Aug
18
Finding Natural Gas the Second Time Around
August 18, 2016 | 1 Comment
University of Michigan researchers have flown aircraft over an oil and gas field and pinpointed with unprecedented precision the sources of the natural gas or methane leaks in real time. The technique led to the detection and immediate repair of two leaks in natural gas pipelines in the Four Corners region of the U.S. Southwest. […]
Aug
17
New Efficient Idea For Old Tech Thermal Photovoltaic
August 17, 2016 | 1 Comment
Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have a new idea for the technology of solid-state thermophotovoltaics (TPV). The idea could provide a high-efficiency alternative for directly converting high-temperature heat from concentrated solar thermal to utility-scale electricity. Using new computer modeling the researcher’s data suggest that high temperature TPV conversion – which captures infrared radiation from very […]
Aug
16
The Better Lower Cost More Efficient Water Heater
August 16, 2016 | Leave a Comment
Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have developed a novel method that could yield lower-cost, higher-efficiency systems for water heating in residential buildings. Described in a new report the newly termed “semi-open” natural gas-fired design reduces the cost and complexity of traditional closed gas-fired systems by streamlining, and even eliminating, certain components. The team of scientists […]
Aug
11
New Understanding of Fuel Cell Reaction Mechanisms
August 11, 2016 | Leave a Comment
University of Wisconsin-Madison chemical engineers have demystified some of the complex catalytic chemistry in fuel cells – an advance that brings cost-effective fuel cells closer to reality. The applied skill set used a unique combination of advanced computational methods. Manos Mavrikakis, a UW-Madison professor of chemical and biological engineering sets out the parameter with, “Understanding […]
Aug
10
New Biofuel Process Conquers Invading Organisms
August 10, 2016 | Leave a Comment
Researchers at MIT and the Cambridge Massachusetts startup Novogy have developed a biofuel production process that gives producer microbes the upper hand against unwanted invaders, eliminating the need for expensive and potentially harmful sterilization methods. The new technique gives biofuel-producing microbes the upper hand against unwanted invaders. The development could reduce the cost and environmental […]