Research
Highlights...
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| Number 113 |
August 19, 2002 |
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Bugs in a bottle
Researchers at DOE's National Energy
Technology Laboratory successfully sustained a population
of bacteria that produces almost as much as their containment
vessel's volume, in hydrogen, every day. Tested for over 45 days
in a 10 liter bioreactor, the bacteria, Thermotoga
neapolitana, produced an estimated 8 liters of hydrogen in
24 hours. This unusual thermophilic (heat-requiring) strain converts
sugar into hydrogen with nearly 100 percent efficiency. Tests
were conducted with pure sugar—a standard that allows comparisons
to results of similar research. However, NETL researchers have
established that a wide range of sugar and carbohydrate food sources,
including organic wastes, would be practical as feedstock.
[Damon Benedict 304/285-4913, damon.benedict@netl.doe.gov]
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Fermilab Tevatron sets
new luminosity record
On July 26, the chances that a proton would collide with an antiproton
at DOE's Fermilab reached an
all-time high. That chance is determined by luminosity, or beam
brightness, which is achieved by squeezing as many particles as
possible into as small a space as you can. The higher the luminosity,
the greater the chance for physics discoveries. The new record,
set during Run II of
the Tevatron,
is 2.64E31 (2.64 x 1031) protons per square centimeter
per second, an improvement over the previous record—set in
1995—of 2.50E31. Fermilab hopes to push the Tevatron's luminosity
even further in the next few months, and has set a goal of 4.00E31
by October 1.
[Pamela Zerbinos, 630/840-2237,
zerbinos@fnal.gov]
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'Lite' done right
Better performance for less hassle that's the advantage of Ames
Laboratory's new message-passing
library, MP_Lite. The innovative library can extract optimum performance
from both workstation and personal computer clusters, as well
as from large massively parallel computers. It supports and enhances
the basic capabilities that most software programs require to
communicate between computers. MP_Lite is a "slimmed-down," user-friendly
version of the more complex message-passing interface standard,
MPI. Although it can be scaled up easily, MP_Lite offers only
the core MPI functions, implementing them in the most efficient
manner to provide all the performance without all the extras.
[Saren Johnston, 515/294-3474,
sarenj@ameslab.gov]
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MFIX: Particle-fluid
flow modeling, fast and free
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| Volcanic
ash clouds can be described as fluid flow. |
Until recently, full solution of the complex set of equations that
describe gas-particle flows was nearly impossible. But an open-source
code developed by researchers at the National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and designed to run on
inexpensive PC (Beowulf) clusters, makes it relatively simple.
Called MFIX
(Multi-phase Flow with Interphase eXchange), the code incorporates
special numerical techniques that provide an efficient solution
to the coupled equations, exceeding the capabilities of commercial
software. Originally developed at NETL to model fixed, fluidized
and bubbling coal gasification technologies, its power has been
used in research ranging from catalytic cracking in oil refineries
to volcanology.
A free, fully-functional version is available at www.mfix.org
[Damon
Benedict 304/285-4913 damon.benedict@netl.doe.gov]
Sniffing out chemical
dangers
A "microelectronic nose" that sniffs out chemical poisons, including
non-lethal concentrations of cyanogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide
gases, has been developed by DOE's Argonne
National Laboratory. Part of the homeland security effort,
the palm-sized instrument can also be used to detect VX, sarin
and mustard gases. The ceramic-metallic sensor arrays, which are
smaller than postage stamps and can be integrated into personal
monitors, identify "fingerprints" given off by chemicals in contact
with the sensors. Each chemical changes the electrical resistance
of the detector's components, allowing a computer to pass small
amounts of chemicals over the sensors and determine the presence
and concentration of each chemical.
[Catherine
Foster, (630) 252-5580,
cfoster@anl.gov]
Tackling bioterrorism
one protein at a time
Because biological pathogens grow and spread inside the human body
on a molecular level, the key to protecting against bioterrorism
may rest in understanding how these pathogens function one protein
at a time. Scientists at DOE's Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory have begun studying Yersinia
pestis, commonly known as the plague,
and its complement of proteins in an effort to gain the knowledge
needed to develop ways to treat and protect against bioterror
agents. Using powerful analytical instruments called mass spectrometers,
PNNL scientists are studying the proteins that exist when Y. pestis
is exposed to the body temperature of a flea—77° Fahrenheit—and
of a human—98.6° Fahrenheit. Fleas, common hosts for
Y. pestis, are the major source of human infection.
[Staci
Maloof, 509-372-6313,
staci.maloof@pnl.gov]
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Stadler enjoys challenge of
new INEEL geocentrifuge
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Alan
Stadler
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Alan Stadler joined the DOE's Idaho
National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory in February
2002 as the principal investigator for the Subsurface Science
Initiative's (SSI) new two-meter Geocentrifuge Research Laboratory.
Stadler said he was drawn to the position by the startup nature
of the SSI program and the chance to set up a new geocentrifuge.
"A two-meter geocentrifuge doesn't come online every day...or
even every decade," he said. "It's rare for a scientist to
be given a blank slate like this. It's a once-in-a-career
opportunity."
Stadler's role includes developing the physical infrastructure
of the new facility, and initiating and facilitating research
activities, especially in the area of caps and barriers. "One
of my jobs will be to reach out to the broader research community
to make this a true user facility," said Stadler. "Having
a large geocentrifuge in the Northwest is a great resource,
particularly for regional universities. It is important to
get the word out. I would like to see a lot of peer-reviewed
publications produced as a result of this resource."
The two-meter centrifuge has a load capacity of 50 times
the force of gravity for a one-ton payload. This means, for
example, that it can rotate one-half ton at 100 g's. Since
fluid flow is affected by the g-force induced, 1 hour in the
geocentrifuge simulates about 14 months of time, or about
10,000 hours. In effect, the centrifuge simulates an accelerated
passage of time for the sample material, enabling researchers
to study in a few days or weeks the effects of tens of years
of gravity-induced fluid movement.
Stadler's primary area of expertise is geotechnical engineering.
He has a full complement of degrees in civil engineering—
both bachelor's and master's degrees from Ohio State University
and a doctorate from the University of Colorado (CU) at Boulder.
Stadler's dissertation involved using a 6-meter geocentrifuge
and other geotechnical laboratory facilities. He later moved
to the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, where he
spent five years as an assistant professor in the Department
of Civil Engineering. Stadler is a registered Professional
Engineer in both North and South Carolina and has more than
seven years of consulting engineering experience.
Submitted by DOE's Idaho National Engineering and
Environmental Laboratory
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