Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
BREAKERS
Award:
$4,147,550
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Inline Gas Discharge Tube Breaker for Meshed MVDC GridsGE Research will develop a medium voltage direct current (MVDC) circuit breaker using gas discharge tubes (GDTs) with exceptionally fast response time. GDTs switch using no mechanical motion by transitioning the internal gas between its ordinary insulating state and a highly conductive plasma state. The team will develop a new cathode and control grid to reduce power loss during normal operation and meet program performance and efficiency targets. A fast MVDC breaker is an important component in uprating existing AC distribution corridors in congested urban areas to MVDC, and connecting…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
DIFFERENTIATE
Award:
$2,123,823
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Probabalistic Machine Learning for Inverse Design of Aerodynamic Systems (Pro-ML IDeAS)GE Global Research will develop a probabilistic inverse design machine learning (ML) framework, Pro-ML IDeAS, to take performance and requirements as input and provide engineering designs as output. Pro-ML IDeAS will calculate the design explicitly without iteration and overcome the challenges of ill-posed inverse problems. Pro-ML IDeAS will use GE’s Bayesian hybrid modeling with multi-fidelity intelligent design and analysis of computer experiments and a novel probabilistic invertible neural network (INN). The proposed framework can be applied to general complex design problems. The designs…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
DIFFERENTIATE
Award:
$1,364,966
General Electric (GE) Global Research
IMPACT: Design of Integrated Multi-physics, Producible Additive Components for TurbomachineryGE Research will develop design optimization tools for the laser powder bed fusion based additive manufacturing of turbomachinery components. The team will integrate the latest advances in multi-physics topology optimization with fast machine learning-based producibility evaluations extracted from large training datasets comprising high-fidelity physics-based simulations and experimental validation studies. The integrated methodology will be used to demonstrate simultaneous improvements in the producibility and thermodynamic efficiency of a multi-physics turbomachinery component. Improved…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
FOCUS
Award:
$2,275,671
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Electrochemical Energy Storage with a Supercritical CO2 CycleGE is designing and testing components of a turbine system driven by high-temperature, high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) to develop a more durable and efficient energy conversion system. Current solar energy system components break down at high temperatures, shortening the system’s cycle life. GE’s energy storage system stores heat from the sun in molten salt at moderate temperature and uses surplus electricity from the grid to create a phase change heat sink, which helps manage the temperature of the system. Initially, the CO2 remains at a low temperature and low pressure to enable more…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENI
Award:
$4,412,392
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Connecting Renewables Directly to the GridGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is developing electricity transmission hardware that could connect distributed renewable energy sources, like wind farms, directly to the grid—eliminating the need to feed the energy generated through intermediate power conversion stations before they enter the grid. GE is using the advanced semiconductor material silicon carbide (SiC) to conduct electricity through its transmission hardware because SiC can operate at higher voltage levels than semiconductors made out of other materials. This high-voltage capability is important because electricity must…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENI
Award:
$816,229
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Cost-Effective Cable InsulationGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is developing new, low-cost insulation for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity transmission cables. The current material used to insulate HVDC transmission cables is very expensive and can account for as much as 1/3 of the total cost of a high-voltage transmission system. GE is embedding nanomaterials into specialty rubber to create its insulation. Not only are these materials less expensive than those used in conventional HVDC insulation, but also they will help suppress excess charge accumulation. The excess charge left behind on a cable…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
HITEMMP
Award:
$3,498,493
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Ultra Performance Heat Exchanger Enabled by Additive Technology (UPHEAT)The GE-led team will develop a metallic-based, ultra-performance heat exchanger enabled by additive manufacturing technology and capable of operation at 900°C (1652°F) and 250 bar (3626 psi). The team will optimize heat transfer versus thermomechanical load using new micro-trifurcating core structures and manifold designs. The team will leverage a novel, high-temperature capable, crack-resistant nickel superalloy, designed specifically for additive manufacturing. When completed, the heat exchanger could enable increased thermal efficiency of indirect heated power cycles such as supercritical…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
IMPACCT
Award:
$3,692,967
General Electric (GE) Global Research
CO2 Capture with Liquid-to-Solid AbsorbentsGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research and the University of Pittsburgh are developing a unique CO2 capture process in which a liquid absorbent changes into a solid upon contact with CO2. Once in solid form, the material can be separated and the CO2 can be released for storage by heating. Upon heating, the absorbent returns to its liquid form, where it can be reused to capture more CO2. The approach is more efficient than other solvent-based processes because it avoids the heating of extraneous solvents such as water. This ultimately leads to a lower cost of CO2 capture and will lower the…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
MONITOR
Award:
$1,438,627
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Optical Fibers for Methane DetectionGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research will partner with Virginia Tech to design, fabricate, and test a novel, hollow core, microstructured optical fiber for long path-length transmission of infrared radiation at methane absorption wavelengths. GE will drill micrometer-sized side-holes to allow gases to penetrate into the hollow core. The team will use a combination of techniques to quantify and localize the methane in the hollow core. GE’s plans to develop fibers that can be designed to fit any natural gas system, providing flexibility to adapt to the needs of a monitoring program in a wide…
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
MOVE
Award:
$689,908
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Chilled Natural Gas for At-Home RefuelingGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is developing a low-cost, at-home natural gas refueling system that reduces fueling time and eliminates compression stages. Traditional compressor-based natural gas refueling systems require removal of water from natural gas through complicated desiccant cycles to avoid damage. GE's design uses a chiller to cool the gas to a temperature below -50°C, which would separate water and other contaminants from the natural gas. This design has very few moving parts, will operate quietly, and will be virtually maintenance-free. This simplified, compressor-free…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
NODES
Award:
$4,368,485
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Synthetic Reserves from Distributed Flexible ResourcesGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research along with its partners will develop a novel distributed flexibility resource (DFR) technology that aggregates responsive flexible loads and DERs to provide synthetic reserve services to the grid while maintaining customer quality-of-service. A key innovation of the project is to develop a forecast tool that will use short-term and real-time weather forecasts along with other data to estimate the reserve potential of aggregate loads and DERs. An optimization framework that will enable aggregation of large numbers of flexible loads and DERs and determine…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2009
Award:
$2,249,123
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Nanocomposite MagnetsGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is using nanomaterials technology to develop advanced magnets that contain fewer rare earth materials than their predecessors. Nanomaterials technology involves manipulating matter at the atomic or molecular scale, which can represent a stumbling block for magnets because it is difficult to create a finely grained magnet at that scale. GE is developing bulk magnets with finely tuned structures using iron-based mixtures that contain 80% less rare earth materials than traditional magnets, which will reduce their overall cost. These magnets will enable…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$5,470,993
General Electric (GE) Global Research
High-Power Gas Tube SwitchesGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is developing a new gas tube switch that could significantly improve and lower the cost of utility-scale power conversion. A switch breaks an electrical circuit by interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another. To date, solid state semiconductor switches have completely replaced gas tube switches in utility-scale power converters because they have provided lower cost, higher efficiency, and greater reliability. GE is using new materials and innovative designs to develop tubes that not only operate well in high-power conversion,…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$2,561,429
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Silicon Carbide SuperjunctionThe team led by General Electric (GE) Global Research will develop a new high-voltage, solid-state Silicon Carbide (SiC) Field–Effect Transistor (FET) charge-balanced device, also known as a “Superjunction.” These devices have become the industry norm in high-voltage Silicon switching devices, because they allow for more efficient switching at higher voltages and frequencies. The team proposes to demonstrate charge balanced SiC devices for the first time. Their approach will offer scaling up to 15kV while reducing losses for power conversion applications by 10x when compared with existing…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$3,399,819
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Advanced Medium Voltage SiC-SJ FETs with Ultra-Low On-resistanceGE Global Research will develop a device architecture for the world’s first high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) super junction (SJ) field-effect transistors. These devices will provide highly efficient power conversion (such as from direct to alternating current) in medium voltage applications, including renewables like solar and wind power, as well as transportation. The SJ transistor devices consist of pillars of alternating doping providing charge-balancing allowing the devices to scale to high voltage while offering up to 10 times lower losses compared to commercial silicon-based…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
GEMINA
Award:
$5,412,810
General Electric (GE) Global Research
AI-Enabled Predictive Maintenance Digital Twins for Advanced Nuclear ReactorsAdvanced reactors must be designed to be financially competitive with fossil fuel power plants to gain a foothold in future energy markets. The GE Research team aims to reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs by moving from a time- to condition-based predictive maintenance framework, using GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 boiling water reactor as the reference design. GE will develop operational, health, and decision predictive maintenance digital twins (PMDTs) to enable continuous monitoring, early warning, diagnostics, and prognostics for the reactor systems. The team will develop a “…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
ASCEND
Award:
$8,676,094
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Electric Flightworthy Lightweight Integrated Thermally-Enhanced powertrain System (eFLITES) for Narrow-body Commercial AircraftGeneral Electric Global Research will develop a 2 MW fully integrated all-electric aircraft powertrain and demonstrate a 350-kW lab-scale prototype to enable zero carbon emission narrow-body commercial aircraft with all-electric propulsion. The technology is supported by several key innovations such as a high-voltage, direct-drive, synchronous permanent-magnet motor with transformational embedded cooling of the windings using supercritical carbon dioxide and high-temperature, high-voltage electrical insulation; a modular inverter fully integrated into the motor to reduce component count with…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
REEACH
Award:
$6,930,656
General Electric (GE) Global Research
FueL CelL Embedded ENgine (FLyCLEEN)FLyCLEEN will leverage the robustness and efficiency of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells that are integrated with the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine-generator. The result would be a hybrid system operating on a carbon neutral synfuel with a performance that leverages the power density and energy efficiency advantages of each component. Multiple advancement methods will be pursued to increase the power density of the fuel cell. The system is configured to optimize the balance of plant and thermodynamic synergies for electrified commercial aviation. Any wasted heat from the…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
FLECCS
Award:
$717,656
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Flexible Oxy-Fuel Combustion for High-Penetration Variable RenewablesGE Research will optimize an oxy-combustion natural gas-fired turbine—the Allam-Fetvedt cycle—for flexible generation on a grid with high (VRE) penetration at near-zero carbon emissions. The team will use gas or liquid buffering tanks and tight thermal integration between the air separation unit (ASU) and the oxy-combustion turbine. The proposed technology easily separates the CO2 and H2O in the flue gas of an oxy-combustor. The post-combustion outlet gas is more easily separated into water and CO2 to the pipeline, thereby lowering the electricity costs of grids with high levels of VRE. The…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
REPAIR
Award:
$6,652,415
General Electric (GE) Global Research
PipeLine Underground Trenchless Overhaul (PLUTO)General Electric (GE) Global Research will develop PipeLine Underground Trenchless Overhaul (PLUTO)—a long-distance, minimally invasive pipe repair system that provides structural rehabilitation of gas pipelines faster, more efficiently, and less expensively than traditional open-cut excavation replacement. The GE team, including Warren Environmental and Garver, will develop and integrate a highly dexterous long-range pipe-crawling (robotic) system, high-speed non-destructive evaluation technologies, and advanced spray-on thick-coating epoxy lining systems. The PLUTO system will provide…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$3,448,797
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Megawatt Any-Altitude Gas Insulated Cable System for Aircraft Power Distribution (MAAGIC)GE Research will develop a safe, lightweight, and altitude-capable megawatt power cable system with electromagnetic interference shielding capability for large aircraft. The proposed 10 MW cable system is expected to achieve ten times greater power density than conventional technology without degradation by partial discharge and is fire safe and oil resistant. This cable system will enable all-electric distributed propulsors for future large aircraft to achieve zero emissions by using aluminum conductors insulated and cooled with CO2, both of which are readily available, manufacturable…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,246,325
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Ultra-high-Performance nano-Liquid Insulation for upgrading Large Power Transformers (UPLIfT)The average age of large power transformers (LPTs) currently operating in the U.S is 40 years, with 70% older than 25 years. Insulation failure contributes to more than 60% of LPT failures, costing the U.S. over $18 billion annually. To improve transformer life, GE Research will develop a long-term stable nanofluid dielectric to double the service life of current LPTs to at least 80 years. GE’s TiO2-based nanofluid will replace the conventional transformer insulating fluid and is expected to improve thermal conductivity by >25% and enhance dielectric strength by at least 50%. Additionally…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
ULTIMATE
Award:
$3,805,494
General Electric (GE) Global Research
ULTIMATE Refractory Alloy Innovations for Superior Efficiency (RAISE)GE Research has proposed transformational material solutions to potentially enable a gas turbine blade alloy-coating system capable of operating at a turbine inlet temperature of 1800 °C for more than 30,000 hours. GE aims to develop a (1) niobium (Nb)-based alloy that can operate at 1300 °C (2372 °F), (2) coating system consisting of a novel oxidation resistant bond coat compatible with the new Nb-based alloy, and (3) thermal barrier coating for improved durability that can operate at 1700 °C (3092 °F) and a scalable manufacturing process for producing internally cooled gas turbine blades…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
ONWARDS
Award:
$4,499,463
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Resonance Absorption Densitometry for Materials Assay Security Safeguards (RADMASS)General Electric (GE) Global Research, with Lumitron Technologies and Idaho State University, will develop an innovative active interrogation technique, Resonance Absorption Densitometry for Materials Assay Security Safeguards (RADMASS), which can penetrate advanced reactor fuel (dense solid actinides) and measure fissile mass density (<1% uncertainty) on the order of minutes or less while being insensitive to high background radiation. This will enable measurements of both UNF input and transuranic/plutonium output, which are the largest factors in standard error in inventory differences…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$2,696,056
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Manufacturing High-Yield Investment Castings with Minimal-EnergyGeneral Electric (GE) Gas Power will develop an innovative, super energy-efficient single-piece furnace for IC to produce future high-technology blades and vanes for IGTs. During the past 20 years IGT blades and vanes have grown larger with increasingly complex internal features. GE proposes an innovative furnace design coupled with additive ceramic mold technologies to make single crystal blades and vanes. This energy-efficient technology would reduce cycle time and realize improved yields through lithographic printing of the core and shell of the casting—eliminating the thermal expansion…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$1,567,813
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Lifted-Flame Combustion for High-Hydrogen Reheat Gas TurbinesGeneral Electric (GE) Gas Power will study high-velocity lifted-flame reheat combustion within the turbine section as a high-risk, high-payoff technology to achieve high-efficiency gas turbine operation with nearly pure hydrogen (H2) fuels. GE is proposing a novel approach to H2 jet injection into the main flow path in the hot gas path section to evaluate the commercial attractiveness of this approach in land-based gas turbines. This concept has never been tried with very high-H2 content fuels (greater than 80% H2 blended with natural gas) at high-velocity forward turbine stage flow…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
CURIE
Award:
$6,449,997
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Monochromatic Assays Yielding Enhanced Reliability (MAYER)General Electric (GE) Global Research, in partnership with Lumitron Technologies, Orano, and Sandia National Laboratory, will research an innovative safeguards solution, Monochromatic Assays Yielding Enhanced Reliability (MAYER), for aqueous reprocessing. MAYER will leverage a novel, compact, high-flux, low-bandwidth laser Compton scattering photon source for ultra-fast, high-precision (<1% uncertainty and <2 minutes) in situ fissile elemental and isotopic measurements; design a unique aqueous reprocessing facility safeguards digital twin (DT) to facilitate continuous, on-demand…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,499,848
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Engine-informed Prediction of Aviation Induced Cirrus Trails-EPIC-TrailsGE Research is developing a real-time, in-flight prediction system for aircraft-induced cirrus formed from contrails for commercial aircraft operators, who typically have little to no information on which flights cause long-lived cirrus clouds. In partnership with Southwest Airlines, GE’s system would combine detailed engine operational data, a hybrid physics and machine learning model, on-airplane data, and real-time satellite observations to predict aviation-induced cirrus that last more than 5 hours.
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
SEA-CO2
Award:
$4,274,658
General Electric (GE) Global Research
Spatially Resolved Multi-Parameter Sensing Of Ocean Carbon Dynamics Utilizing Fiber Optic Time-Of-Flight SensorsGeneral Electric (GE) Global Research is developing a fiber optic sensor cable that would span multiple kilometers of ocean volume and measure chemical ocean carbon parameters over large areas when towed from marine vessels. Conventional methods take measurements of ocean pH and dissolved carbon dioxide in water using sensors that are fixed at one point or lowered slowly from a stationary vessel. GE’s approach distributes chemical sensing capabilities over a continuous fiber optic cable cladded with polymer-based optical fiber coating, increasing the volume of water that can be measured…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$2,259,041
General Electric (GE) Grid Solutions
Development of an Eco-friendly Outdoor HVAC Power Circuit Breaker to Reduce Dependence on SF6 Technology in the U.S. Electrical GridGE Grid Solutions plans to develop a SF6-free high-voltage AC outdoor dead-tank power circuit breaker. The circuit breaker will be rated at 245 kV and will also provide the basis for a two-break 550 kV rated design. It will use g3 TM gas mixture for current breaking and dielectric withstand. This project is a critical step in launching a range of products that meet U.S. energy industry requirements without using SF6 technology. These products are essential to reduce the bulk electric system’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. The resulting products will be manufactured in the U.S.
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$1,506,668
General Electric (GE) Power & Water
Fabric-Based Wind Turbine BladesGeneral Electric (GE) Power & Water is developing fabric-based wind turbine blades that could significantly reduce the production costs and weight of the blades. Conventional wind turbines use rigid fiberglass blades that are difficult to manufacture and transport. GE will use tensioned fabric uniquely wrapped around a spaceframe blade structure, a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure, replacing current clam shell wind blades design. The blade structure will be entirely altered, allowing for easy access and repair to the fabric while maintaining conventional wind turbine performance.…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
NY
Project Term:
-
Program:
RANGE
Award:
$887,755
General Electric (GE) Power & Water
Water-Based Flow Battery for EVsGeneral Electric (GE) Power & Water is developing an innovative, high-energy chemistry for a water-based flow battery. A flow battery is an easily rechargeable system that stores its electrode--the material that provides energy--as liquid in external tanks. Flow batteries have typically been used in grid-scale storage applications, but their flexible design architecture could enable their use in vehicles. To create a flow battery suitable for EVs, GE will test new chemistries with improved energy storage capabilities and built a working prototype. GE’s water-based flow battery would be…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MI
Project Term:
-
Program:
NEXTCAR
Award:
$4,199,999
General Motors (GM)
InfoRich VD&PT ControlsGeneral Motors will lead a team to develop "InfoRich" vehicle technologies that will combine advances in vehicle dynamic and powertrain control technologies with recent vehicle connectivity and automation technologies. The result will be a light duty gasoline vehicle that demonstrates greater than 20% fuel consumption reduction over current production vehicles while meeting all safety and exhaust emissions standards. On-board sensors and connected data will provide the vehicle with additional information such as the status of a traffic signal before a vehicle reaches an intersection…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MI
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2009
Award:
$2,698,935
General Motors (GM)
Waste Heat Recovery SystemGeneral Motors (GM) is using shape memory alloys that require as little as a 10°C temperature difference to convert low-grade waste heat into mechanical energy. When a stretched wire made of shape memory alloy is heated, it shrinks back to its pre-stretched length. When the wire cools back down, it becomes more pliable and can revert to its original stretched shape. This expansion and contraction can be used directly as mechanical energy output or used to drive an electric generator. Shape memory alloy heat engines have been around for decades, but the few devices that engineers have built…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ADEPT
Award:
$2,530,949
GeneSiC Semiconductor
Utility-Scale Silicon Carbide SemiconductorGeneSiC Semiconductor is developing an advanced silicon-carbide (SiC)-based semiconductor called an anode-switched thyristor. This low-cost, compact SiC semiconductor conducts higher levels of electrical energy with better precision than traditional silicon semiconductors. This efficiency will enable a dramatic reduction in the size, weight, and volume of the power converters and the electronic devices they are used in. GeneSiC is developing its SiC-based semiconductor for utility-scale power converters. Traditional silicon semiconductors can’t process the high voltages that utility-scale…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
IDEAS
Award:
$438,520
GeneSiC Semiconductor
Novel Gallium Nitride TransistorsGeneSiC Semiconductor will lead a team to develop high-power and voltage (1200V) vertical transistors on free-standing gallium nitride (GaN) substrates. Bipolar junction transistors amplify or switch electrical current. NPN junction transistors are one class of these transistors consisting of a layer of p-type semiconductor between two n-type semiconductors. The output electrical current between two terminals is controlled by applying a small input current at the third terminal. The proposed effort combines the latest innovations in device designs/process technology, bulk GaN substrate…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
DC
Project Term:
-
Program:
IDEAS
Award:
$499,358
George Washington University (GWU)
Transfer Printed Virtual SubstratesGeorge Washington University (GWU) will develop a new technique to produce commercial III-V substrates called Transfer Printed Virtual Substrates (TPVS). To reduce costs, the team proposes using a single source substrate to grow numerous virtual substrate layers. The team will use an enabling technology, called micro-transfer printing (MTP), to transfer the layers from the source substrate, in the form of many microscale “chiplets,” and deposit them onto a low-cost handle (silicon, for example). Once printed, the clean surfaces of the MTP process allows each chiplet to complete the epitaxial…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
DC
Project Term:
-
Program:
MOSAIC
Award:
$2,857,607
George Washington University (GWU)
Micro-Scale Ultra-High Efficiency CPV/Diffuse Hybrid Arrays Using Transfer PrintingGeorge Washington University (GWU) and their partners will develop a hybrid CPV concept that combines highly efficient multi-junction solar cells and low-cost single-junction solar cells. When direct sunlight hits the lens array, it is concentrated 1000-fold and is focused onto the multi-junction solar cells. Diffuse light not captured in this process is instead captured by the low-cost single-junction solar cells. The module design is lightweight, fewer than 10 mm thick, and has a profile similar to conventional FPV. Moreover, the combination of the two types of cells increases efficiency.…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$867,261
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Development of an Advanced Ultrasonic Phased Array For The Characterization of Thick, Reinforced Concrete ComponentsDevelop phased array technology to enable “medical quality” imaging and characterization of thick reinforced concrete components. This early detection technology could prioritize maintenance to avoid macrocrack formation which could significantly increase the durability of existing concrete components, reducing lifecycle energy and emissions costs.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
FLECCS
Award:
$977,924
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Positive Power with Negative Emissions: Flexible NGCC Enabled by Modular Direct Air CaptureThe Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) will develop a modular direct air capture (DAC) process to be integrated with flexible natural gas-fired combined cycle (NGCC) power plants. This approach couples CO2 emissions capture from the NGCC plant using conventional technology with a novel design based on materials capable of removing CO2 from the air. The NGCC plant will run continuously, and the conventional technology will perform at its most efficient level. Steam and power from the natural gas plant are directed to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in times of low demand. The…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$728,376
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Characterization and Recovery of Critical Metals from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration AshesLack of diverse supplies for critical materials, such as rare earth elements (REEs), have prompted researchers to explore new sources and develop environmentally friendly technologies for critical metal extraction, processing, and manufacturing. Municipal solid waste (MSW), a large solid waste stream that may constitute the largest resource for REEs and other critical materials, offers an alternative. MSW incineration ashes, however, pose operational and financial challenges. Georgia Institute of Technology will develop a closed-loop, integrated, scalable, and environmentally friendly waste…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$2,161,054
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Surfactant-Free Multiphase Forming of Fiber Composite Products for Significant Reduction in Energy and CO2 EmissionThe technology proposed by the Georgia Institute of Technology avoids surfactant use to generate a stable foam by instead relying on hydrodynamic means to generate an unstable high-density foam to disperse the fiber into. The fiber mat is formed in a fast dynamic process before loss of integrity of the multi-phase fiber-air bubble mixture. The team will develop a next-generation paper manufacturing system that includes a novel microbubble generator integrated with a next generation headbox that can scale up for commercial production. The proposed approach should reduce the energy consumption…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ULTRAFAST
Award:
$2,700,000
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Scalable Wide-Bandgap III-Nitride Switch (SWiNS)Georgia Institute of Technology is developing a semiconductor switching device from wide-bandgap III-Nitride material to improve grid control, resilience, and reliability. Georgia Tech’s switching device seeks to achieve remarkable current and power capabilities by utilizing carrier control phenomena which transport current through the entirety of the semiconductor volume, a capability distinct from conventional power transistor designs which channel current through narrow constrictions. If successful, the device would enable switching on nearly any transmission line using a single device,…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ROSIE
Award:
$2,843,195
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Direct Hydrogen Reduction of Iron Ore Concentrate and Net-Shaped Fabrication of Linear Cellular Alloy SteelsGeorgia Institute of Technology is developing a method to produce net-shaped engineered lattice structures and cellular structures of alloy steels by solid-state direct reduction of extruded structures. Domestically mined taconite ore would be refined to remove impurities and obtain finely ground sinter-grade iron oxide powders. The fine iron oxide powder combined with other oxide powders and polymer binders would then be extruded into desired structures. The structures will be reduced in a flowing atmosphere containing hydrogen to obtain the final net-shaped alloy steel products via solid-…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
GREENWELLS
Award:
$1,970,200
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
AIRCAP: Advancing Integration and Reactors for Carbon Capture and ConversionGeorgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is developing an electrochemical reactor that responds quickly to dynamic changes in renewable energy to work with direct air capture systems. The team’s bipolar membrane electrolysis reactor will overcome the common challenges faced by the current state of technology. For example, existing micro-channel bipolar membrane reactors operate at high overpotentials, leading to inefficient energy use. Georgia Tech will integrate activating layers to improve energy efficiency. This reactor can also be integrated with air capture systems, sourcing CO2…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ADEPT
Award:
$1,015,792
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Compact, Low-Profile Power ConvertersGeorgia Tech Research Corporation is creating compact, low-profile power adapters and power bricks using materials and tools adapted from other industries and from grid-scale power applications. Adapters and bricks convert electrical energy into usable power for many types of electronic devices, including laptop computers and mobile phones. These converters are often called wall warts because they are big, bulky, and sometimes cover up an adjacent wall socket that could be used to power another electronic device. The magnetic components traditionally used to make adapters and bricks have…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ADEPT
Award:
$995,896
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Utility-Scale Power RouterGeorgia Tech Research Corporation is developing a cost-effective, utility-scale power router that uses an enhanced transformer to more efficiently direct power on the grid. Existing power routing technologies are too expensive for widespread use, but the ability to route grid power to match real-time demand and power outages would significantly reduce energy costs for utilities, municipalities, and consumers. Georgia Tech is adding a power converter to an existing grid transformer to better control power flows at about 1/10th the cost of existing power routing solutions. Transformers convert…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BEETIT
Award:
$2,399,492
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Innovative Miniaturized Heat Pumps for BuildingsGeorgia Tech Research Corporation is using innovative components and system design to develop a new type of absorption heat pump. Georgia Tech's new heat pumps are energy efficient, use refrigerants that do not emit greenhouse gases, and can run on energy from combustion, waste heat, or solar energy. Georgia Tech is leveraging enhancements to heat and mass transfer technology possible in micro-scale passages and removing hurdles to the use of heat-activated heat pumps that have existed for more than a century. Use of micro-scale passages allows for miniaturization of systems that can…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BREAKERS
Award:
$3,650,000
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
EDISON - Efficient DC Interrupter with Surge ProtectionGeorgia Tech is developing a novel hybrid direct current (DC) circuit breaker that could enable multi-terminal DC power systems. The breaker’s mechanical switch enables switching speeds 10 times faster than existing technology, severing the mechanical linkage, while the power electronics-based circuit handles the fault current. A new configuration of the fast switch and solid-state devices/circuits will reduce steady-state losses compared to state-of-the-art hybrid circuit breakers. A new control scheme dramatically reduces the peak fault current levels, enabling more compact packaging and…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
GA
Project Term:
-
Program:
CIRCUITS
Award:
$1,859,120
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Modular Solid State TransformersGeorgia Tech Research Corporation and its project team will develop a solid-state transformer for medium-voltage grid applications using silicon carbide with a focus on compact size and high-performance. Traditional grid connected transformers have been used for over 100 years to 'step down' higher voltage to lower voltage. Higher voltages allows for delivery of power over longer distances and lower voltages keeps consumers safe. But traditional distribution transformers lack integrated sensing, communications, and controls. They also lack the ability to control the voltage, current,…