Articles tagged with Thermal Energy
Researchers at NC State University developed a new methodology that combines multiple general climate forecast models to improve the accuracy of winter precipitation and temperature forecasts. The tool is valuable for government officials, providing key information for predicting energy consumption and water availability.
A new high-temperature heat pump technology has been developed to tap into geothermal energy sources, providing a renewable and inexhaustible energy supply. The system uses waste water from geothermal wells, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions in European towns.
Researchers are creating a Subsurface Thermal Energy Storage (STES) system to store waste energy underground, cutting heating and cooling costs and reducing carbon emissions. The system uses natural insulating properties of underground sediments and conventional heat pumps to achieve higher efficiency than traditional HVAC systems.
Phononic Devices partners with OU for breakthrough thermoelectric technology, promising increased efficiency in power generation and waste heat removal. The $3M ARPA-E grant enables further development and commercialization of the tech.
A new study reveals that wild female bats switch between clustering and torpor to minimize energy expenditure, with torpor use increasing post-lactation. This flexible strategy allows for optimal thermoregulation despite environmental changes.
Physicist Alex Evilevitch directly measured the energy associated with viral DNA expulsion, a discovery that could lead to broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. The study used isothermal titration calorimetry and found that increasing DNA length increases heat release, highlighting the importance of hydration entropy in viral genome packaging.
Researchers have discovered a specific protein in algae that acts as a safety valve to dissipate excess absorbed light energy. This finding could lead to the development of more robust, commercially viable strains for biofuel production and help plants survive extreme environmental conditions.
Tiny flares called nanoflares cause temperatures in the sun's corona to reach millions of degrees. The tiny bursts occur within thin magnetic tubes and release stresses in the field, producing impulsive energy bursts.
Researchers have found that cold and brown fat cells play a significant role in metabolism, raising the prospect of a new method for treating obesity. The discovery suggests that increasing fat burn could be a more effective approach than solely reducing energy intake.
Researchers in Japan investigate three technologies for heat recovery: latent heat, reaction heat, and thermoelectric devices. They find that high-temperature waste heat with adequate exergy value exists in many industries, offering effective ways to recover waste heat.
A recent study published in Physiological and Biochemical Zoology found that mice with increased metabolism live just as long as those with slower metabolic rates, casting doubt on the rate-of-living theory. This contradicts the idea that faster living animals die young.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have identified the mechanism behind EuO's increased magnetic ordering temperature when subjected to pressure. This discovery paves the way for manipulating material properties through strain or chemical substitutions, aiming to reach room temperature.
Researchers have discovered an abundance of pseudotachylytes, rocks formed under extreme heat and friction during earthquakes, in the Sierra Nevada. This finding reveals the importance of heat generated by the earthquake process and challenges previous assumptions about their rarity.
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory use a new imaging method to confirm that electron pairs emerge above the transition temperature before superconductivity sets in. The findings rule out certain explanations for high-Tc superconductivity and lend support to other competing theories.
A joint Sandia/SES award recognized a solar-to-grid system conversion efficiency record of 31.25 percent, surpassing the existing 1984 record of 29.4 percent. The SES Serial #3 solar dish Stirling system achieved this milestone at Sandia's National Solar Thermal Test facility in January 2008.
High-temperature superconductors face a quantum 'traffic jam' that overwhelms the interactions needed for them to act as superconductors. The research offers an explanation, pointing towards new materials with stronger electron pairing but less 'traffic-jam' effect.
Researchers found that frequent temperature measurements can alter the behavior of quantum systems, allowing them to heat up when hotter than the bath and cool down when colder. This effect is due to decoupling from the heat bath during measurement, introducing energy into the system and altering its temperature.
Researchers have discovered that the coronal heating mechanism is highly impulsive and can be explained by the acceleration of particles or direct heating. The study also suggests that energy release happens gradually close to the sun's surface, causing thermal nonequilibrium.
A study by University of Leeds engineers found that roasting energy crops using the torrefaction process can increase their energy content, reducing transportation costs and emissions. Willow emerged as the most favourable crop, retaining 86% of its mass and performing best in terms of energy yield.
Researchers apply Six Sigma methodology to improve energy efficiency at a thermal power plant, detecting faults in steam and water analysis systems and implementing cost-saving measures. The study finds significant energy savings of over three-quarters of a million dollars annually.
ASU researchers designed a molecule that mimics nature's non-photochemical quenching process, regulating light intensity and converting sunlight into chemical energy. The molecule adapts to its environment, reducing the efficiency of energy conversion as light intensity increases.
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory developed a lensless X-ray technique that can image ultra-small structures buried in nanoparticles and biocells. The method uses high-intensity X-ray beams to create images with resolution of up to 20 nanometers, enabling research on material properties and biological processes.
The Hinode space mission has made groundbreaking discoveries about the Sun's surface and atmosphere, shedding light on long-standing mysteries. Researchers found evidence of Alfvén waves, which could heat the corona to extreme temperatures and accelerate the solar wind.
Researchers at MIT are developing novel thermoelectric materials that can control temperatures efficiently, leading to substantial energy savings. These materials have already resulted in a consumer product - a simple cooling system for car seats in hot climates.
Thermoelectric devices could capture wasted heat from hot engines, generating electricity and saving billions of dollars in the US. Clemson University physicist Terry Tritt discusses promising applications, including waste-heat recovery in cars.
MIT researchers have cooled a dime-sized mirror to 0.8 degrees Kelvin, a temperature that would take 13 billion years for it to circle the Earth. The team hopes to use this technique to observe quantum behavior in large objects, which is currently only possible at extremely low temperatures.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have successfully generated electricity from heat by trapping organic molecules between metal nanoparticles. The discovery could lead to more efficient ways to directly convert heat into electricity, potentially reducing waste and emissions.
Researchers at the University of Delaware will identify nano-sized catalysts to convert liquid fuels into hydrogen. The goal is to supply affordable hydrogen with reduced emissions for powering cars and heating homes.
Researchers at the Nevada Terawatt Facility have made a significant step forward in understanding fundamental processes required for controlled fusion energy. They developed a new technique to measure mass transport and magnetic field dynamics in low wire array z-pinches, which could lead to improved efficiency in energy transfer.
Researchers have discovered a material that exhibits similar energy scales and gaps to high-temperature superconductors despite being a non-superconductor. The finding is a new wrinkle in the ongoing quest to understand the mechanism of electron pairing, which remains a key mystery.
Researchers evaluated innovative approaches to mitigate the urban heat island effect, including light-colored surfaces and vegetation. Strategies such as planting urban forests and creating living roofs showed promise in reducing air temperatures.
Researchers simulated conditions of three building types in six cities and found that improved air tightness would result in energy savings ranging from 9-37%. The study suggests that increased airtightness can lead to smaller but still significant cost savings in warmer climates.
Researchers found that DNA dissipates ultraviolet energy through a wave-like process along its edge, rather than damaging base pairs. This new understanding sheds light on the DNA repair process and has implications for biology.
Researchers at NIST have developed an improved experimental X-ray detector that can detect X-rays across a broad range of energies with pinpoint energy resolution. The new detector uses quantum-level, transition edge sensors and improved temperature control systems, eliminating the need for constant recalibrations.
Researchers at PNNL have developed more efficient CFL replacement lamps, while redesigning hard-wired fixtures to use these lamps. This could lead to significant energy savings in U.S. homes with recessed downlights.
The ARC solar thermal building product significantly reduces energy consumption, saving Canadian homeowners up to 48% on their heating bills. By combining SIPS technology with solar panels, the product achieves impressive energy savings and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists have discovered a novel method to achieve spontaneous ignition and sustained combustion at room temperature using nanometer-sized particles of platinum. This breakthrough has significant implications for distributed power generation and military defense, offering a potential solution to the energy crisis with higher efficien...
Researchers develop nanostructured thermoelectric devices that can harness heat energy and double efficiency. The breakthrough enables the generation of electricity from geothermal sources or waste heat in hybrid cars.
Scientists have observed a novel superfluid state in a lithium-6 atom gas, exhibiting properties that challenge traditional bosonic and fermionic behaviors. This breakthrough discovery has implications for the development of room temperature superconductors and our understanding of exotic plasmas.
A study published in the Royal Society journal explores the impact of global warming on common bird populations. The research demonstrates that the force distributions in random materials can be accurately described by an analogue of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, revealing new applications for this fundamental principle.
Researchers create experimental model of a non-equilibrium system to test the soundness of temperature in a continuously shaken container of tiny beads. They find that temperature follows the expected rules, suggesting that essential information can be extracted from disordered motion in dissipative systems.
Researchers have developed a semiconductor technology that converts waste heat into electricity with unprecedented efficiency. The new device, called 'thermal diodes,' operates at high temperatures and has the potential to revolutionize power generation and recovery of waste heat from power plants and automobiles.
The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has created nuclear matter with the highest energy density ever achieved, opening a new frontier in scientific exploration. The experiment also reveals striking differences from previous experiments, hinting at new phenomena and a possible transition to quark-gluon plasma.
A Cornell University research team studied the fundamental step in hydrogen combustion, finding that energy is released when newly formed water molecules are produced in excited vibrational and rotational levels. The study's results support new theoretical predictions, providing a breakthrough in understanding chemical reactions.
Chemists at UNC-CH have answered a decade-old scientific riddle about the origin of an energy barrier that prevents reactions except at high temperatures. The study found that dimer sites, pairs of silicon atoms, play a crucial role in the reaction by tilting up and down like a see-saw.
A more thorough evaluation of energy costs can increase the value of an energy conservation project, allowing companies to carry out plans that might otherwise appear too expensive. By considering overlooked savings such as reduced maintenance and internal costs, energy managers can recoup costs faster.
A study at the University of California, Santa Barbara, detects a 'dead' time between photon emissions from a single quantum dot, verifying the quantum theory of light and paving the way for applications in quantum computing and optics. The experiment was performed at room temperature, a significant finding as it demonstrates the robus...
Researchers at INEEL develop systems model to accurately assess greenhouse gas emissions from energy use. The model considers various factors, including energy efficiency and facility operations.
Scientists are detecting head-on collisions between gold nuclei in RHIC, producing insights into the structure of matter and the early universe. The collider aims to recreate conditions similar to the Big Bang, allowing for studies of quark-gluon plasma and its properties.
A new power company software suggests that major power emergencies like California's statewide conservation alert might be averted if the industry adopts predictive software. The software would simulate load flow, dispatch options, weather factors, and contingencies to help power plant operators predict the future.
A recent DOE study suggests adopting new command and control software to predict future energy demand, potentially averting major power emergencies. The software tools would include various mathematical models to simulate load flow, weather factors, and contingencies, helping to stabilize the grid and prevent outages.
The physics of baseball involves understanding various phenomena such as the break of a curve ball, the flight of a home run, and the impact between bat and ball. The collision is highly inelastic, resulting in lost kinetic energy due to frictional heat and reaction forces that affect the bat's recoil.
Astronomers have created an energy spectrum of hot gas surrounding a giant black hole using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The study reveals a warm blanket of gas expanding rapidly away from the black hole and provides insights into the complex nature of inflowing and outflowing gas in galaxies.
The new fume hood technology uses only 30 percent of the airflow of standard laboratory fume hood installations, potentially saving $30 million annually in California. Nationally, the total savings is estimated to be ten times higher, with the technology having the potential to reduce operating costs and increase chip fabrication yield.
The New York City Housing Authority will implement an integrated software and diagnostic monitoring system to optimize boiler plant operations. The program, DSOM, aims to increase reliability while reducing costs through real-time monitoring and alerts.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have proposed a concept for rapid-fire thermonuclear explosions to generate clean fusion energy, using recyclable transmission lines and minimizing chamber emptying. The method aims to advance the development of machines like Z accelerator for relatively cheap and clean energy.
A University of Illinois physicist has proposed a 'midinfrared' scenario that may help explain the mechanism behind high-temperature, cuprate superconductors. The theory suggests that the driving force for superconductivity in cuprates is a saving of Coulomb energy associated with long wavelengths and midinfrared frequencies.
Researchers found that larger sprocket sizes and higher chain tension can significantly increase bicycle drive train efficiency, while lubrication has a minimal impact. The study's results could have implications for other chain-driven devices, including conveyor belts and factory production lines.
Researchers at NASA and the University of Alaska have discovered mysterious bursts of colored light in thunderstorms, known as sprites. These brief, fleeting phenomena contain a great deal of energy, which may be sufficient to drive novel chemical reactions, potentially impacting the Earth's protective ozone layer.
Scientists at Oak Ridge have invented an aluminum-based propellant allowing for varying speed control. This technology enables the use of rubber bullets with reduced lethality, avoiding fatal outcomes at close range.