Archive of past stories
Future flames (September 15, 2009)
Ultra-lean premixed flames hold promise for boosting efficiency and cutting emissions in
thousands of boilers, furnaces and turbines, but they’re often unstable and subject
to quenching. Detailed computer models are helping researchers understand and improve these
complex chemical reactions.
Full story
Causing a stir (August 17, 2009)
Sandia National Laboratory scientists use one of the world’s
most powerful computers to decipher turbulent flows in flames –
a key factor in understanding and improving combustion, which is still
likely to be the world’s main energy source for decades.
Full story
Hard target (June 1, 2009)
Concrete may be as common as dirt today, but much of what’s known about
pouring this vital material is based on the gut feelings
of experienced crews. Now computer models are illuminating what influences
flow and how that affects stress and environmental impact.
Full story
Power from plants (February 26, 2009)
The woody material in plant stems and leaves could be an abundant source
of ethanol is an economical way can be found to break it into sugars.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers are deploying massive computer
resources to decipher this obstacle.
Full story
Moving mounds of data (February 12, 2009)
The increasing power of high-performance computers has created a parallel
increase in the data they process and produce. But moving mountains of
data can lead to bottlenecks that limit computers’ speed. Researchers
are finding ways to break those barriers.
Full story
Hot stuff (August 13, 2007)
A computer simulation will show how new, efficient nuclear power plants can
keep their cool. The project will use a grant of 1 million processor hours
from the Department of Energy’s INCITE program.
Full story
Star material (July 2, 2007)
A simulation of the deaths of massive stars is shedding
light on the origin of everything, from the iron in our
blood to the planet we live on.
Full story
Speed bump (April 16, 2007)
Computer scientists helped bump up the speed with which a combustion simulation program
ran by as much as 10 times. The simulation ran on some of the world’s most
powerful high-performance computers.
Full story
