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ORNL Review v19n2 1986.pdf

ORNL Review v19n2
  • State of the Laboratory—1985: How Service Groups Support Research. In this updated report of his February 10, 1986, address to the staff, ORNL Director Herman Postma salutes the work of the Laboratory's support and services organizations in maintaining ORNL as a high-quality research facility. Services mentioned by Postma range from computerized library services and health risk information to the fabrication of large-scale breeder test equipment. Technical highlights include the development of a novel bioelectronic photosynthetic material for water splitting, an analytical technique to aid in the design of more efficient absorption heat pumps for heating and cooling buildings, a "smarter" robot, a method of using "bugs" to liquefy coal, and a computerized ultrasonic system for mapping "hot spots" on properties in the West having radioactive uranium mill tailings. Postma also notes ORNL's award-winning achievements.
  • Superconducting Magnets for Fusion Energy: The Story Behind the Six Coils. The International Fusion Superconducting Magnet Test Facility at ORNL now contains its full array of six large superconducting magnet coils. The coils were designed and built under ORNL's direction over the past 10 years by groups in Japan, Switzerland, the European Atomic Energy Community, and three U.S. firms. This article presents the story behind the coils and the status of the testing program to compare the technical performance, reliability, and economics of different coil designs that could be used to contain plasmas in fusion devices that could generate useful electrical power.

Departments

  • Books. Global Energy: Assessing the Future is reviewed by Bud Perry of the Energy Division.
  • News Notes. ORNL and Japan collaborate on fission R&D; isotope facilities named nuclear historic landmark; inventors honored; technology-transfer workshop sparks industrial interest.
  • Take a Number
  • Awards and Appointments