Savannah River National Laboratory
Encyclopedia
The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is the applied research and development laboratory at the U.S. Department of Energy
’s (DOE) Savannah River Site
(SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina
. SRNL was founded in 1951 as the Savannah River Laboratory. It was certified as a national laboratory on May 7, 2004.
SRNL research topics include environmental remediation, technologies for the hydrogen economy
, handling of hazardous materials, and technologies for prevention of nuclear proliferation
. The laboratory has specific experience in vitrification of nuclear waste and hydrogen storage
initially developed to support production of tritium
and plutonium
at the Savannah River Site during the Cold War
. SRNL is a founding member of the South Carolina Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Alliance (SCHFCA).
The laboratory employs 945 people and has an annual budget of 210 million U.S. Dollars (2010).
Savannah River National Laboratory has been operated by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy since 2008. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC is a partnership consisting of Fluor Daniel, Honeywell
, Lockheed Martin
and Northrop Grumman
.
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...
’s (DOE) Savannah River Site
Savannah River Site
The Savannah River Site is a nuclear reservation in the United States in the state of South Carolina, located on land in Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell Counties adjacent to the Savannah River, southeast of Augusta, Georgia. The site was built during the 1950s to refine nuclear materials for...
(SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
. SRNL was founded in 1951 as the Savannah River Laboratory. It was certified as a national laboratory on May 7, 2004.
SRNL research topics include environmental remediation, technologies for the hydrogen economy
Hydrogen economy
The hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors Technical Center....
, handling of hazardous materials, and technologies for prevention of nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as "Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the...
. The laboratory has specific experience in vitrification of nuclear waste and hydrogen storage
Hydrogen storage
Hydrogen storage describes the methods for storing H2 for subsequent use. The methods span many approaches, including high pressures, cryogenics, and chemical compounds that reversibly release H2 upon heating...
initially developed to support production of tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
and plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
at the Savannah River Site during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. SRNL is a founding member of the South Carolina Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Alliance (SCHFCA).
The laboratory employs 945 people and has an annual budget of 210 million U.S. Dollars (2010).
Savannah River National Laboratory has been operated by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy since 2008. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC is a partnership consisting of Fluor Daniel, Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
and Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
.
See also
- Savannah River SiteSavannah River SiteThe Savannah River Site is a nuclear reservation in the United States in the state of South Carolina, located on land in Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell Counties adjacent to the Savannah River, southeast of Augusta, Georgia. The site was built during the 1950s to refine nuclear materials for...
- United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe 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...
- United States Department of Energy National LaboratoriesUnited States Department of Energy National LaboratoriesThe United States Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centers are a system of facilities and laboratories overseen by the United States Department of Energy for the purpose of advancing science and helping promote the economic and defensive national interests of the United...
- Top 100 US Federal ContractorsTop 100 US Federal ContractorsThe Top 100 Contractors Report is a list developed annually by the U.S. General Services Administration as part of its tracking of U.S. federal government procurement....