Emerging Technologies Round-Up - December 2013

Emerging Technologies Round-Up - December 2013 Emerging Technologies Round-Up - December 2013 Emerging Technologies Round-Up December 2013Congress 2013 and Upcoming 2014 ActivitiesIn addition to the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Impact Forum, which was featured in a separate ASME News story in this issue, ASMEs Emerging Technologies area was involved in a number of other activities at the 2013 ASME grenzberschreitend Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition last month in San Diego, Calif. The Energy-Water Nexus Interdisciplinary Council, the Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment and Systems Task Force, and the Thermal Energy Storage Task Force each held business meetings during the conference. During these meetings, which took place on Nov. 19, each group presented highlights of their programming and activities including the Center for Research and Technology Development/Emerging Technologies-led Open Research Forums that took place during the 2013 calendar year. Futu re activities to occur during the coming year were also discussed at these meetings. The Energy-Water Nexus Interdisciplinary Council outlined several upcoming activities, including sponsoring a track at the ASME Power Conference to be held July 28-31, 2014 in Baltimore, Md. proposing a topic for a technical track at the 2014 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition next November in Montreal, Canada and the upcoming publication of the ASME Press book Thermal Power Plant Cooling Context and Engineering. The book, which was edited by Carey King, will be available in January. The Integrated/Sustainable Building Equipment Systems Task Force has several key upcoming activities, including programming at the 2014 Congress, and preparing the Handbook of Mechanical Systems for Sustainable Buildings, which will be published by ASME Press. Upcoming projects discussed by the Thermal Energy Storage Task Force at its meeting included planning a topic for a technical tr ack at the 2014 Congress in Montreal, and completing and issuing a Recommendations and Action Plan document based on findings from the Open Research Forum on thermal energy storage that was held Sept. 24 at the ASME Washington, D.C., office. Hosted by ASMEs Center for Research and Technology Development and Emerging Technologies department, and the Thermal Energy Storage Task Force, the Forum showcased thermal energy storage best practices, challenges and address potential solutions and how ASME could have an impact, and featured speakers and audience members from the U.S. Department of Energy, Boeing Research and Technology, Baltimore Aircoil Co., the National Science Foundation, CALMAC Manufacturing Corp., the University of South Florida, NextEra Energy Resources, among other organizations. For more information about the ASMEs Open Research Forums, please contact Michael Tinkleman at tinklemanmasme.org or Norma Johnston at johnstonnasme.org.