How to Gain Access to Oak Ridge National Laboratory User Facilities
Oak
Ridge National Laboratory is the home of 18
highly sophisticated experimental user facilities (see listing
below). These research laboratories are designed to serve not only
our staff scientists and engineers, but also researchers from
universities, industry, foreign institutions, and other government
laboratories. (See List
of User Agreements). They simultaneously advance national
research and development and fulfill the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) missions by
minimizing unnecessary duplication of effort, promoting beneficial
scientific interactions, and making the most effective use
of costly and, in many cases, unique equipment.
The
diverse and sophisticated research conducted by our staff
scientists, coupled with the availability of unique resource
equipment, is attracting a broader group of guest researchers.
In FY 2005, there were over 1,300 experimenters from over
405 organizations that utilized the user facilities.
Access
to the Oak Ridge user facilities is a twofold process: (1) the
review and approval of the user's proposal and (2) an
executed agreement between the user institution and UT-Battelle.
Prospective users are invited to submit a proposal directly
to the user facility of interest. Acceptance of proposals
depends on scientific merit, suitability of Oak Ridge facilities
for the proposed project, selection of an Oak Ridge collaborator,
and appropriateness of the work to DOE objectives. Once a
proposal is approved, the specific operating procedures,
time allotted for work, user fees (if any), and collaborative
arrangements will be determined.
Concurrent
with the proposal procedure, the Technology Transfer and
Economic Development Office begins the process to execute
a user agreement with the user institution. This User
Facility Agreement, which can be either proprietary or
nonproprietary, stipulates the terms and conditions (including
disposition of intellectual property)
for the interaction.
User Facility Descriptions
Bioprocessing Research
Facility is
a combination of laboratories for the investigation of
advanced bioprocessing concepts using stirred-tank and
columnar bioreactors and a fermentation pilot plant for
large-scale batch and columnar experiments. Research
and development activities include (but are not limited
to) feedstock pretreatment and fractionation, microbial
culture selection and improvement, genetic manipulation;
microbial and enzyme immobilization, advanced bioreactor
concepts; biotreatment of wastes, process feasibility
and scaleup, advanced analytical concepts, bioprocessing
monitoring and control, and biochemical separations. Back
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Buildings Technology Center
is identifying, developing, and deploying sustainable and
energy-efficient building technologies and systems. The
Center offers a unique collection of testing and analysis
capabilities expertise to U.S. building industry on building
envelopes, heating and cooling, and equipment. Other areas
of research are the monitoring and systems analysis of
existing buildings performance.Back to
top
Californium
User Facility for Neutron Science is
a unique neutron irradiation facility that uses compact
(finger-sized) californium-252 neutron source capsules.
These sources are stored at the CUF for the U.S. Department
of Energy 252Cf distribution program. Two uncontaminated
hot cells are available for entry and experimental setup
by researchers, after which 252Cf sources capable of
emitting >1011 neutrons/s can be used for irradiations.
The fast neutron spectrum (average energy ~2.1 MeV) can
be moderated to a thermal spectrum, and small sample
volumes can be irradiated by thermal and/or fast neutron
fluxes >108 cm-2 s-1. Corresponding gamma dose is
significantly less than the neutron dose. Experimenters
using the CUF avoid the regulatory and radiological concerns
of neutron source custody and handling. Back
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Center for Nanophase
Materials Sciences is a highly collaborative user research facility
for the synthesis, characterization, theory/ modeling/ simulation,
and design of nanoscale materials and structures and the
understanding of nanoscale phenomena. The CNMS Scientific
Program—originally defined collaboratively through Planning
Workshops with the national scientific community—focuses
on fundamental challenges of nanoscale science as well
as nanotechnology opportunities and needs. Among these
are the integration of “hard” and “soft” materials
in functional structures, through the development of new
synthesis and assembly methods; the understanding and control
of nanoscale interfaces; and the use of neutron scattering's
unique capabilities (complementary to other techniques)
to probe both soft and magnetic materials at the nanoscale,
particularly in connection with complex, self-organizing
behavior.
Cooling,
Heating and Power Integration Laboratory is a facility
that will enable researchers from industries, universities
and other institutions to conduct tests on distributed
energy products and systems for building applications.
It will enable developers to do both performance and
reliability testing.
Back to top
Fuels, Engines, and Emissions Research
Center is specialized in the detailed characterization of internal combustion
engine emissions and efficiency. The facility's comprehensive capabilities
include bench-top engine exhaust simulators, a wide range of dynamometers,
and full vehicles. The FEERC boasts several special diagnostic and measurement
tools-including many rarely found at other facilities around the country-that
aid in development and evaluation of engine and emission control technologies. Back
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HFIR Center for Neutron Scattering The HFIR Center for
Neutron Scattering at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is
the highest flux reactor-based source of neutrons for condensed
matter research in the United States. The Center is a national
user facility operated by ORNL for the United States Department
of Energy. Thermal and cold neutrons produced by the High
Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) are used to study physics, chemistry,
materials science, engineering, and biology. Back
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High Flux Isotope Reactor is
a versatile 85-MW isotope production and reactor with the
capability and facilities for performing a wide variety of
irradiation experiments. It has a peak thermal neutron flux
of 2.6×1015
neutrons per square centimeter per second, which is the highest in the
western world. The HFIR is a beryllium-reflected, light water-cooled
and moderated flux-trap type swimming pool reactor that uses
highly enriched uranium-235 as the fuel. A fuel cycle normally
consists of full-power operation for a period of 23 to 27
days at 85-MW, followed by an outage that lasts approximately
4 to 7 days. Back to top
High Temperature Materials
Laboratory The High Temperature Materials Laboratory (HTML) is designed
to help solve materials problems that limit the efficiency and reliability
of automotive systems, including propulsion and chassis systems. HTML includes
six user centers available to researchers in industry, universities, and
federal laboratories. The six User Centers provide electron microscopy
for microstructural and microchemical analysis, equipment for measurement
of the thermophysical and mechanical properties of ceramics to elevated
temperatures, X-ray and neutron diffraction for structure and residual
stress analysis, and high speed grinding machines with capability for measurement
of component shape, tolerances, surface finish, and friction and wear properties.
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Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility is
providing high quality beams of short-lived radioactive isotopes. These
isotopes are produced when intense beams of light ions from the Oak Ridge
Isochronous Cyclotron strike highly refractory targets. The radioactive
isotopes diffuse out of the production target and are ionized, formed into
a beam and mass selected. The radioactive ion beam is then injected in
the 25-MV Tandem, the world's highest voltage electrostatic accelerator,
and is provided for nuclear reaction, structure, and astrophysics research. Back
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Metals-Processing
Laboratory Users Facility are providing specialized equipment for studies
of materials synthesis (melting, casting, and powder metallurgy); deformation
processing (forging, rolling, extrusion and thermomechanical processing);
materials characterization (mechanical properties, fracture mechanics,
non-destructive examination, corrosion, computer-controlled dilatometer
analyses [quenching, deformation, and cryogenic], and data base generation);
joining (welding, brazing, bonding and solidification monitoring and control);
and mathematical modeling (to predict thermal gradients, molten metal flow,
phase equilibria, solidification rates, strain distributions, residual
stresses, etc.) utilizing some of the world's largest massively parallel
computers and specialized computing codes developed by ORNL staff. Extensive
experience in the utilization of ceramics and composites also provides
MPLUS with a major advantage in integrating metals processing skills with
the more generic materials issues of interest to the development of end-use
products. Back to top
Mouse Genetics Research Facility For
over 50 years, the Mouse Genetics Research Facility (MGRF) at Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL) has attracted a highly qualified staff of mouse
geneticists and molecular biologists who use its standard and mutant strains
of laboratory mice for basic research in analyzing gene function, and identifying
mouse models of human genetic disease. In May 2004 the MGRF opened a new,
36,000-ft2 vivarium on the main ORNL campus at ORNL. This new vivarium,
The William L. and Liane B. Russell Laboratory for Comparative and Fuctional
Genomics, is being operated by Bionetics, Inc., as a specific-pathogen-free
barrier facility with a capacity for 70,000 mice. Mouse Strains, derived
from the transfer of two-cell stage embryos, are housed in ventilated racks
with automated watering systems; basic husbandry is provided by certified
technical staff. This facility is also home to the Collaborative Cross,
a large genetic reference population designed for the study of complex
genetic traits. Back
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National Center for
Computational Sciences (NCCS) at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory was established in 1992 and in 2004 was designated by the Secretary
of Energy as the Leadership Computing Facility for the nation, to provide
for unclassified research a resource 100 times more powerful than current
capabilities. Back to top
National Transportation Research Center develops
and evaluates advanced transportation technologies and systems,
NTRC staff utilizes state-of-the-art hardware and computational
techniques to address problems of national and international
significance related to transportation, such as dependence
on unstable and declining petroleum supplies, declining air
quality, traffic congestion,
evacuation planning, and highway safety. Back
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Oak Ridge
Electron Linear Accelerator is used to produce intense, nanosecond pulses
of neutrons with a broad energy spectrum (10-3 eV to 108 eV) for a wide range
of experiments. By using time-of-flight techniques, many different types
of neutron reactions can be studied with very high resolution and precision.
The current ORELA program is centered around research in basic and applied
nuclear physics. Simultaneous, yet virtually independent experiments can
be run on the 10 evacuated flight paths at distances between 9 and 200 m
from the neutron source. Back to top
Power Electronics
and Electric Machinery Research Facility is
recognized worldwide for their expertise in developing and prototyping
advanced power converters, adjustable speed drives, and electric machines,
power transmission and distribution research and development, and power
quality, efficiency, and measurement. The Center provides unique expertise
in power converter topologies, thermal management, packaging technologies
for electromagnetic interference minimization and for space and weight
reduction, digital signal processing-based control techniques for motor
drives, system energy management, flywheel energy storage applications
and ultra-high speed drive applications. Back
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The Safeguards Laboratory (SL) provides an internationally recognized capability for conducting hands-on testing, evaluation, and validation of radiation measurement equipment, and customized training for integrated safeguards methods, procedures, and instrumentation. It is devoted to research and international collaboration through the International Safeguards Program and the Nuclear Securities Technology Program. The SL User Facility is accessible to everyone, including employees, nonemployees, U. S. Citizens, and foreign guests. Back to top
Shared Research Equipment
User Facility is offering state-of-the-art capabilities
in the areas of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), atom probe field ion microscopy, and mechanical properties
microanalysis (MPM). Back to top
Spallation Neutron Source
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is home to two of the most advanced neutron scattering scientific research facilities in the world: the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).
Scientists from all over the world come to conduct basic research at these facilities. Studies conducted here will go beyond research and development and will lead to technological advances that will benefit the scientific, business, and industrial communities.
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