WASHINGTON, D.C. (WATE) - The University of Tennessee is one of nine universities the Obama Administration announced Wednesday that won awards of approximately $300,000 for clean coal technology research projects.
Student-led teams across the country will continue research and development of new technologies and materials to advance clean coal energy production.
The UT project will perform studies on the aluminum-chromium-copper-iron-manganese-nickel high-entropy alloy (HEA) system for use in boilers and steam and gas turbines at temperatures above 760ºC and stress of 35 MPa (megapascals). Researchers will also develop an integrated approach coupling thermodynamic calculations and focused experiments to identify HEAs that outperform conventional alloys.
A press release from the White House says the goal is to spur the next generation of researchers across the nation to focus on development of high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion-resistant alloys, protective coatings and structural materials for advanced coal-fired power plants and gas turbines.
The projects will also develop new processes and computational design methods to develop these materials, improve efficiency and reduce the costs of cleaner power generation systems.
The other universities that received awards are: Brown University, Dartmouth College; Indiana University, in partnership with Purdue University and Praxair Surface Technologies; Ohio State University; Southern Illinois University; Texas Engineering Experiment Station; University of North Texas in partnership with University of Idaho (Moscow, Idaho) and the University of Toledo.
The Department of Energy's $2.7 million investment will be leveraged with additional funds from the universities to support $3.1 million in total projects.
