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Plutonium-238 produced at ORNL helps restores ability to power NASA space missions

Posted at 1:35 pm December 23, 2015
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

ORNL-Plutonium-238

By producing 50 grams of plutonium-238, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have demonstrated the nation’s ability to provide a valuable energy source for deep space missions. (Photo by ORNL)

 

With the production of 50 grams of plutonium-238, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have restored a U.S. capability dormant for nearly 30 years and set the course to provide power for NASA and other missions.

Plutonium-238 produces heat as it decays, and it can be used in systems that power spacecraft instruments. The new sample, which is in the same oxide powder form used to manufacture heat sources for power systems, represents the first end-to-end demonstration of a plutonium-238 production capability in the United States since the Savannah River Plant in South Carolina ceased production of the material in the late 1980s.

Researchers will analyze the sample for chemical purity and plutonium-238 content, then verify production efficiency models and determine whether adjustments need to be made before scaling up the process.

“Once we automate and scale up the process, the nation will have a long-range capability to produce radioisotope power systems such as those used by NASA for deep space exploration,” said Bob Wham, who leads the project for the lab’s Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Bob Wham, deep space missions, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, DOE Office of Science, High Flux Isotope Reactor, Idaho National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NASA, NASA mission, neptunium oxide, neptunium-237, neptunium-238, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, plutonium-238, spacecraft, U.S. Department of Energy

Icenhour to lead ORNL’s Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate

Posted at 2:04 am March 1, 2014
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

Alan Icenhour

Alan Icenhour

Alan Icenhour has been named associate laboratory director for nuclear science and engineering at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Icenhour will oversee ORNL’s contributions to isotope production, nuclear security and fission, and fusion research and technologies, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors. Icenhour has served as interim associate laboratory director since December.

Icenhour joined ORNL in 1990 and has worked in a variety of nuclear positions. Since 2008, he directed three divisions: the Global Nuclear Security Technology Division, the Fuel Cycle and Isotopes Division, and the Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Tagged With: Alan Icenhour, Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors, Fuel Cycle and Isotopes Division, fusion research, Global Nuclear Security Technology Division, isotope production, Jeff Binder, National Nuclear Security Administration, nuclear engineering, nuclear fission, nuclear science, nuclear security, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Nonproliferation Research and Development, ORNL, Thom Mason, U.S. Department of Energy

Lecture next week focuses on IAEA training program hosted at ORNL

Posted at 10:00 pm September 2, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Michael Whitaker

Michael Whitaker

A lunchtime lecture next week will feature a discussion of a recent International Atomic Energy Agency training program that was hosted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Michael Whitaker, group leader of the ORNL International Safeguards Group in the Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, will lead the presentation.

The IAEA training program was for more than 40 nuclear safeguards professionals and regulatory officials representing more than 30 nations. They spent two weeks at ORNL to expand their knowledge for conducting their vital work around the world, a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Friends of ORNL, IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Safeguards Group, Michael Whitaker, nuclear safeguards, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, training, University of Tennessee Resource Center

ORNL’s Feldman elected fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Posted at 8:00 pm August 6, 2013
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

Matt Feldman of Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been elected fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME.

He was elected for his outstanding engineering achievements, a press release said. AMSE fellows are peer-nominated and chosen by the ASME board of governors.

Feldman works in the Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division at ORNL.

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, Top Stories Tagged With: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME, Matt Feldman, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL

ORNL’s Jubin receives Robert E. Wilson Award from AIChE

Posted at 10:51 pm August 1, 2013
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

Robert Jubin

Robert Jubin

Robert Jubin of Oak Ridge National Laboratory has received the 2013 Robert E. Wilson Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or AIChE.

The AIChE recognized Jubin’s contributions in the areas of nuclear fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste treatment, and his chemical engineering achievements in the nuclear industry.

Jubin works in ORNL’s Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division.

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, Top Stories Tagged With: AIChE, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, chemical engineering, nuclear fuel reprocessing, nuclear industry, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, radioactive waste treatment, Robert E. Wilson Award, Robert Jubin

ORNL’s Croft elected fellow of the Institute of Physics

Posted at 5:01 pm July 30, 2013
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

Stephen Croft

Stephen Croft

Stephen Croft of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been elected fellow of the Institute of Physics.

He was selected for his achievements in physics and outstanding contributions to the physics profession.

Croft works in ORNL’s Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Institute of Physics, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Science, ORNL, Stephen Croft, U.S. Department of Energy

Two ORNL researchers, two joint faculty receive DOE early career awards

Posted at 12:10 pm May 10, 2013
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

DOE Early Career Awards

Pictured from top left, clockwise, are Valentino Cooper, Gaute Hagen, Matthias Schindler, and Jason Hayward. They are 2013 awardees in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Early Career Research Program. (Submitted photo)

Materials science and physics research led by early career Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists received a boost this week from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Early Career Research Program.

The program, now in its fourth year, is designed to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by providing support to exceptional researchers during crucial early career years when many scientists do their most formative work. This year’s 61 awardees were selected from a pool of 770 university- and national laboratory-based applicants.

“This highly competitive program is a well-deserved recognition for early-career scientists who are launching their own research programs,” ORNL Director Thom Mason said. “We are delighted that four of this year’s awards are going to researchers associated with ORNL.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, Top Stories Tagged With: computation, DOE, Early Career Research Program, Gaute Hagen, hadronic parity violation, Jason Hayward, materials science, Materials Science and Technology Division, Matthias Schindler, neutron imaging, neutron scattering, nuclear decay, Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Science, ORNL, perovskite oxide, physics, Physics Division, researchers, scientists, SNS, Spallation Neutron Source, Thom Mason, U.S. Department of Energy, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee, Valentino Cooper

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

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