Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MI
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$2,000,000
Neuvokas
Energy Efficient, Incrementally Scalable, Continuous Basalt Fiber Manufacturing ProcessNeuvokas Corporation will develop an energy-efficient CBF manufacturing process. The project will focus delivering a filament-forming extrusion bushing capable of supporting the production of low-cost, high-quality CBF at scale. Using CBF instead of steel to reinforce concrete can reduce capital expenses, greenhouse gases, and operating expenses, and increase concrete service life and time to major maintenance by more than 30 years, saving greater than 0.5 quad (146,535,500,000 kWh) of energy per year.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
IDEAS
Award:
$499,999
New York University (NYU)
Grid Dynamics from City LightNew York University (NYU) will develop an observational platform to remotely reveal energy usage patterns of New York City using synoptic imaging of the urban skyline. The electrical grid of the future will be a complex collection of traditional centralized power generation, distributed energy resources, and emerging renewable energy technologies. Advanced energy consumption data is required to design and optimize our future grid. At present, the costly and time-consuming installation of smart meters is the only way to obtain this level of building energy information. NYU will harness…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$2,904,718
Newton Energy Group
Gas-Electric Co-OptimizationThe team led by Newton Energy Group will lead the Gas-Electric Co-Optimization (GECO) project to improve coordination of wholesale natural gas and power operators both at the physical and market levels. The team's approach uses mathematical methods and computational techniques that have revolutionized the field of optimal control. These methods will be applied to natural gas pipeline networks, and the final deliverable will consist of three major components. First, they will model and optimize intra-day pipeline operations represented by realistic models of gas network flow. Next, the…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
OH
Project Term:
-
Program:
INTEGRATE
Award:
$12,310,354
Nexceris
Advanced Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack for Hybrid Power SystemsIn Phase I of its project, Nexceris developed a compact, ultra-high efficiency solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack tailored for hybrid power systems. In Phase II, Nexceris is collaborating with Czero Solutions and Brayton Energy on designing and developing an ultra-high-efficiency power system that hybridizes an SOFC and a gas turbine. Nexceris will manage the project and lead SOFC technology development and stack production activities; Czero will serve as the system integrator; and Brayton will provide the gas turbine technology. The hybrid power system will operate on natural gas, with…
Status:
Selected
State:
TBD
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
ULTRAFAST
Award:
TBD
NextWatt
UWBG Device with Rapid Switching and Minimal Optical Power RequirementNextWatt is developing an ultrawide-bandgap optical triggered device that addresses the need for fast protection for solid-state transformers (SST), a promising technology for revolutionizing substations and renewable energy systems. NextWatt seeks to build an ultrafast optical switching device using a low-cost beta-gallium oxide semiconductor triggered with a readily available mid-wavelength optical beam. If successful, the device would enable solid-state-circuit breakers for protection of SSTs and other power and energy applications.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$689,000
Nitricity
Non-Equilibrium Plasma for Energy-Efficient Nitrogen FixationNitricity is developing a non-thermal plasma reactor that uses air, water, and renewable electricity to produce nitrogen fertilizer. If successful, this technology has the potential to economically decarbonize fertilizer production from the Haber-Bosch process, which produces more CO2 than any other chemical-making reaction. Literature and modeling analysis suggest that an energy efficiency ten times better than present plasma values and equal to or better than that of the conventional Haber-Bosch process could be achieved, which represents a $68B global market and gigaton CO2 equivalent per…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BETHE
Award:
$2,030,000
NK Labs
Conditions for High-Yield Muon Catalyzed FusionA muon is a short-lived subatomic particle with the same charge as an electron but 206 times the mass. When bound to an atomic nucleus, it orbits much closer to the nucleus than an electron does. In the context of a deuterium-tritium molecule, this screens the electric charge and reduces the “Coulomb barrier” that ordinarily prevents the nuclei from fusing. When a muon stops in a mixture of deuterium and tritium, even at ordinary temperatures, it causes nuclear fusion. In most cases, the muon is released following a fusion reaction and will catalyze additional fusions, but roughly 0.8% of the…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$500,000
NK Labs
Active-target Muon Source for Muon-catalyzed FusionNK Labs will improve the efficiency of muon production to enable cost-effective muon-catalyzed fusion, a process that can operate at much lower temperatures than traditional approaches to fusion. NK Labs would improve the design of the target that gets bombarded with high-energy protons to generate particles called pions, which rapidly decay into muons that are then routed toward the fusion fuel to catalyze a fusion reaction. Instead of the standard sheet or rod-shaped targets, NK Labs will use machine-learning-based optimization methods to design improved targets which increase the…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NJ
Project Term:
-
Program:
COOLERCHIPS
Award:
$1,990,282
Nokia of America
Delivering Energy & Exergy Efficiency in the Converged 5G RAN/Edge Compute NetworkNokia will reuse the heat energy AI workloads produce while delivering digital services to supply high quality thermal energy that can be used directly for building heating, cooling, and/or thermal energy storage. The proposed technology will pursue a low-cost, passive, ultra-reliable, high-performance, two-phase cooling philosophy from chip to room scale. The team will rearchitect the computing infrastructure for secondary use as a valuable heat source in heat reuse applications with minimal supporting infrastructure. Available work efficiency will be maximized via heat reuse enabled by the…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$498,297
NoMIS Power Group
6.5 kV, 100 A SiC Power Module Technology to Meet 21st Century Energy DemandsNoMIS Power Group (NoMIS) aims to bring to market within two years silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices and modules at less than half the cost of today’s commercial-off-the-shelf-solutions. The team will achieve this by sourcing chips from U.S. suppliers, in-house development of an innovative SiC module design, and outsourced module manufacturing in the U.S. The team will rigorously test the devices at leading U.S. research institutions. In the process, NoMIS will help develop an indigenous U.S.-based supply chain for this critical technology, such as electric vehicle fast…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$500,000
Noon Energy
Rechargeable Carbon-oxygen Battery: A New Class of Ultra Low-cost, Lightweight Energy Storage TechnologyNoon will create a rechargeable battery that turns solar and wind electricity into on-demand power. The battery uses ultra-low-cost storage media and stores energy by splitting CO2 into solid carbon and oxygen. Noon’s technology could provide a low-cost storage option compared with existing batteries.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
Electrofuels
Award:
$3,149,561
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Liquid Fuel from Heat-Loving MicroorganismsNorth Carolina State University (NC State) is working with the University of Georgia to create electrofuels from primitive organisms called extremophiles that evolved before photosynthetic organisms and live in extreme, hot water environments with temperatures ranging from 167-212 degrees Fahrenheit. The team is genetically engineering these microorganisms so they can use hydrogen to turn carbon dioxide directly into alcohol-based fuels. High temperatures are required to distill the biofuels from the water where the organisms live, but the heat-tolerant organisms will continue to thrive even…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
MEITNER
Award:
$3,386,834
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Management and Control System for Advanced ReactorsNorth Carolina State University (NC State) will develop a highly automated management and control system for advanced nuclear reactors. The system will provide operations recommendations to staff during all modes of plant operation except shutdown operations. Using an artificial-intelligence (AI) guided system enabling continuous extensive monitoring of plant status, knowledge of current component status, and plant parameter trends, the system will continuously predict near-term behavior within the plant and recommend a course of action to plant personnel. If successful, this comprehensive,…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
PETRO
Award:
$8,556,336
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Jet Fuel from CamelinaNorth Carolina State University (NC State) will genetically modify the oil-crop plant Camelina sativa to produce high quantities of both modified oils and terpenes. These components are optimized for thermocatalytic conversion into energy-dense drop-in transportation fuels. The genetically engineered Camelina will capture more carbon than current varieties and have higher oil yields. The Camelina will be more tolerant to drought and heat, which makes it suitable for farming in warmer and drier climate zones in the US. The increased productivity of NC State's enhanced Camelina and the…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,584,842
North Carolina State University (NC State)
A Data-driven Approach to High Precision Construction and Reduced Overnight Cost and ScheduleNC State proposes to develop an innovative virtual environment to digitally manage the performance of nuclear construction. The team envisions this construction performance modeling and simulation (CPMS) environment will facilitate automated inspections of components and subsystems before shipping, which will reduce construction staffing levels, improve supply chain efficiency, and prevent delays due to quality and compatibility issues.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,500,000
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Multi-Decadal Decarbonization Pathways for U.S. Freight RailThe freight rail industry faces pressure to reduce its greenhouse emissions. Currently there is no tool to rigorously identify realistic decarbonization pathways. NC State will quantify the potential of battery-electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-fuel motive power to achieve deep decarbonization over a 30-year planning horizon. The team will develop the Achieving Sustainable Train Energy Pathways (A-STEP) open-source software tool to account for train dynamics, propulsion, energy storage, multi-train interactions, energy delivery, and storage infrastructure. They will consider substitutions,…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$1,862,109
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Intensified Alkenyl Benzenes Production via Modular Redox DehydrogenationNorth Carolina State University (NC State) will develop transformative, autothermal Redox-Dehydrogenation (RDH) technology to flexibly produce a variety of alkenyl benzenes in modular packed beds with integrated air separation and greatly simplified product separation. Styrene alone represents a market of over $50 billion/year and its production emits more than 27 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). NC State aims to demonstrate the feasibility and attractiveness of the RDH technology and its ability to reduce energy consumption, operating costs, energy, and CO2 emissions for styrene and…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$4,828,980
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Microgrid Control/Coordination Co-Design (MicroC3)North Carolina State University (NC State) will radically change how future microgrids are designed by developing a suite of microgrid control/coordination co-design tools capable of performing systematic design of an optimized microgrid, given a set of design objectives and performance constraints. The team will develop a well-documented co-design engineering process supported by a tool suite that yields optimal equipment selection, guarantees system stability, evaluates system dynamics, and delivers an integrated coordination/control and communication software/hardware architecture with a…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NC
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$476,190
North Carolina State University (NC State)
HVPE Grown GaN Conductive Substrates for Power ElectronicsNorth Carolina State University will develop a method to fabricate electrically conductive thick gallium nitride crystals that could be used in the manufacturing of substrates for vertical gallium nitride semiconductors. North Carolina State University’s pristine semiconductor substrates—composed of a material that can operate at higher temperatures and withstand higher voltages than silicon—would enable more efficient power delivery, bringing higher currents and voltages within reach in power electronics.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
CIRCUITS
Award:
$627,176
Northeastern University
Universal Converter for AC SystemsNortheastern University will develop a new class of universal power converters that use the fast switching and high breakdown voltage properties of silicon carbide (SiC) switches to significantly reduce system weight, volume, cost, power loss, and failure rates. Northeastern's proposed 10 kW SiC based high-frequency converter topology minimizes the size of passive components that are used for power transfer, and replaces electrolytic capacitors with short lifetimes with film capacitors. The proposed universal converter can be used for transferring power from any type of source to any type…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
IDEAS
Award:
$240,118
Northeastern University
Power Converter for Photovoltaic ApplicationsNortheastern University will develop a new class of universal power converters that can be used in a wide range of applications including renewable energy systems, automotive, and manufacturing technologies. Northeastern will focus the project on the design, simulation, prototyping, and experimental evaluation for PV systems. This project proposes a new class of converters that can both step up and step down the voltage. This converter uses a very small film capacitor for transferring the power from the input to the output. The proposed technology eliminates the need for electrolytic…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
IDEAS
Award:
$500,000
Northeastern University
Materials for Magnetocaloric ApplicationsNortheastern University, in partnership with the Ames Laboratory, will evaluate a range of new magnetocaloric compounds (AlT2X2) for potential application in room-temperature magnetic cooling. Magnetic refrigeration is an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional vapor-compression cooling technology. The magnetocaloric effect is triggered by application and removal of an applied magnetic field—adjusting the magnetic field translates into an adjustment in the temperature of the material. The benchmark magnetocaloric materials are based on the rare earth metal gadolinium (Gd), but…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$1,629,629
Northeastern University
Zero-Power Wireless Infrared Digitizing Sensors for Large Scale Energy-Smart FarmNortheastern University will develop a maintenance-free sensor network to improve energy and agricultural efficiency by monitoring water content in biofuel feedstocks. The team’s zero-power sensors will form distributed networks that can capture, process, and communicate in-field data to help farmers determine how to maximize yield. Specifically, sensors will monitor water stress-related plant characteristics and relay this data wirelessly to a control center in the irrigation system. The proposed technology does not consume any power in standby mode, eliminating the cost of battery…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
REACT
Award:
$2,216,836
Northeastern University
Iron-Nickel-Based SupermagnetsNortheastern University is developing bulk quantities of rare-earth-free permanent magnets with an iron-nickel crystal structure for use in the electric motors of renewable power generators and EVs. These materials could offer magnetic properties that are equivalent to today's best commercial magnets, but with a significant cost reduction and diminished environmental impact. This iron-nickel crystal structure, which is only found naturally in meteorites and developed over billions of years in space, will be artificially synthesized by the Northeastern University team. Its material structure…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$2,140,906
Northeastern University
High-Performance and Miniature Greenhouse Gas Sensor for Drone-based Remote SensingNortheastern University will develop a miniaturized laser-based gas spectrometer to address the three critical technical challenges (size, weight, and power) associated with the state-of-the-art drone-based N2O monitoring without compromising sensing performance. The team will leverage commercial and industrial drones to demonstrate high temporal and spatial resolution remote N2O monitoring suitable for large agricultural lands. The sensor will have an accuracy rate of ~1 ppb with a sampling rate >20 Hz, operate under low power (1 W), and fit in the palm of one’s hand, weighing <400 g.…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
HESTIA
Award:
$3,150,000
Northeastern University
4C2B: Century-scale Carbon-sequestration in Cross-laminated Timber Composite Bolted-steel BuildingsNortheastern University will dramatically accelerate the replacement of carbon-intensive concrete structural components by developing a new structural system comprised of deconstructable and reusable steel frames with cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor diaphragms. Diaphragms are structural elements that transmit lateral loads to the vertical resisting elements. CLT diaphragms can store up to 50% of their weight in biogenic carbon. Building design for deconstruction (DfD) of steel+CLT allows for direct reuse of structural members, reduces new steel emissions, and enables storage of biogenic…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$500,000
Northeastern University
Accelerating Electrocatalyst Innovation: High-Throughput Automated Microkinetic, Multiscale, and Techno-economic ModelingNortheastern University will develop a computer model that could identify new avenues for producing essential chemical ingredients using carbon dioxide, a waste product of fossil fuels. Computer modeling would save time and money compared with running experiments that often focus on a single reaction pathway, whereas computer models seamlessly detect promising pathways from thousands of options. The project’s first steps will focus on producing propanol, a useful hydrocarbon found in cosmetics, cleaning, printing, motors, and other products.
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
FOCUS
Award:
$2,440,277
Northrop Grumman
Thermo-Acoustic Hybrid Solar Energy SystemNorthrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is developing a dish-shaped sunlight-concentrating hybrid solar converter that integrates high-efficiency solar cells and a thermo-acoustic engine that generates electricity directly from heat. Current solar cells lose significant amounts of energy as heat, because they do not have heat storage capability. By integrating a high-temperature solar cell and thermo-acoustic engine into a single system, thermal energy losses are minimized. The thermo-acoustic unit, which was originally designed for space missions, converts waste heat from the solar cell into…
Status:
Selected
State:
TBD
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
TBD
Northrop Grumman
Contrail Avoidance SystemNorthrop Grumman is developing a contrail prediction and avoidance system to scout optimal altitudes for flight crew that would feature a predictive algorithm and new airborne instrumentation. Northrop Grumman’s radiometric temperature and humidity sensor would measure the environmental conditions above, below, and in front of an aircraft to enable flight crew to proactively respond to regions conducive to long-lived cirrus formation minutes before entering the area.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
IL
Project Term:
-
Program:
DIFFERENTIATE
Award:
$1,521,898
Northwestern University
Adaptive Discovery and Mixed-Variable Optimization of Next Generation Synthesizable Microelectronic MaterialsNorthwestern University will develop a machine learning-enhanced mixed-variable conceptual design optimization framework to construct new functional materials for energy savings. The team will use natural language processing (NLP) and physics-based machine ML to more efficiently guide the autonomous search for materials. The project will deliver a series of new ML techniques using NLP, conditional variational autoencoders, active learning, latent-variable Gaussian processes, and reinforcement learning in Bayesian optimization. Northwestern University’s project leverages functional and…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
IL
Project Term:
-
Program:
NODES
Award:
$2,924,598
Northwestern University
Frequency-Based Load Control ArchitectureNorthwestern University and its partners will develop a frequency-based load control architecture to provide additional frequency response capability and allow increased renewable generation on the grid. The work will focus on developing and demonstrating algorithms that adapt to rapid changes of loads, generation, and system configuration while taking into account various constraints arising from the transmission and distribution networks. The multi-layer control architecture makes it possible to simultaneously ensure system stability at the transmission network level, control frequency at…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
IL
Project Term:
-
Program:
REMOTE
Award:
$1,613,781
Northwestern University
New Synthetic Catalysts for Methane ActivationNorthwestern University and partners will leverage computational protein design to engineer and repurpose a natural catalyst to convert methane gas to liquid fuel. Current industrial processes to convert methane to liquid fuels are costly, or inefficient and wasteful. To address this, Northwestern University will alter natural catalysts to create versatile new protein catalysts that convert methane to methanol which can more easily integrate into fuel production pathways. Northwestern will also engineer an additional protein catalysts to couple, or join, two molecules of methane together, a…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
IL
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$950,000
Northwestern University
LOwering CO2: Models to Optimize Train Infrastructure, Vehicles, and Energy Storage (LOCOMOTIVES)New propulsion and energy storage (ES) systems technologies, as well as the charging/fueling infrastructure, must be developed to fully decarbonize U.S. rail freight greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Northwestern will develop and apply analysis, evaluation, and decision tools to assess the effectiveness of technologies and deployment strategies to significantly reduce GHG emissions from the rail freight sector. The tools will provide the capability to examine trade-offs between various costs, benefits and other impact components of the different technologies and policies that may impact their…
Status:
Selected
State:
IL
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
TBD
Northwestern University
Inter Modal Analytics for Green Infrastructure Network Energy Decarbonization (IMAGINED)Northwestern University will develop an online, open-source platform that would support the roll out of decarbonized infrastructure investments across the freight network and offer logistics routing for individual shipments. Northwestern University’s platform could pinpoint opportunities for decarbonization at transloading terminals, which play a crucial role in determining the feasibility and efficiency of intermodal transit.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NM
Project Term:
-
Program:
ALPHA
Award:
$3,043,946
NumerEx
Stabilized Liner Compressor For Low-Cost FusionNumerEx will develop a Stabilized Liner Compressor (SLC) which uses a liquid metal liner for non-destructive experimentation and operation, meaning the liner implosion is quickly repeatable. The SLC uses a rotating chamber, in which liquid metal is formed into a hollow cylinder. The liquid is pushed by pistons driven by high-pressure gas, collapsing the inner surface around a target on the axis. The rotation of the liquid liner avoids instabilities that would otherwise occur during compression of the plasma. After each experiment, the liquid liner can flow back to its original position for…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
PA
Project Term:
-
Program:
CURIE
Award:
$4,714,784
NuVision Engineering
Modular Power Fluidics and Online Optical Spectroscopy for Reprocessing Separation Plant AccountancyNuVision Engineering will design, build, commission, and operate an integrated material accountancy test platform that will predict post-process nuclear material accountancy within 1% uncertainty for an aqueous reprocessing plant. Current U.S. reprocessing plants utilize commercial process equipment for pumping, mixing, and sampling that requires regular maintenance and replacement due to radiolytic degradation of seals and other non-metallic components. To reduce reprocessing facility downtime, sampling equipment is often duplicated so that one system can be used while the other is…
Status:
Selected
State:
TBD
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
COOLERCHIPS
Award:
TBD
Nvidia
Green Refrigerant Compact Hybrid System for Ultra-Efficient and Sustainable HPC CoolingNvidia will develop a novel modular datacenter with an innovative cooling system that combines direct-to-chip, pumped two-phase and single-phase immersion in a rack manifold with built-in pumps and a liquid-vapor separator. The design cools chips with a two-phase cold plate, while the rest of the server components with lower power density will be submerged inside a hermetically sealed immersion sled with the servers cooled using green refrigerants for the twophase cooling and dielectric fluid for the immersion. The two-phase porous metal cold plate will achieve a thermal resistance as low as…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
AMPED
Award:
$999,998
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Temperature-Regulated BatteriesOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing an innovative battery design to more effectively regulate destructive isolated hot-spots that develop within a battery during use and eventually lead to degradation of the cells. Today's batteries are not fully equipped to monitor and regulate internal temperatures, which can negatively impact battery performance, life-time, and safety. ORNL's design would integrate efficient temperature control at each layer inside lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery cells. In addition to monitoring temperatures, the design would provide active cooling and…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
BETHE
Award:
$600,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Magnetic Field Vector Measurements Using Doppler-Free Saturation SpectroscopyKnowing the magnetic field inside a fusion device is essential for understanding and validating performance, but measuring the magnetic field without perturbing it is exceedingly challenging. This Capability Team will build a non-perturbative, portable diagnostic to measure the topology of the equilibrium magnetic field vector in potentially transformative, magnetically confined fusion devices. The technique to be used, Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy (DFSS), is a pump/probe laser-based technique that has demonstrated magnetic field measurement accuracy of <10 G in laboratory…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENI
Award:
$5,496,651
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Magnetic Amplifier for Power Flow ControlOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing an electromagnet-based, amplifier-like device that will allow for complete control over the flow of power within the electric grid. To date, complete control of power flow within the grid has been prohibitively expensive. ORNL's controller could provide a reliable, cost-effective solution to this problem. The team is combining two types of pre-existing technologies to assist in flow control, culminating in a prototype iron-based magnetic amplifier. Ordinarily, such a device would require expensive superconductive wire, but the magnetic…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
IMPACCT
Award:
$799,570
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
High Surface-Area CO2 SpongeThe team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Georgia Institute of Technology is developing a new technology that will act like a sponge, integrating a new, alcohol-based ionic liquid into hollow fibers to capture CO2 from the exhaust produced by coal-fired power plants. Ionic liquids—salts that exist in liquid form—are promising materials for carbon capture and storage, but their tendency to thicken when combined with CO2 limits their efficiency and poses a challenge for their development as a cost-effective alternative to current-generation solutions. Adding alcohol to the mix…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
INTEGRATE
Award:
$1,149,999
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
A Natural-gas based High Efficiency Combined Thermo-chemical Affordable Reactor (NECTAR)Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will develop next generation heat exchangers for use in hybrid power generation systems. Proper and efficient heat transfer is at the heart of a hybrid system that allows each sub-component to operate most efficiently and at its optimal conditions. Integrated hybrid systems require heat exchangers that can accommodate both high temperatures as well as elevated pressures. The key challenge of this project is to develop materials that are compatible with the application, meet the demanding physical and structural requirements, and harness additive…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
IONICS
Award:
$3,000,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Metastable And Glassy Ionic ConductorsOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will develop glassy Li-ion conductors that are electrochemically and mechanically stable against lithium metal and can be integrated into full battery cells. Metallic lithium anodes could significantly improve the energy density of batteries versus today’s state-of-the-art lithium ion cells. ORNL has chosen glass as a solid barrier because the lack of grain boundaries in glass mitigates the growth of branchlike metal fibers called dendrites, which short-circuit battery cells. The team aims to identify a glassy electrolyte with high conductivity, explore…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
MEITNER
Award:
$3,150,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Magnetically Suspended Canned Rotor Pumps for the Integral Molten Salt ReactorOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee are developing and performance testing an innovative prototype pump for a small, modular, advanced molten salt nuclear reactor (MSR). The reliability of fuel salt circulation pumps is important to MSR commercial deployment since these pumps must operate leak-free for years at high temperature and in an extreme radiation environment. Present generation pumps are restricted to long vertical shafts with bearings located above the salt line, decreasing both pump lifetime and efficiency. This project will incorporate two…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$3,900,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Robust Metal AlloysThe team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will develop new cast alumina-forming austenitic alloys (AFAs), along with associated casting and welding processes for component fabrication. ORNL and its partners will prototype industrial components with at least twice the oxidation resistance compared to current cast chromia-forming steel and test it in an industrial environment. These innovations could allow various industrial and chemical processing systems and gas turbines to operate at higher temperatures to improve efficiencies and reduce downtimes, thus providing cost and energy…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$3,649,289
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Novel Proton-Selective Membranes For Energy StorageThe team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will design proton-selective membranes for use in storage technologies, such as flow batteries, fuel cells, or electrolyzers for liquid-fuel storage. Current proton-selective membranes (e.g. Nafion) require hydration, but the proposed materials would be the first low-temperature membranes that conduct protons without the need for hydration. The enabling technology relies on making single-layer membranes from graphene or similar materials and supporting them for mechanical stability. The team estimates that these membranes can be…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
RANGE
Award:
$550,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Impact-Resistant ElectrolyteOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing an electrolyte for use in EV batteries that changes from liquid to solid during collisions, eliminating the need for many of the safety components found in today’s batteries. Today’s batteries contain a flammable electrolyte and an expensive polymer separator to prevent electrical shorts—in an accident, the separator must prevent the battery positive and negative ends of the battery from touching each other and causing fires or other safety problems. ORNL’s new electrolyte would undergo a phase change—from liquid to solid—in the event of an…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
RANGE
Award:
$449,981
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Light-weight Battery with Built-in Safety FeaturesOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing an abuse-tolerant EV battery. Abuse tolerance is a key factor for EV batteries. Robust batteries allow for a broader range of battery chemistries, including low-cost chemistries that could improve driving range and enable cost parity with gas-powered vehicles. ORNL’s design would improve battery abuse tolerance at the cell level, thereby reducing the need for heavy protective battery housing. This will enable an EV system that would be lighter and more efficient, both reducing weight and cost and allowing the vehicle to drive further on each…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
REBELS
Award:
$2,750,000
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Nanocomposite Electrodes for a Solid Acid Fuel Cell StackOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is redesigning a fuel cell electrode that operates at 250ºC. Today’s solid acid fuel cells (SAFCs) contain relatively inefficient cathodes, which require expensive platinum catalysts for the chemical reactions to take place. ORNL’s fuel cell will contain highly porous carbon nanostructures that increase the amount of surface area of the cell’s electrolyte, and substantially reduce the amount of catalyst required by the cell. By using nanostructured electrodes, ORNL can increase the performance of SAFC cathodes at a fraction of the cost of existing…
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
SHIELD
Award:
$270,167
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Multilayer Insulating FilmOak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and its partners are creating a highly transparent, multilayer window film that can be applied onto single-pane windows to improve thermal insulation, soundproofing, and condensation resistance. The ORNL film combines four layers. Low-cost, nanoporous silica will be used to improve thermal insulation. A layer of a sound-absorbing polymer, which is commonly applied to windows for soundproofing, will be added between the silica sheets to reduce outside noise infiltration. A final outside superhydrophobic coating layer will minimize the condensation. A low-…