Queen Business-as-Usual loved her mirror. It gleamed, polished to perfection with petrochemical surfactants. She had a clean fetish, and this mirror was her pride — her proof that no molecule could be fairer than hers. Every morning she would ask: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest surfactant of all?” And every morning the mirror […]
This project, 38% complete with $2.98M total funding, targets ≥10% GHG and ≥90% NOx reduction (<0.04 g/kW-hr) for off-road powertrains by 2025. Key future engine technologies include cylinder deactivation and high-efficiency turbochargers, showing preliminary 10% CO2 reduction. Multiple aftertreatment configurations (e.g., dual SCR, e-heater, fuel burner) are being explored. An incremental cost analysis reveals a […]
This $550k (exp) + $175k (sim) FY24 project, running until 2027, focuses on X-ray diagnostics and high-fidelity CFD for SAF internal flow and atomization. Critical insights into as-built nozzle geometry (25 µm foreign object, micron-scale helical grooves) influencing spray morphology have been revealed. New window designs validate >150 bar performance for high-pressure experiments. A GPU-accelerated […]
This DOE-funded project, 60% complete with $450k in FY24 funding, investigates Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) combustion and contrail formation, particularly linking soot to ice nucleation. Research shows aromatics produce 4-8 times more soot, with cyclo-alkane blends offering an 80% soot reduction compared to traditional jet fuel components. A desktop aero-engine reactor network provides rapid, accurate […]
A four-year CRADA (FY23-26) with $2.0M DOE and $2.04M Caterpillar in-kind funding, this project is 35% complete, focusing on methanol as a promising decarbonization fuel for hard-to-electrify applications. Three combustion strategies are investigated, including port fuel injection and prechamber spark ignition. Maersk’s commitment to 730,000 tons of green methanol annually highlights the market. Accomplishments include […]
This project, 15% complete as of March 2024, is developing predictive CFD tools for hydrogen and methanol-fueled off-road engines. With $600k DOE funding and $450k industry cost-share in FY24, it aims to address limited understanding of low-carbon fuel impact. Key accomplishments include identifying hydrogen mixing model deficiencies, assessing combustion model shortcomings, and completing DNS setups, […]
The velvet rope parts, the crowd presses in. Today, the master cutter will make his move. Somewhere behind us, Inspector Clouseau barges forward, notebook at the ready. “Zis is ze original cutting of ze Pink Panther, yes? I must investigate ze el sceno de crimo!” The guard frowns. The cover is lifted… and instead of […]
I get it. You think Superman feeds the world, or Batman saves it. But the truth is, the planet runs on water — and what swims in it. I’m Aquaman, and while my Justice League buddies chase comets or clobber villains, I’m here to talk about algae. Not just any algae — EnSoil Algae, a […]
The weather in Eugene, Oregon, in late September 1969 is unseasonably cold. Upper 40s, a sharp bite in the morning air. Fog lies heavy in the Willamette Valley, pressed down by a temperature inversion, cool air trapped beneath a warmer ceiling. The moisture condenses into a gray curtain, a veil between the runner and the […]
This project develops and validates advanced CFD tools for hydrogen combustion in large-bore locomotive engines, aiming for up to 100% H2 operation. Simulations evaluated hydrogen substitution rates, diesel injection parameters, and compression ratios on combustion performance. Key findings showed a shift from mixing-controlled to flame propagation combustion with increasing H2, identifying conditions leading to high […]
