Description: This poster discusses research on the process of harvesting lightning as electrical energy. The findings of the author's literature review show that worldwide research is being conducted on how to harness the energy from lightning strikes. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers recently presented a paper during the Power Electronics Conference 2010 which examines a Malaysian College where researchers have begun a small scale study of lightning energy, and have found a way to successfully absorb the electrical potential energy from the lightning. This group focuses on the problems with lightning that makes it difficult to absorb or gather the energy. Lightning is extremely dangerous and further investigation shows that our understanding of it is not 100% assured. This issue and the absorption issue that the Malaysian college researchers identified are major hurdles for research on the use of lightning as a source of electrical energy.

Description: This poster discusses a research study of thermal properties of irradiation-induced stainless steels used in the development of nuclear reactors. In the development of nuclear power reactors, the use of metals able to withstand high temperatures and induced radiation is paramount. Molecular decomposition, embrittlement and swelling at the grain level of such materials are a consequence of intense neutron bombardment. Materials such as stainless steel T91 and oxide dispersed steel (ODS) are widely used in nuclear reactors. Mechanical and thermal properties at the grain level of these materials under irradiation have not been sufficiently demonstrated, for which the understanding and modeling of such parameters may lead to better maintenance of nuclear power plants, further development of newer materials and alloys, and material failure prediction. The purpose of this research is to further investigate the conduction of stainless steels at the grain level when subjected to intense radiation and high temperatures for efficient heat exchanger design and prediction of material failure.