Other Laboratories and Facilities Available to Researchers
Argonne's Advanced Powertrain Research Facility (APRF) is the principal U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility for assessing advanced and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies for the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program. The APRF is an integrated multi-dynamometer vehicle and component test facility capable of testing conventional and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems and vehicles (two- or four-wheel drive) in a precise laboratory environment using a variety of fuels (including hydrogen). The facility is used to assess powertrain technology for light- and medium-duty propulsion systems with state-of-the-art performance and emissions measurement equipment and techniques.
The Aerosol Lab (AL) houses equipment to measure and record the physical parameters necessary to characterize the formation and transport of aerosols.
The AGHCF has capabilities for handling and analyzing irradiated nuclear fuel and other radioactive materials. The facility was designed and built to conduct postirradiation examinations of fuels and structural components for reactor development, and that role has expanded over the years to include analysis and testing of components for current reactors. The research has helped in the development of safe and reliable fuel systems for advanced commercial power reactors and research reactors.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) provides its clients with high-quality, cost-effective chemical analysis and performs world-class research in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and radiochemistry
The facility houses a computer-operated test laboratory, where individual cells and multicell modules of battery systems are subjected to performance and lifetime tests under simulated real-world conditions.
Argonne Pilot-Scale Electrodialysis Facilities: The electrodialysis technologies we develop at the bench scale are further evaluated in our electrodialysis pilot plant, constructed in 1999 and shown above. The pilot plant can accommodate a variety of commercial-scale ED stacks, including those with water-splitting bipolar membranes.
The Engineering Development Laboratory (EDL) facilities are used to obtain information on the behavior of molten nuclear fuel, both in-reactor pressure vessel and ex-vessel.
Argonne Froth-Flotation/Density-Separation Test Facility: Large-scale test facilities are also in place at Argonne to conduct the research to define process conditions for selective separation of thermoplastics from any type of mixed-plastics waste stream.
The facility is designed for testing and evaluating fuel cell stacks and systems up to 50 kW. Through standardized tests and test conditions, Argonne provides its sponsors with comparative data on the performance, operational characteristics, and durability of fuel cells.
Argonne High-Temperature Furnace Facility: High-temperature laboratory furnaces are also in place at Argonne to conduct high-temperature experiments on materials under different gas environments. This test facility was also used to recover carbon and glass fibers from composite structures.
The Irradiated Materials Laboratory (IML) is equipped for handling, testing, and analyzing irradiated materials. The facility was designed and built to conduct postirradiation examinations of structural components for reactor development, and that role has expanded over the years to include testing of components.
The LAL facility houses two high-power industrial laser systems, complete with diagnostics for materials-processing functions: a 6 kW CO2 laser and a 1.6 kW pulsed Nd:YAG laser.
The Sensors, Instrumentation, and Nondestructive Evaluation (SI&NDE) Section conducts research and development related to instruments and NDE techniques for characterization of materials and determination of system parameters related to different energy systems (including fossil, transportation, and nuclear). The Section also develops sensors and technologies for non-energy-producing applications such as homeland security and biomedical engineering.
Robotics Laboratory (RL)
The Robotics Laboratory (RL) houses various remote manipulator systems, including the Dual Arm Work Platform, to support enhancements to teleoperation of remote systems for nuclear applications.
(SBC) operates a national user facility for macromolecular crystallography at Sector 19 of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The SBC makes available to scientific community two experimental stations: an insertion-device, 19ID, and a bending-magnet, 19BM and a biochemistry laboratory.
Engineers use Argonne's Tribology Laboratory to conduct research on advanced tribological systems (e.g., materials, surface engineered materials, lubricants, fuels and fuel/lubricant additives) for use in aggressive environments. |
