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Three Argonne technologies are among those chosen by R&D Magazine as the top 100 developments of the year.
The three awards make a total of 70 Argonne inventions that have placed inR&D's list of "the most significant technical products of the year."
One development, an ultrahard coating many times slicker than Teflon, was also among developments cited byDiscover magazine. The new coating was developed by Ali Erdemir and George Fenske (both ET), and visiting scientist Osman Eryilaz.
The most promising applications for the coating, which may have the lowest coefficient of friction of any carbon-based material in the world, are in automobile and engine parts, such as turbocharger rotors and fuel injector components. Other potential applications include oilless bearings, spacecraft mechanisms, rolling and sliding gear systems, and bearings of ultrahigh vacuum instruments.
The coating has exceptional wear resistance and durability, with a coefficient of friction less than .001 -- twenty times lower than the previous record holder.
Two of the developments are new software programs:
PRODIAG,
developed by Jaques Reifman (RA) and Tom Wei (RE), monitors
thermal-hydraulic processes and identifies faulty
components, such as clogged filters and pipe breaks, in real
time during off-normal process operating conditions.
Intended originally for diagnosing off-normal process conditions in nuclear power plants, PRODIAG has a wide range of process-industry application.
PRODIAG's diagnostic system continuously receives process data -- such as fluid temperature, pressure, flow and level -- from the plant and identifies the components whose failure has caused the off-normal plant condition -- for example, a break in this heat exchanger, a clogged piping in that filter, or an inadvertent opening of a particular valve.
MSET ("Multivariate
State Estimation Technique"), developed by Ralph
Singer, Kenny Gross and Stephan Wegerich (all RA), is an
early-warning expert system for monitoring the performance
of sensors, equipment and plant processes.
This extremely sensitive system detects the smallest developing faults at the earliest possible time and alerts operators, substantially enhancing system safety, availability and operating efficiency for a wide range of applications in utilities, aerospace, industrial and other settings.
In the power industry alone, where downtime can cost up to $1 million per day, MSET enhances plant safety while significantly minimizing the costs of generating electricity. The expert system will benefit consumers and electricity-intensive industries, thereby indirectly enhancing job creation and retention in many industries.
TheArgonne Combined Appeal (ACA) will collect used books during the month of August for its second annual used book sale to be held Sept. 10-11.
Collection boxes will be in the lobbies of Buildings 201, 203, 401 and 900. Textbooks, magazines, encyclopedias or Reader's Digest condensed books cannot be accepted.
Book lovers browsed through more than 6,000 donated books at last year's used book fair, which raised nearly $2,500.
The ACA gives employees an opportunity to support nonprofit health and welfare agencies that help people in need, and to establish a method for employees to conveniently contribute to one or more agencies
Employees can participate in the voluntary program through payroll deductions or by one-time cash contributions. Payroll deduction permits contributions to be deducted in regular installments throughout the year, allocated to recipient agencies according to each employee's instructions. Employees choosing this form of participation sign a card authorizing payroll deductions. Cash contributions are also accepted.
Employees may join the ACA at any time by completing a pledge card, available from Payroll, Building 201, ext. 2-8020.
For more information, see the ACA home page at http://www.anl.gov/ACA/aca-home.html.
Lee honored for ANL-W cleanup study
Scott Lee (ED) received a Pacesetter Award for his extraordinary effort in preparing the Comprehensive Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, the proposed plan and public hearings related to cleanup activities at Argonne-West. This work, completed far ahead of schedule, is typically performed by at least four environmental engineers at other DOE facilities.
Barbara Douglas (DEP) was honored for personal initiative and extraordinary effort in maintaining important functions of Argonne's Washington, D.C., office, including coordination with the U.S. State Department, while the office was short of staff.
Munson cited for work on new ATLAS controls
Floyd Munson (PHY) won a Pacesetter Award for extraordinary effort and innovative approaches in the development and implementation of the new VISTA control system at the Argonne Tandem Linear Accelerator System (ATLAS). Munson's innovative efforts allowed the new system to operate in tandem with the 20-year-old original equipment, keeping databases current and accomplishing the switchover at minimum cost -- saving an estimated $500,000.
The Argonne Fire Department visited the laboratory's day-camp program at Argonne-East's Building 951 recently to spread the word about fire safety and teach the children how best to respond to fires.
Firefighter Robert Gramlich (ESH-FD) suited up in full gear to show the children what a firefighter looks and sounds like when fully equipped, as Lt. Sam Giordano (ESH-FD) explained the function of each item of equipment. In addition to being fun for the kids, demonstrations like this could help prevent tragedies, Giordano said.
"The way a firefighter looks could be frightening for a kid in a fire," Giordano said. "Kids tend to hide in that situation, especially when they see what looks like a monster crawling toward them. We'd like them to be familiar with how we look and sound so they don't hide in closets and toy boxes."
The children also learned about smoke detectors, how to react if their clothing catches fire, and how stay low to avoid smoke. They also got close-up looks at a fire engine and a paramedic vehicle.
A new environmental management master's degree program offered by the Illinois Institute of Technology will be the topic of a seminar on Tuesday, July 28.
George Nassos of IIT's Stuart School of Business will discuss the program from noon to 1 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 201, Room 238. This program is the only one of its kind in the Chicago area, and one of the few in the U.S. to encompass business, law and science. The program comprises 14 courses, all offered in the evening.
Michael P. Agresta, a project quality engineer in the Quality Assurance Division with 14 years of service, died April 6. He is survived by his wife, Ann.
James W. Armstrong, a mail services supervisor in the General Services Division who retired in 1981 with 36 years of service, died Jan. 9. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth.
Joseph E. Cantlin, an instrument welder in the Central Shops Division who retired in 1982 with 26 years of service, died April 5. He is survived by his wife, Helen.
Peter P. Chiappetta, an electrician in the Plant Operations Division who retired in 1977 with 23 years of service, died June 23. He is survived by his wife, Helen.
Thomas Corbett, a reclamation mechanic in the Plant Facilities and Services Division with 38 years of service, died March 7. He is survived by his wife Doris.
Robert Dalman, an AMOS administrator in the OCF--Procurement Department died Feb. 12 with 28 years of service. He is survived by his wife Pamela and his daughters Laurie Dalman and Gina Maleckas.
Louis Demko, an instrument machinist in the Central Shops Division died April 26 with 23 years of service.
Donald R. Fredrickson, a scientific associate in the Chemical Technology Division who retired in 1991 with 39 years of service, died May 18. He is survived by his wife Margaret.
Leroy Carl Gunn, a chief buyer in the Procurement Division with 32 years of service, died Jan 17. He is survived by his children Steven and Kathlyn Gunn.
Paul R. Hirsch, a mechanical engineer in the Plant Facilities and Services Division died March 2 with 34 years of service. He is survived by his wife Lola.
Theodore C. Johnson, an instrument welder in the Central Shops Division with 24 years of service died May 11. He is survived by his wife Ethel.
Robert Mogill, a shop foreman in the Central Shops Division died Feb. 25 with 34 years of service. He is survived by his wife Bernice.
Darwin D. Ness, of the Environmental Research Division died April 7 with 11 years of service. He is survived by his wife Dolores.
Cornelius H. O'Grady, a dispatcher in the Supply Division who retired in 1981 with 34 years of service, died April 29. He is survived by his wife Theresa.
William C. Redman, a senior physicist in the Office of the Director retired in 1985 with 37 years of service. He is survived by his wife Eileen and by his children Tim, Brian and Marilyn Redman.
Caleb C. Springs, a graphics illustrator in the Graphic Arts Division who retired in 1985 with 41 years of service, died March 31. He is survived by his wife Geraldine.
George A. Whittington, a senior technical editor in the Engineering Division died May 6 with 6 years of service. He is survived by his wife Katherine.
Jacqueline Williams, a scientific associate in the Chemical Engineering Division who retired in 1982 with 35 years of service, died Feb. 10. She is survived by her nephew Joseph McCulloch.
Fritz Schlenk, retired Argonne researcher in the biomedical division, died July 13 at the age of 88.
Schlenk, a biochemist who performed basic research, was influential among medical researchers who applied his study of transamination, a complex enzyme reaction, to measuring levels of enzymes to determine tissue damage to the heart and liver.
He was a faculty member for 20 years at the University of Chicago, and most recently taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago, retiring in 1985.
Schlenk won the Pasteur Award of the Illinois Society for Microbiology in 1966 for his contributions in research and teaching.
