Sandia tests Salton Sea-grown algae as new fuel source and pollution solution BRAWLEY, California — Sandia National Laboratories is testing whether one of California’s largest and most polluted lakes can transform into one of its most productive and profitable. Southern California’s 350-square-mile Salton Sea has well-documented problems related to elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus […]
Category Archives: Transportation
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Optimizing hydrogen-powered passenger ferries focus of Sandia Labs study
July 13, 2017 – 5:15 am
LIVERMORE, California — Maritime transportation has emerged as one solution to the traffic gridlock that plagues coastal cities. But with urban passenger ferries operating in sensitive environments and tourist areas, hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger ferries offer a quiet, zero-emission alternative to conventional diesel vessels. In its San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric Vessel with Zero […]
Reversing the curse
May 3, 2017 – 2:05 pm
Sandia develops math techniques to improve computational efficiency in quantum chemistry LIVERMORE, Calif. – Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed new mathematical techniques to advance the study of molecules at the quantum level. Mathematical and algorithmic developments along these lines are necessary for enabling the detailed study of complex hydrocarbon molecules that are relevant […]
Plants at the pump
March 6, 2017 – 5:00 am
Sandia seeks toughest strains of algae for biofuel production as part of multilab project LIVERMORE, Calif.—Regular, unleaded or algae? That’s a choice drivers could make at the pump one day. But for algal biofuels to compete with petroleum, farming algae has to become less expensive. Toward that goal, Sandia National Laboratories is testing strains of […]
Big changes from a small package for hydrogen storage
February 24, 2017 – 11:21 am
Sandia researchers use confined nanoparticles to improve hydrogen storage materials performance LIVERMORE, Calif. — Sometimes, you have to go small to win big. That is the approach a multilab, interdisciplinary team took in using nanoparticles and a novel nanoconfinement system to develop a method to change hydrogen storage properties. This discovery could enable the creation […]
Spray Combustion Consortium formed to improve engine design
December 21, 2016 – 10:58 am
Sandia spearheads three-year industry-funded agreement LIVERMORE, Calif. – Sandia National Laboratories has formed an industry-funded Spray Combustion Consortium to better understand fuel injection by developing modeling tools. Control of fuel sprays is key to the development of clean, affordable fuel-efficient engines. Intended for industry, software vendors and national laboratories, the consortium provides a direct path […]
Aircraft inspectors have new Sandia course to help detect composite material damage
November 28, 2016 – 7:30 am
Sandia offers first class to industry to improve inspection of solid-laminates ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As manufacturers build more wings, fuselages and other major commercial aircraft parts out of solid-laminate composite materials, Sandia National Laboratories has shown that aircraft inspectors need training to better detect damage in these structures. So the Airworthiness Assurance Center — operated […]
Hydrogen-powered passenger ferry in San Francisco Bay is possible, says Sandia study
October 6, 2016 – 5:00 am
First-of-its-kind vessel can achieve speed with zero emissions LIVERMORE, Calif. — Nearly two years ago, Sandia National Laboratories researchers Joe Pratt and Lennie Klebanoff set out to answer one not-so-simple question: Is it feasible to build and operate a high-speed passenger ferry solely powered by hydrogen fuel cells? The answer is yes. The details behind that […]
Understanding hazardous combustion byproducts reduces factors impacting climate change
August 25, 2016 – 5:00 am
Sandia researchers focus on soot, furans, oxygenated hydrocarbons LIVERMORE, Calif. – Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories’ Combustion Research Facility are developing the understanding necessary to build cleaner combustion technologies that will in turn reduce climate impact. Their work focuses on understanding the oxidation chemistry of organic carbon species critical to many processes including controlling emissions […]
Sandia explores aggressive high-efficiency sparkplug-free gasoline auto engines
June 13, 2016 – 10:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. — Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories’ Combustion Research Facility are helping to develop sparkplug-free engines that will help meet ambitious automotive fuel economy targets of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. They are working on low-temperature gasoline combustion (LTGC) operating strategies for affordable, high-efficiency engines that will meet stringent air-quality standards. Sandia researchers […]
Sandia develops autoignition model designed for efficient, accurate engine simulations
May 12, 2016 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. — Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a model for how diesel engines autoignite that should lead to increased engine efficiency and a better understanding of how pollutants form. Sandia postdoctoral researcher Layal Hakim, working with mentors and Sandia principal investigators Guilhem Lacaze and Joe Oefelein, designed and implemented an optimized chemical […]
Jacqueline Chen inducted into Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame
March 15, 2016 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif.— Jacqueline Chen, a distinguished member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories’ Combustion Research Facility, will be inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame on March 19 in Oakland, California. Chen is being honored in the area of science and technology for her contributions to using the world’s fastest supercomputers to […]
Sandia engine efficiency expert named SAE fellow
March 14, 2016 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. — Sandia National Laboratories combustion researcher Mark Musculus has been named a fellow of SAE International, formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers. Established in 1975, the fellow designation honors long-term SAE members who have made a significant impact on society’s mobility technology through leadership, research and innovation. Only about 20 of SAE’s more […]
Speeding up the hydrogen highway
December 16, 2015 – 8:00 am
HyStEP device will accelerate hydrogen refueling station commissioning LIVERMORE, Calif. — Drivers are seeing more hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on the road, but refueling stations for those vehicles are still few and far between. This is about to change, and one reason is a new testing device being validated at California refueling stations […]
Bay Area national labs team to tackle long-standing automotive hydrogen storage challenge
October 8, 2015 – 9:25 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. —Sandia National Laboratories will lead a new tri-lab consortium to address unsolved scientific challenges in the development of viable solid-state materials for storage of hydrogen onboard vehicles. Better onboard hydrogen storage could lead to more reliable and economic hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. “Storing hydrogen on board vehicles is a critical enabling technology for […]