National Laboratory

LANL Employees Pledge Record $327,000 in 2014 LAESF Scholarship Drive

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LANL Director Charlie McMillan chats with 2014 LANL Employees’ Scholarship recipient Nicolette Gonzales. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

As of July 1, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) employees pledged a record $327,000 during the recently completed 2014 Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF) drive.

The drive encourages Laboratory employees, retirees and subcontract personnel to donate to a fund that awards college scholarships to Northern New Mexico students.

The drive encourages Laboratory employees, retirees, and subcontract personnel to donate to a fund Read More

Complex DOE Contract for Pantex; Y-12 Completed

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DOE News:

The National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office and Consolidated Nuclear Security have completed one of the largest and most complex contract transitions in the history of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) assumed responsibility for the management and operation of the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., July 1.

CNS replaces B&W Y-12, which had operated Y-12 since 2000, and B&W Pantex, which also had operated Pantex since 2000. The contract includes a total Read More

LANL: Scientists Ignite Aluminum Water Mix

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LANL chemist Bryce Tappan ignites a small quantity of aluminum nanoparticle water mixture.  In open air, the compound burns like a Fourth of July sparkler.  Courtesy/LANL

When dry, aluminum nanoparticles look like simple dark gray dust. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

  • Combustion mechanism of aluminum nanoparticles and water published in prestigious German chemistry journal

Don’t worry, that beer can you’re holding is not going to spontaneously burst into flames, but under the right circumstances aluminum does catch fire, and the exact mechanism that governs how, has long Read More

WIPP: Plans Ongoing to Evaluate All Drums in Panel 7, Room 7

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WIPP has created a mock-up of Room 7 to test various ‘reach’ tools. Courtesy/WIPP

WIPP News:

As the investigation into the cause of the Feb. 14 radiological release continues, WIPP teams are working to create a system to examine all containers in Panel 7, Room 7. To date, visual inspection of the room’s 24 rows of
waste containers has been limited to rows 15 to 24.

Workers are evaluating several different systems that would allow recovery teams to obtain video imaging, thermography, and sampling data on the waste containers in rows 1-14 – those that are the furthest back in the Read More

New Atomic Heritage Foundation Website Previews Manhattan Project Historical Park

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J. Robert Oppenheimer. Courtesy photo

AHF News:

With prospects looking good this year for a Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Atomic Heritage Foundation (AHF) is launching a timely new website for prospective visitors to the Manhattan Project communities at www.atomicheritage.org.

The new park is expected to generate 500,000 or more tourists to Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Hanford, Wash., over the next decade. As a preview of coming attractions, prospective visitors can take a virtual tour and immerse themselves in the Manhattan Project online.

With colorful photographs, Read More

Ten New Mexico Businesses Win 2014 VAF Awards

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Purple Adobe Lavender Farm owners Elizabeth and Roger Inman. Courtesy photo 

BUSINESS News:

Ten New Mexico businesses headquartered in Abiquiu, Albuquerque, Alcalde, Santa Fe and Taos have been named winners of the 2014 Venture Acceleration Fund (VAF) awards.

VAF was initiated in 2006 by Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS), the company that manages Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), to stimulate the economy by supporting growth-oriented companies. 

“Since the VAF was initiated in 2006, Los Alamos National Security has invested approximately $3 million in 49 New
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DOE Launches Micro-grid 2014 MVP Challenge

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DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Micro-grid 2014 MVP Challenge, a competition to support resiliency and adaptation in communities across America.

The Challenge will recognize local organizations that have adopted successful grid strategies that are able to continue providing vital public services during power disruptions caused by severe weather and other events. As part of the Obama Administration’s Climate Action Plan, the competition advances the President’s commitment to helping the nation prepare for the impacts of climate change.  Read More

DOE Project Captures Million-plus Metric Tons of CO2

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DOE News:
 
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., has announced a major milestone: successfully capturing more than one million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) at the hydrogen-production facility in Port Arthur, Texas.
Using an innovative technology called vacuum swing adsorption, the project captures more than 90 percent of the CO2 from the product stream of two commercial-scale steam methane reformers that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere.
 
In addition to the secure storage, captured carbon
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François Lafond to Speak at SFI on ‘The Evolution of Knowledge Systems’ July 2

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François Lafond

SFI News:

The Santa Fe Institute (SFI) will hold a seminar at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 2 in the Collins Conference Room at SFI.

François Lafond, Research Fellow, London Institute for Mathematical Scienc (LIMS), and Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School is the featured speaker. He will give a talk entitled “The Evolution of Knowledge Systems.” The SFI host is Doyne Farmer.

Abstract: The creation and allocation of economic wealth ultimately relies on the creation and diffusion of knowledge. As a result, understanding the dynamics, organization Read More

New Energy Efficiency Standards for Furnace Fans to Reduce Carbon Pollution, Save on Energy Bills

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DOE News:

As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a new energy efficiency standard for furnace fans, the latest of eight finalized standards, and nine proposed standards issued since the Climate Action Plan was announced last year.

These efficiency standards cut carbon pollution and save American families and businesses money by saving energy. The new standard for furnace fans will help reduce harmful carbon pollution by up to 34 million metric tons – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 4.7 million homes – and save Americans

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