Feature Articles

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently demonstrated an autonomous robotic field monitoring, sampling and data-gathering system that could accelerate understanding of interactions among plants, soil and the environment.

Yesterday’s polluting fuel could be transformed into a valuable material for tomorrow’s electric vehicle batteries, thanks to a wide-ranging research project that utilizes expertise spanning the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. ORNL researchers created and tested two methods for transforming coal into the scarce mineral graphite, which is used in batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. 

The IBM Power System AC922 Summit supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility was scheduled to be retired in 2023, but program managers had other ideas. A new DOE Office of Science-backed allocation program called SummitPLUS extended Summit's services for another year. What did we learn during Summit’s bonus year of scientific discovery? Here are five sample projects with impactful results.

Early forms of recycling shredded old wool and spun it with new wool to form a fabric. Nearly two centuries later, textile recycling still follows a similar process. But today’s textiles are blends of different materials, from synthetics to natural materials. Additionally, garments are dyed or include hardware such as buttons or rivet closures. When clothing is sent to a textile recycler, the consumer might assume their item will be repurposed, however without knowing what a shirt or pair of socks is made of, the textile recycler is at a loss. This gap is where Brian Iezzi, founder of Fibarcode, sees opportunity. 

A team of Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers reached a significant milestone by building and testing an entire 6.5-foot turbine blade tip using fully recyclable materials that can withstand lightning voltage. ORNL’s recent demonstration highlighted the possibilities of a new approach to protecting blades using conductive materials or coatings.

ORNL's Peter Fuhr continues pushes boundaries of optical and sensor technology in applications ranging from fighting wildfires to operating the immense floodgates protecting Venice, Italy. Fuhr’s path is marked by an oddball creativity that can’t confine itself to challenges in a single field. No idea is too far out to try out. His many inventions and start-ups before joining ORNL proved his ability to bring bold ideas to life. His influence is likely to be lasting, as his imagination and infectious zeal have driven him to mentor generations of new engineers. 

Record-Breaking Run on Frontier Sets New Bar for Simulating the Universe in the Exascale EraResearchers at Argonne National Laboratory used the Frontier supercomputer to run the largest astrophysical simulation of the universe ever conducted. The calculations set a new benchmark for cosmological hydrodynamics simulations and provide a new foundation for simulating the physics of atomic matter and dark matter simultaneously. The simulation size corresponds to surveys undertaken by large telescope observatories, a feat that until now has not been possible at this scale. 

East Tennessee has become the nerve center for a resurgent nuclear industry. Discover why the region, home to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is so attractive to this next generation of nuclear businesses.

The HPE Cray EX supercomputing system reported new highs for problem-solving speeds this week, updated for the TOP500 announcement at the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis, or SC24, in Atlanta. The score earned Frontier the No. 2 spot on the November 2024 TOP500 list, which ranks the fastest supercomputers in the world.

 

As population growth and extreme temperatures strain the United States power grid, utilities and equipment manufacturers are looking for ways to increase the amount of electricity the grid can carry. The Powerline Conductor Accelerated Testing Facility, or PCAT, located at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is one of the only facilities in the country where companies can try out new transmission line technologies for long time periods in extremes of wind, weather, temperature and electrical load conditions.