Research

Other

Other Research Projects:

Title: Fusion Energy Spheromak Turbulent Plasma Experiment – STPX
PI: Charles A. Weatherford Research Interests and Contact Information
Co-PIs: Kyron Williams and Ephrem Mezolin
Description: The Florida A&M University’s Center for Plasma Science and Technology (CePaST) has nearly completed the construction of a spheromak fusion reactor. A spheromak is one of a general class of experiments used to investigate key plasma physics principles relevant for the development of magnetically confined, controlled thermonuclear fusion as a source of electrical power. This project involves collaboration between Florida A&M University CePaST, West Virginia University, and Auburn University. The spheromak turbulent plasma physics experiment (STPX) is being constructed at FAMU in a facility especially built for the STPX experiment. Fusion research is a key element in the nation’s long term energy supply strategy, The spheromak concept may be a possible alternative to the tokamak concept (deployed at ITER) which affords access to fundamental fusion science issues supportive of fusion while allowing us to maintain and nurture an American fusion scientific workforce. This project will determine, using a fast duty cycle between theory, experiment, and simulation, the essential elements required for full kinetic modeling of an entire spheromak plasma using ab initio MHD with direct modifications from new turbulence physics. The project will focus on the management of fluctuations and transport in a spheromak plasma using new turbulence physics models and comprehensive helicity control. We will employ high time- and spatial- resolution measurements of electron temperatures, ion temperatures, and magnetic field fluctuations to investigate, understand, and eventually control reconnection driven heating as a means of increasing the plasma temperature of spheromak plasmas. We will use divertor diagnostics of radiation and particle transport along with edge biasing for electric field control to explore the effects of driven flows on confinement and heating in spheromak plasmas with microparticles and will investigate the effects of MW pulses coupled to protons on the plasma current and confinement.
Budget: $950,000 (not funded by FESC)
Universities: FAMU
External Collaborators: Dr. Earl Scime (West Virginia University), Dr. Ed Thomas (Auburn University), Dr. Simon Woodruff (Woodruff Scientific, Inc)
This project has been completed.
November 2011 Annual Report
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Title:Marketing Strategies to Incentives Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Development of Sustainable Energy
PI: Joe Cronin Research Interests and Contact Information
Description: The objective of this project was to investigate the role of market pull strategies in advancing sustainability goals. Specifically, the intent is to identify what “drives” “consumers” attitudes and behaviors relative to sustainable products. This includes consumers’ personal attitudes, opinions, and beliefs, their perceptions of their own and organizations’ abilities to affect or change the environment in which they live, and their personal characteristics (e.g., demographics). In addition, in collaboration with the College of Communications, the strengths and weaknesses of the various communication modalities that can be used to deliver sustainability knowledge to consumers (e.g., advertisements, testimonials, expert word-of-mouth communications, public relations, publicity, etc) were assessed. Specifically, the research attempts to identify the optimal market pull modality; that is, the means by which to deliver to consumers the knowledge that drives the purchase of sustainable goods and services. The overall objective of the research is to provide much needed market pull information for organizations embarking on “green” marketing strategies; that is, firms in the process of developing or expanding their mix of environmentally friendly goods and services.
Budget: $278,778 (total), $102, 564 (yr 2)
Universities: FSU
This project has been completed
November 2011 Annual Report
May 2010 Progress Report
November 2010 Annual Report
May 2011 Progress Report
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Title: Energy Sustainable Florida Communites
PI: Richard Fieock Research Interests and Contact Information
Co-PIs: Ivonne Audirac and Keith Ihlanfeldt
Description: The objective of NESC is to stimulate innovation and energy investments that will accelerate energy savings by local governments by sharing best practices and organizing and managing large scale collaboration and bulk buying projects.Florida State University has been working with U.S. DOE contributing surveys, research and outreach assistance to assist in efforts to promote investment, collaboration, and bulk purchasing by local governments that will achieve significant cost savings. This includes organizing NESC conference calls co-hosted by hosted by FSU and DOE, conducting several surveys, and hosting a meeting of Florida local government EECBG sub-awardees.These initial research efforts and conference calls have been successful in identifying broad interest in collaboration and bulk buying. They also revealed significant barriers to collaboration that need to be addressed including issues related to coordination within governments, among governments and with other organizations.We are now undertaking activities to address these barriers to collaboration at three levels: First we are conducting focused regional workshops throughout the state. By bringing interested governments in each region together with experts in collaboration, governance, finance, and purchasing we will identify specific projects and design the mechanisms to put the projects in place. Second, are expanding our statewide dialogue on a more systematic basis and share the insights and successes of our regional workshops. Third, we are working with universities and other partners throughout the U.S. to share strategies and insights and help replicate our successes in other states. By expanding our efforts and formalizing the network we will make large scale energy savings a reality.
Budget: $125,424
Universities: FSU
This project has been completed
November 2011 Annual Report
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Title:Development of a Renewable Energy Research Web Portal
PI: Charles McClure Research Interests and Contact Information
Co-PI:Ian Douglas, Chris Hinnant
Description: This one year project will identify, organize, and make available via a web portal, research generated as part of the FESC effort as well as other selected related information resources and tools as identified by FESC participants. The goal of this project is to provide IESES, FESC, researchers, and others in the state of Florida with the research information they need to accomplish statewide energy goals. A first product from this project will be an operational web portal that identifies, organizes, and provides access to a range of FESC and research related to renewable and alternative energy information. A second related product will be research results on extending technologies that allow users to share information and grow/sustain the web portal through a range of social networking techniques. This research will position FSU to obtain additional external funding related to interactive databases and web portals. Expected outcomes resulting from the project include increased IESES and FESC researcher productivity; increased leverage and collaboration of FESC resources and funding; and improved policy and decision making regarding the future uses and development of renewable and alternative energy in Florida.
Budget: $194,543
Universities: FSU
This project has been completed
November 2011 Annual Report
May 2010 Progress Report
November 2010 Annual Report
May 2011 Progress Report
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Title:Hydrogen Storage Using Carbon-Based Adsorbent Materials
PI: Efstratios Manousakis Research Interests and Contact Information
Description: We propose to theoretically investigate a variety of carbon based nano-porous materials, such as activated carbon or single-wall or multi-wall carbon nanotubes, which can be used to store and transport hydrogen. We find that by doping with metallic elements, the micro-surfaces of these carbon-based porous materials provide increased van der Waals forces to the adsorbed hydrogen molecules; this effect significantly enhances the volumetric energy density for hydrogen storage and we propose to carry out a full theoretical investigation to find the optimum conditions.
Budget: $15,000
Universities: FSU
This project has been completed
November 2011 Annual Report
May 2010 Progress Report
November 2010 Annual Report
May 2011 Progress Report