ANALYSIS OF FLUORESCENCE-STAINED DNA IN GELS WILL BE THE IMAGE DIGITIZATION OF THE ENTIRE GEL ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERN (OR SPECIFIED PORTIONS OF IT) SO THAT THE RELATIVE INTENSITIES OF F ...