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Researchers at ORNL developed a new electric motor drive design that reduces excess heat, electrical noise and component wear without requiring additional hardware. Simulations showed a 90% reduction in neutral-point voltage fluctuations and a 43% decrease in current stress on capacitors, improving reliability for high-power transportation applications.
ORNL and Caterpillar developed a dual-fuel combustion system that enables diesel marine engines to run primarily on methanol by using a small amount of diesel as a pilot fuel for ignition. The approach allows engines to operate on more than 75% methanol across a wide range of power levels without sacrificing performance, while requiring only engine modifications rather than a complete redesign.
ORNL researchers developed a compact, high-efficiency power converter using gallium nitride semiconductors instead of traditional silicon. The new technology switches electricity faster with less energy loss, making converters smaller, lighter and more affordable. Researchers say the converters could help meet growing power demands in AI data centers, where large numbers of efficient converters are needed for servers.
Researchers at ORNL developed new experimental methods to measure how uranium-bearing molten salts conduct heat and flow, providing critical data for advancing molten salt reactor technologies. Using specialized tools developed at ORNL, the team generated unique thermal conductivity and viscosity data that will help improve reactor models, support licensing efforts, and expand the Molten Salt Thermal Properties Database.
The 2026 Fuel Economy Guide from the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency shows that fuel costs depend on more than a vehicle’s make and model, including driving habits and maintenance. It notes that speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking reduce fuel efficiency, while smoother driving can save money. The guide also helps consumers compare fuel-efficient gasoline, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles.
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing AI-enabled pixel detectors that can analyze particle-collision data directly at the source. The approach could help particle-physics experiments identify and capture the most important signals from the enormous amounts of data modern accelerators produce, helping scientists make faster, more informed discoveries from some of the world’s most complex experiments.
As the U.S. reimagines its nuclear future, researchers at ORNL are experimenting with molten lead and next-generation materials to reinvent a classic reactor design for a new era of innovation. To evaluate the alloy’s performance in these conditions, researchers are testing AFA samples in eight small rabbit capsules encased in solid lead in ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor.
ORNL received more than $5 million from DOE;s Technology Commercialization Fund to advance research in grid security, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy and advanced manufacturing, helping move lab innovations toward industry use.
Researchers at ORNL have captured first-of-a-kind optical measurements during accident testing of commercially irradiated nuclear fuel cladding. Using a technique called digital image correlation, the test captured detailed measurements of the cladding’s behavior during a simulated loss-of-coolant accident.
Researchers at ORNL used computer models to study whether abandoned coal mines could be turned into underground systems that store energy by pumping water.