Albany Research Center
Encyclopedia
The Albany Research Center, now part of National Energy Technology Laboratory
(NETL), is a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory staffed by Federal employees located in Albany, Oregon
. Founded in 1943, the laboratory specializes in life cycle research starting with the formulation, characterization, and/or melting of most metal
s, alloy
s, and ceramic
s; casting and fabrication, prototype
development; and the recycle and remediation of waste
streams associated with these processes. They routinely solve industrial processing problems by investigating melting, casting, fabrication, physical and chemical analysis and wear, corrosion and performance testing of materials through the use of state-of-the-art equipment and analytical techniques. The facility rests on 44 acres (17.8 ha) and occupies 38 buildings.
selected a location in Albany to be home to the Northwest Electro-development Laboratory on March 17, 1943. The grounds of the center and some buildings had been the home of Albany College (now Lewis & Clark College) from 1925 until 1937. The facility was planned to develop new metallurgical processes as well as study ways to use low-grade resources using the surplus of electricity in the region. In 1945, the name was changed to the Albany Metallurgy Research Center.
Research at the facility in the early years included studying zirconium, which led to advances in producing ductile zirconium under William J. Kroll
. This included work with the Navy
and the Atomic Energy Commission
on development of the , the first nuclear powered submarine. In 1955, production of zirconium at the research center stopped when it was taken over by private industry. Other work at Albany included research on titanium
casting, recycling metals and alloys, creating sulfurcrete, and studying metal corrosion among other areas.
The center was renamed as the Albany Research Center in 1977, and in 1985 it was listed by the American Society for Metals as a historical landmark. During the mid-1990s until the mid 2000s, the center worked with the Oregon Department of Transportation
on preventing corrosion on bridges exposed to salt water. In 1996, the United States Congress
eliminated the Bureau of Mines, with the Albany facility then transferred to the U.S. Department of Energy. At first it was a part of the department's Office of Fossil Energy, but in 2005 it became a National Energy Technology Laboratory
with the name changing to NETL-Albany. At that time the research center had a staff of 85 people and an annual budget of $10 million. Though he research center began additional upgrades in 2009 to add on two new modular office complexes to the facility and bringing to total staff up to 120 people. During that same year the center received an R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine.
and later for the Energy Research and Development Administration
.
As part of FUSRAP
cleanup operations, a radiological survey was conducted of the site in 1984. Portions of 18 buildings and 37 exterior locations were designated as needing decontamination. The cleanup was done in two phases: Phase I from July 1987 to January 1988 and Phase II from August 1990 to April 1991. The hazardous waste material was sent to the Hanford Site
for disposal. The site was certified to Department of Energy
standards and guidelines for cleanup of residual radioactive contamination in 1993.
systems to include the need to produce new materials for the energy systems of tomorrow and to develop new methods to ameliorate the releases associated with these new systems. Their two research groups are the Materials Performance Division, and the Process Development Division. Specific research is conducted on oxidation, sulfidation, foil lamination, and several areas related to coal burning. Their facilities include a fabrication plant, corrosion testing area, a melting and casting facility, and a wear and fracture laboratory.
National Energy Technology Laboratory
The National Energy Technology Laboratory is a science, technology, and energy laboratory owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy . As part of DOE's national laboratory system, NETL supports DOE's mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States...
(NETL), is a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory staffed by Federal employees located in Albany, Oregon
Albany, Oregon
Albany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
. Founded in 1943, the laboratory specializes in life cycle research starting with the formulation, characterization, and/or melting of most metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s, alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
s, and ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s; casting and fabrication, prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
development; and the recycle and remediation of waste
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
streams associated with these processes. They routinely solve industrial processing problems by investigating melting, casting, fabrication, physical and chemical analysis and wear, corrosion and performance testing of materials through the use of state-of-the-art equipment and analytical techniques. The facility rests on 44 acres (17.8 ha) and occupies 38 buildings.
History
The United States Bureau of MinesUnited States Bureau of Mines
For most of the 20th century, the U.S. Bureau of Mines was the primary United States Government agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and conservation of mineral resources.- Summary :...
selected a location in Albany to be home to the Northwest Electro-development Laboratory on March 17, 1943. The grounds of the center and some buildings had been the home of Albany College (now Lewis & Clark College) from 1925 until 1937. The facility was planned to develop new metallurgical processes as well as study ways to use low-grade resources using the surplus of electricity in the region. In 1945, the name was changed to the Albany Metallurgy Research Center.
Research at the facility in the early years included studying zirconium, which led to advances in producing ductile zirconium under William J. Kroll
William J. Kroll
William Justin Kroll was a metallurgist from Luxembourg. He is best known for inventing the Kroll process in 1940, which is used commercially to extract metallic titanium from ore....
. This included work with the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and the Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
on development of the , the first nuclear powered submarine. In 1955, production of zirconium at the research center stopped when it was taken over by private industry. Other work at Albany included research on titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
casting, recycling metals and alloys, creating sulfurcrete, and studying metal corrosion among other areas.
The center was renamed as the Albany Research Center in 1977, and in 1985 it was listed by the American Society for Metals as a historical landmark. During the mid-1990s until the mid 2000s, the center worked with the Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
on preventing corrosion on bridges exposed to salt water. In 1996, the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
eliminated the Bureau of Mines, with the Albany facility then transferred to the U.S. Department of Energy. At first it was a part of the department's Office of Fossil Energy, but in 2005 it became a National Energy Technology Laboratory
National Energy Technology Laboratory
The National Energy Technology Laboratory is a science, technology, and energy laboratory owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy . As part of DOE's national laboratory system, NETL supports DOE's mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States...
with the name changing to NETL-Albany. At that time the research center had a staff of 85 people and an annual budget of $10 million. Though he research center began additional upgrades in 2009 to add on two new modular office complexes to the facility and bringing to total staff up to 120 people. During that same year the center received an R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine.
FUSRAP cleanup
From 1945 until 1978, the Research Center was involved in working with radioactive materials, first for the Atomic Energy CommissionUnited States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
and later for the Energy Research and Development Administration
Energy Research and Development Administration
The United States Energy Research and Development Administration was a United States government organization formed from the split of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1975...
.
As part of FUSRAP
FUSRAP
The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program is a United States Army Corps of Engineers project to manage and cleanup environmental contamination that resulted from early United States Atomic Energy Commission activities...
cleanup operations, a radiological survey was conducted of the site in 1984. Portions of 18 buildings and 37 exterior locations were designated as needing decontamination. The cleanup was done in two phases: Phase I from July 1987 to January 1988 and Phase II from August 1990 to April 1991. The hazardous waste material was sent to the Hanford Site
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
for disposal. The site was certified to Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
standards and guidelines for cleanup of residual radioactive contamination in 1993.
Operations
In conjunction with the Office of Fossil Energy, the facility investigates many of the nation's challenges in the production and use of all types of fossil energyFossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
systems to include the need to produce new materials for the energy systems of tomorrow and to develop new methods to ameliorate the releases associated with these new systems. Their two research groups are the Materials Performance Division, and the Process Development Division. Specific research is conducted on oxidation, sulfidation, foil lamination, and several areas related to coal burning. Their facilities include a fabrication plant, corrosion testing area, a melting and casting facility, and a wear and fracture laboratory.