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Energy management system sparks savings - An energy management system developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and installed at a New York City Housing Authority boiler plant in Manhattan has delivered cost savings of more than $300,000 in its first year. Decision Support for Operations and Maintenance, or DSOM, is a state-of-the-art monitoring and diagnostic system that optimizes system performance. Under a contract with the New York City Housing Authority, the system went online in 2001 at the Smith House central boiler plant, which provides steam and hot water to 12 housing units, covering nearly one million square feet. Developed for the U.S. Marine Corps, DSOM was first implemented at two major Corps facilities. In every installation DSOM has improved process efficiency, reduced maintenance expenses, extended equipment life and cut energy consumption and associated harmful emissions. DSOM received an R&D 100 Award for technology innovation in 2001. For more on DSOM, see
Scientists see a vivid picture of DNA repair process - All known life forms, including humans, spend a considerable portion of their energy making and repairing their cellular DNA. Damaged DNA left unrepaired can lead to mutations, cancer and other abnormalities. In an effort to better understand how DNA is repaired, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers successfully have applied a powerful microscopic process, called “single-molecule spectroscopy.” This is the first time single-molecule spectroscopy has been used in research focused specifically on interactions between DNA and DNA repair proteins. The researchers also are developing advanced chemical physics tools to study one of the first steps of this process, namely how the damaged DNA is recognized so that it can then be repaired. By better understanding how the repair mechanism works and why it occasionally fails, PNNL researchers hope medical doctors may one day be able to augment the repair process and possibly prevent cancer and other abnormalities.
Odorless option for fuel cells - A new, environmentally friendly system that efficiently removes sulfur odorants, which are added to pipeline natural gas for leak detection - but act as a poison to fuel cells - has been developed by researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. In addition to being 30 to 50 times smaller than desulfurization systems currently in use, E-STAR*, or the Efficient Sulfur Trapping and Regeneration System, is more efficient, cost-effective and longer lasting. The system operates at room temperature, features an easy-to-read color indicator for saturation levels and can be regenerated for reuse through simple oxidation treatment, minimizing disposal needs. E-STAR* also provides an equally effective pretreatment for catalytic fuel processors used to convert pipeline natural gas to hydrogen for use in hydrogen-based fuel cells. PNNL is teaming with Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. to test the system.
Sizing up seismic shakes - Millions of earthquakes occur around the world every year. The vast majority are naturally occurring phenomena. However, some of this seismic shaking doesn’t originate with Mother Earth. Distinguishing between naturally occurring earthquakes and nuclear detonations can be a challenge. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, statisticians have developed sophisticated mathematical algorithms to differentiate between natural phenomenon and man-made events. Sometimes hard-to-read seismic signatures offer only slight variations. The very complex methods developed by PNNL statisticians are helping seismologists around the world determine if they are detecting a shift in the earth’s crust or the results of a nuclear test detonation.