Falling particle receiver technology uses ceramic particles to capture and store heat at higher temperatures, enabling greater thermal-to-electric efficiency. The system aims to achieve efficiencies of 50% or more, potentially leading to lower energy storage costs.
The Mobile Radiation Detection and Identification System (MRDIS) enables scanning of transshipped containers, making it difficult for terrorists to smuggle radioactive materials. Eight MRDIS units have been deployed worldwide, with plans to expand to two international airports next year.
A new strategy known as "low-temperature combustion" (LTC) might lead to broader use of cleaner diesel engines in the US. LTC reduces NOx and smoke emissions by recirculating exhaust gases and spraying fuel earlier in the engine cycle.
The US Department of Energy has commissioned the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility to investigate and develop technology for wind plants. The facility will host research on improving wind plant performance, with a focus on reducing energy losses due to complex wind interactions.
Researchers found that hydrogen fuel cells are technically feasible and commercially attractive as a clean power source for ships. The study suggests that using hydrogen fuel cells to power container ships could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, with potential economic benefits.
Sandia National Laboratories researchers found that charging and discharging rates are limited by phase transformation initiation, contradicting previous assumptions. They used X-ray microscopy to study ultrathin slices of a commercial-grade battery, revealing a mosaic pathway of lithium-ion movement.
The Technical Reference on Hydrogen Compatibility of Materials offers detailed information on the effects of hydrogen on various materials, including steel, aluminum, copper, and nickel alloys. This report helps industry target and develop components with fewer compatibility issues, potentially accelerating the timetable for the hydrog...
Sandia National Laboratories has developed the Capability Portfolio Analysis Tool (CPAT) to help the US Army analyze complex decisions for modernizing combat vehicles. The tool combines optimization, simulation, and modeling to balance goals and budget constraints, providing a more efficient decision-making process.
The study provides insight into hydrocarbon combustion and atmospheric chemistry, confirming fast reactions and first-time measurements with water. The findings validate theoretical predictions and supply critical targets for validation in predicting Criegee intermediate reactions.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are developing a medical device that can quickly detect a suite of biothreat agents, including anthrax, ricin, and botulinum. The device will be used in emergency rooms to respond to bioterrorism incidents.
Researchers use supercomputer simulations and clinical studies to identify threshold levels of stress for better helmet designs. The sensors could alert sufferers to potential problems, helping military and civilian populations.
The Sandia Wind Plant Reliability Benchmark helps the wind industry compare performance, identify vulnerabilities and enhance productivity. The benchmark is based on data from over 800 turbines, showing that the fleet is now producing electricity or available to produce electricity at 97% of the time.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories created a method to analyze food supply networks using stochastic network representation, which can help identify contaminated food sources more quickly. This technique uses probability maps to express uncertainties in supplier-customer relationships and assess the risk of foodborne illness.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have successfully conducted dry-run experiments on a key aspect of their MagLIF nuclear fusion concept. The experiments tested the durability of cylindrical beryllium liners under intense magnetic fields, with promising results that suggest the concept is moving closer to achieving scientific...
Researchers found that more efficient lighting leads to increased productivity, rather than lower energy consumption. Historically, improvements in lighting have resulted in higher light consumption, not savings.
Researchers aim to reduce turbine center of gravity, machine complexity, and maintenance costs. Curved VAWT blades pose manufacturing challenges, while unsteady loading and lack of aerodynamic braking systems remain hurdles for large-scale offshore power generation.
The SpinDx platform can determine a patient's white blood cell count, analyze protein markers, and process up to 64 assays from a single sample in minutes. It has profound implications for patient care, potentially detecting afflictions days or weeks sooner than today.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories created a solar nanowire array that can absorb a wider range of the sun's wavelengths, leading to increased efficiency. The array, grown on a phalanx of nanowires, allows for higher indium percentages and lower absorption base energies.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new approach to creating multilayered, ceramic-based microelectronics circuits that can maintain stability in resonant frequency despite temperature fluctuations. This technology has the potential to improve the performance of cell phones and reduce costs by eliminating unnec...
AEMASE is a cognitive software application that updates its knowledge of experts' performance in real-time, automatically evaluating student performance and reducing overall training costs. The system will be used to train Navy personnel on various aircraft, including the H-60 helicopter and E-2C Hawkeye aircraft.
Researchers created a new configuration for neutron generators using flat geometry inspired by computer chips. The technology enables tiny medical neutron sources for cancer treatment and has potential applications in sensors and non-proliferation.
Researchers have developed a miniature sensor that uses self-sealing valves to collect pristine atmospheric samples, improving computer climate models. The novel design employs an inexpensive microvalve situated above the sample chamber, allowing for low-cost distribution and minimizing contamination.
Computer simulations performed at Sandia National Laboratories demonstrate a high-gain nuclear fusion method, releasing energy 100 times greater than input current. The technique uses a magnetic field to suppress heat loss during implosion, potentially leading to reliable electricity production from seawater.
Researchers found that current estimates of ice-giant planetary interiors overstate water's compressibility by as much as 30 percent. Accurate estimates are essential to calculate the evolution of the universe and model the composition of planets like Neptune and Uranus.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new family of liquid salt electrolytes called MetILs, which could lead to batteries storing three times more energy than today's batteries. The breakthrough may help integrate large-scale intermittent renewable energy sources into the nation's electric grid.
Sandia's decontamination foam is now used to clean up illegal methamphetamine labs, leaving chemicals harmless and surfaces safe for reuse. The foam contains mild, non-toxic chemicals that break down agent molecules into nontoxic pieces.
A new tool developed by Sandia National Laboratories helps the nation's real estate industry with standardized appraisals of homes and businesses equipped with PV installations. The tool, PV ValueTM, uses real-time lending information and market fluctuations to determine the worth of a PV system.
Researchers use metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to remove volatile radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel, reducing waste and increasing the possibility of clean nuclear energy production. The discovery could be applied to nuclear fuel reprocessing or cleanup of nuclear reactor accidents.
Researchers from Sandia, Manchester, and Bristol have made direct measurements of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry. The study provides new insight into the reactivity of these transient molecules, which are implicated in autoignition chemistry and atmospheric reactants.
Scientists at Sandia Labs discover unexpected voltage increases of up to 25% in closely packed nanowires, which may impact the development of next-generation handheld devices and solar arrays. The findings also shed light on the unique properties of one-dimensional conductors and their interactions with electrons.
A recent study conducted by Sandia National Laboratories found that diode lasers can produce high-quality white light comparable to LEDs, which may lead to new lighting technologies. The research used a test involving volunteers and different lighting sources, including LED bulbs, incandescent lights, and diode laser combinations.
Sandia National Laboratories is launching a Cyber Engineering Research Institute to coordinate with industry and universities, aiming to increase cybersecurity research. Experts discuss the need for shared threat information and innovative solutions, including prize competitions to stimulate radical security innovations.
The Saturn and HERMES III accelerators have surpassed significant milestones in testing nuclear defenses against atomic weapons. The machines have achieved over 4,000 shots on the Saturn accelerator and 9,000 shots on the HERMES III accelerator, providing valuable data for countermeasures against X-ray radiation.
The Standard Unified Modeling, Mapping and Integration Toolkit (SUMMIT) enables emergency responders to view and modify accurate models of building damage and other disaster effects in real-time. This enhances the cycle of activities that emergency response teams undertake, improving preparedness and response effectiveness.
The Gemini-Scout Mine Rescue Robot is equipped with gas sensors, a thermal camera, and can haul food, air packs, and medicine to trapped miners. It can navigate through water, over boulders, and rubble piles ahead of rescuers, providing critical information to aid rescue efforts.
A hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system was deployed at the Kennedy Space Center for the final Space Shuttle Atlantis launch, providing clean and quiet power. The system has the potential to drastically reduce dependence on diesel-fueled mobile lighting across the US, offsetting up to 900 gallons of fuel per year.
The Sandia Cooler technology significantly reduces the energy needed to cool processor chips in data centers and large-scale computing environments. It achieves this by efficiently transferring heat across a narrow air gap, minimizing boundary layer thickness and fouling problems.
In the annual MEMS student design contest, Texas Tech University won for their novel insect-inspired micro-dragonfly design that generates aerodynamic lift and thrust. Carnegie Mellon University took the educational category with a highly sensitive microvalve that requires picoJoules of energy to switch its state.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a tiny atomic clock that is 100 times smaller and uses 100 times less power than its predecessors. The portable Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) has various specialized applications, including timing operations for miners and divers in deep-sea explorations.
Researchers have created nanoparticles that can store large amounts of drugs, allowing for a millionfold increase in efficiency over comparable methods. The 'protocells' can target specific cancer cells while restricting toxic chemotherapy drugs from leaking into the system, mitigating side effects.
Steve Plimpton's development of LAMMPS molecular-dynamics software has led to over 65,000 downloads and 1,000 journal articles citing the code. The open-source software can model materials at various scales, from atomic to macroscopic systems.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have created the world's smallest battery using a single tin oxide nanowire anode, which nearly doubles in length during charging. The discovery provides new insights into lithium batteries and could improve power and energy density.
The Graph500 test aims to measure a computer's ability to analyze large graph-based structures, which are increasingly used in biological, social, and security problems. The test is designed to influence computer makers to build computers with the architecture needed to handle these complex applications.
Scientists at Sandia have successfully imaged the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in fast Z-pinches, a major obstacle to harnessing nuclear fusion. The accurate simulations will enable researchers to better tweak conditions and combat the effect of the instability, potentially achieving scientific breakeven in two to three years.
The National Cancer Institute has awarded nearly $4 million to the University of New Mexico Cancer Center and Sandia National Laboratories for a five-year partnership and training center. The award aims to advance new nanotechnology discoveries and develop cancer-relevant applications in clinical practice.
Two amateur astronomers independently observed an asteroid impact on Jupiter, opening a potential giant research lab in space for planetary scientists. The initial observations could help understand the behavior of meteoroids and their effects on Jupiter's atmosphere.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed kinked nanopores that can slow down DNA transmission, enabling easier DNA sequencing. The innovation uses self-assembly techniques and atomic-layer deposition to achieve a fivefold slowdown in voltage-driven translocation speeds.
The Sandia study projects the net effect of climate change on US states' agricultural and industrial bases, with some states like California, Pacific Northwest, and Colorado benefiting from reduced water availability. The study concludes that uncertainty in climate change validates the need to act protectively and proactively.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have successfully integrated a terahertz quantum-cascade laser and diode mixer into a compact, monolithic platform, reducing the need for precise optical alignment. This innovation could enable new applications in security, communications, and medical diagnostics.
Researchers used the International Space Station to test reconfigurable field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and power converters, providing insights into high-energy radiation effects on computing electronics. The experiments aimed to mitigate potentially crippling effects in future processing-architecture designs.