Quantum precision reached in modeling molten salt behavior
ORNL’s annual workshop has become the premier forum for molten salt reactor, or MSR, collaboration and innovation, convening industry, academia and government experts to further advance MSR research and development. This year’s event attracted a record-breaking 365 participants from across the country, highlighting the momentum to bring MSRs online.
National lab collaboration enables faster, safer inspection of nuclear reactor components, materials
A research partnership between two Department of Energy national laboratories has accelerated inspection of additively manufactured nuclear components, and the effort is now expanding to inspect nuclear fuels.
During Hurricanes Helene and Milton, ORNL deployed drone teams and the Mapster platform to gather and share geospatial data, aiding recovery and damage assessments. ORNL's EAGLE-I platform tracked utility outages, helping prioritize recovery efforts. Drone data will train machine learning models for faster damage detection in future disasters.
The US focuses on nuclear nonproliferation, and ORNL plays a key role in this mission. The lab conducts advanced research in uranium science, materials analysis and nuclear forensics to detect illicit nuclear activities. Using cutting-edge tools and operational systems, ORNL supports global efforts to reduce nuclear threats by uncovering the history of nuclear materials and providing solutions for uranium removal.
Maximiliano Ferrari, a researcher in the Grid Systems Architecture group at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elevated to prestigious senior membership in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
The National Center for Computational Sciences, located at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, made a strong showing at computing conferences this fall. Staff from across the center participated in numerous workshops and invited speaking engagements.
ORNL’s National Security Sciences Directorate partnered with the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs to develop a graduate certificate in nuclear security that launched in the fall of 2024.
ORNL researchers created and tested two methods for transforming coal into the scarce mineral graphite, which is used in batteries for electric vehicles.
FREDA is a new tool being developed at ORNL that will accelerate the design and testing of next-generation fusion devices. It is the first tool of its kind to combine plasma and engineering modeling capabilities and utilize high performance computing resources.
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory had a major presence at this year’s International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis (SC24).