Mike Powell

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 372-4932
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Biography

Mike Powell joined PNNL in 1990 as a Development Engineer working on projects related to fluid mechanics, mixing, nuclear waste simulants, and microfabricated heat exchangers and reactors. In 1999, left PNNL to work for MesoSystems Technology before returning to PNNL in 2005 as a member of the Microtechnology team. His current duties include technical contributions and and project management for projects related to hydrogen production for fuel-cell power systems, chemical separations, and thermoelectric-based power generation. His work has included design and testing of compact heat exchangers, reactors, and heavy hydrocarbon combustors as well as numerical modeling of heat and mass transfer within micro-channel devices such as thermoelectric generators/coolers, heavy-fuel steam reformers, absorption heat pumps, and distillation-based microwick chemical separators.

Mike Powell is proficient in COMSOL Multiphysics simulation code and ChemCAD chemical process simulation.

Education and Credentials

P.E., Licensed Washington State Chemical Engineer 1995
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, WA 1990
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, WA 1989 (Minor in Electrical Engineering, 1989)

Awards and Recognitions

2017 NSD Project of the Year
2017 PNNL Key Contributor Award
2011 PNNL Laboratory Director’s Exceptional Engineering Achievement Award
2002 Best Paper Award, 23rd Army Science Conference
2002 Bronze Award, 23rd Army Science Conference
1999 R&D 100 Award for PNNL’s Compact Microchannel Fuel Vaporizer
PNNL Outstanding Performance Awards

PNNL Patents

U.S. Patent No. 7,899,309, March 1, 2011, "Apparatus for Vaporization of Liquid".

PNNL Publications

2024

Huber Z.F., M.R. Powell, T.D. Schlieder, J.S. Cervantes, J.M. Davis, P.K. Okabe, and R.E. Stene, et al. 2024. Chlorine Isotope Separations using Thermal Diffusion. PNNL-35607. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Chlorine Isotope Separations using Thermal Diffusion

2023

Bottenus D.R., P.H. Humble, R.I. Burnett, W.W. Harper, T.G. Veldman, M.R. Powell, and J.A. Barclay, et al. 2023. "Additively Manufactured Cryogenic Microchannel Distillation Device for Air Separation." Journal of Advanced Manufacturing and Processing 5, no. 1:Art. No. e10139. PNNL-SA-170400. doi:10.1002/amp2.10139
Hardy J.S., M.R. Powell, Y. Chou, and L.M. Bagaasen. 2023. Enhanced Tritium Retention in LiAlO2 Pellets via Engineered Glazes: Tritium Science Project. PNNL-35097. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Enhanced Tritium Retention in LiAlO2 Pellets via Engineered Glazes: Tritium Science Project

2020

Gauglitz P.A., C. Bottenus, M.R. Powell, C. Burns, G.K. Boeringa, T.G. Veldman, and D.R. Bottenus. 2020. Particle Size and Density Measurement. PNNL-29736. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Particle Size and Density Measurement

2015

Chick L.A., M.R. Weimar, G.A. Whyatt, and M.R. Powell. 2015. "The Case for Natural Gas Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Systems for Distributed Generation." Fuel Cells 15, no. 1:49-60. PNNL-SA-98735. doi:10.1002/fuce.201400103
Ronnebro E., G.A. Whyatt, M.R. Powell, M.P. Westman, F. Zheng, and Z. Fang. 2015. "Metal Hydrides for High-Temperature Power Generation." Energies 8, no. 8:8406-8430. PNNL-SA-110630. doi:10.3390/en8088406

2012

Powell M.R., K.D. Meinhardt, V.L. Sprenkle, L.A. Chick, and G.L. Mcvay. 2012. "Demonstration of a Highly Efficient Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power System Using Adiabatic Steam Reforming and Anode Gas Recirculation." Journal of Power Sources 205. PNNL-SA-84732. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.01.098

2011

Chick L.A., K.D. Meinhardt, S.P. Simner, B.W. Kirby, M.R. Powell, and N.L. Canfield. 2011. "Factors Affecting Limiting Current in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells or Debunking the Myth of Anode Diffusion Polarization." Journal of Power Sources 196, no. 10:4475-4482. PNNL-SA-76657.