Award Data

A novel integrated inter-propellant seal and thrust bearing (IPS/TB) for rocket turbopump applications that uses the latest technology developments in seal coatings and additive manufacturing to advance the state-of-the-art. The IPS/TB has low propellant loss, requires little or no purge gas, and no continuous purge when the turbopump is not in operation. The thrust bearing portion can handle all ...

Supercritical CO2 power cycles are being developed for both utility-scaled power generation applications, as well as smaller waste heat recovery applications. Supercritical CO2 cycles are more efficient than current cycles, and the associated turbomachinery components are significantly smaller than that for current steam turbine-based power generation. However, sCO2 cycles operate at a combination ...

Several automotive industry changes are leading to the need for wide-range, high-boost turbocharging systems. Engine emission requirements require good turbocharger performance over a very wide range of flow rates. Trends in engine downsizing require turbochargers to have both good high flow performance, and good low flow performance, to cover a wide range of engine rpm operation. Current methods ...

According to a 2014 study commissioned by the Department of Energy, hydropower from the more than 3 million untapped streams in the U.S. could potentially generate 65 gigawatts of electricity and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. However, the development of hydropower has been limited by several obstacles, as described by the U.S. Geological Survey: most of the prime locations ...

LI-COR proposes to continue development of a next-generation CO2/CH4/H2O analyzer that will offer an unprecedented combination of high precision and stability, making it the first highperformance gas analyzer suitable for long-term unattended operation. The instrument will be smaller, lighter, and far less expensive than competing technologies. LI-COR’s approach exploits a proprietary, revolutio ...

Optical limiters (OL) protect sensitive optical and electronic devices from laser-induced damage. The existing passive OL utilize nonlinear optical materials transmitting low-intensity light, while blocking laser radiation with intensity exceeding certain limiting threshold (LT). The common problem with the existing OL is that, at any particular frequency range, the choice of suitable nonlinear ...

According to a 2014 study commissioned by the Department of Energy, hydropower from more than 3 million untapped streams in the United States could potentially generate 65 gigawatts of electricity and help to reduce greenhouse emissions and pollution. However, the development of hydropower has been limited by several obstacles, as described by the United States Geological Survey: most of the prime ...

Supercritical CO2 cycles have the potential to significantly improve efficiency and reduce emissions in power generation. However, the unique fluid dynamic properties of supercritical CO2 that enable these higher efficiencies also complicate the design and layout of the system, particularly its turbomachinery components. The problem stems specifically from the highly non-linear properties of CO2, ...

Letters from leading researchers of subsurface hydrobiogeochemical processes, including Department of Energy researchers, confirm the need for low-cost, rugged distributed temperature sensing. Temperature and thermal gradients are critical drivers and state variables in many important subsurface hydrobiogeochemical processes, as well as indicators of hydrologic phenomena. In addition to helping un ...

Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) personnel juggle disparate tasks simultaneously. Their task simultaneously require physically grueling output, instantaneous information processing, clear communication and instantaneous decision-making. The current system provides capabilities far beyond their predecessors but with drawbacks: an information-rich battlefield requires increased time looking at ches ...