NRIC Tech Talk – Irradiations for advanced Reactors

Thursday August 4th, 10-1130 a.m. MST

Join us to learn about materials and fuels and how they can undergo irradiation testing for advanced nuclear reactors. Representatives from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), Transient Test Reactor (TREAT), High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) will present reactor capabilities and how the advanced reactor community can best utilize each for experiments.

Presenters

Dr. Colby Jensen

Dr. Colby Jensen

Dr. Colby Jensen is a member of the Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where he is the technical lead for transient testing for INL and the DOE Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) Program. Dr. Jensen is also deputy lead for advanced reactor fuels under the AFC program and the fuel performance technical lead for the Natrium demo reactor project. He joined INL over 7 years ago and has spent time as a thermal design engineer for test reactor experiments in ATR and TREAT, an instrumentation engineer developing and leading instrument R&D for in-pile applications, and as a fuel design engineer developing and leading nuclear fuel design and testing. He received a joint Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Utah State University and Energy Engineering from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France. He has more than 60 peer-reviewed publications on topics spanning heat transfer, thermal properties, instrumentation and measurements, irradiation testing, and nuclear fuel performance.

Dr. Christian M. Petrie

Dr. Christian M. Petrie

Dr. Christian M. Petrie is a Senior R&D Staff member and leads the Advanced Fuel Fabrication and Instrumentation Group of the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His research focuses on nuclear fuel development and accelerated fuel qualification. More specifically, Dr. Petrie is investigating additive manufacturing techniques for fabricating nuclear fuel components with embedded sensors and using accelerated, separate effects testing to understand the effects of neutron irradiation on fuel performance and sensor operation.
Dr. Petrie received his B.S. (2010) in Mechanical Engineering, and his M.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2014) in Nuclear Engineering from The Ohio State University. He has published over 100 peer reviewed journal manuscripts, conference papers, and book chapters, and 4 US non-provisional patent applications. He has received multiple awards, including the Landis Young Member Engineering Award from the American Nuclear Society, for his leadership in developing novel irradiation capabilities, fiber optic sensors, and advanced manufacturing processes for embedding sensors to accelerate qualification of new nuclear materials.

Nick Woolstenhulme

Nick Woolstenhulme

Nick Woolstenhulme is an engineer and technical lead with over ten years of innovation experience in the field of irradiation testing. He currently works in the nuclear fuel design department at Idaho National Laboratory. He has led development of several irradiation tests in the ATR, TREAT, and other material test reactors both domestic and abroad. He recently led a team of experts in developing the modular irradiation vehicle system which has supported every experiment performed to date in the modern TREAT program. He also currently oversees development of pressurized water environment transient testing capabilities in both ATR and TREAT and oversees irradiations for DOE’s advanced fuels campaign metallic fuel program. Prior to his current position, Woolstenhulme oversaw irradiation of the Ki-Jang Research Reactor lead test fuel assembly in ATR and worked in the Fuel Fabrication Department at INL where he researched novel techniques for fabrication of high-density advanced research reactor fuels.

Steven L. Hayes

Steven L. Hayes

Steven L. Hayes is Director of the Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division and a Fellow of the Nuclear Science & Technology Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory. A former National Technical Director of DOE’s Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) and Technical Lead for the Fuels Product Line in the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling & Simulation (NEAMS) Program, he led DOE efforts in the development and qualification of enhanced accident tolerant fuels for the current fleet of commercial light water reactors, development of fuels for future advanced reactors, and development and validation of the MOOSE-based applications BISON and Marmot for mechanistic modeling of nuclear fuel performance.

Dr. Hayes began his career in Idaho (Argonne National Laboratory-West) in 1990 and has extensive experience in the development and testing of a wide variety of nuclear fuels, including design of irradiation experiments for EBR-II, Phénix, and ATR; postirradiation examinations; and fuel performance modeling and simulation. He earned B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Gordon Kohse

Dr. Gordon Kohse

Dr. Gordon Kohse has been the Managing Director for Operations of the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory since July 2019. Dr. Kohse has primary responsibility for reactor operations, and irradiation experiment design and implementation. Before joining the management team, he worked at the NRL in a variety of roles related mainly to in-core experiment design, operation, and analysis from 1984. He led the development of the MITR high pressure, high temperature water loops, in-situ actively loaded crack growth, and the controlled temperature, inert gas irradiation facilities. He has expertise in LWR coolant chemistry, neutron effects in materials, advanced LWR clad and fuel testing, in-core fluoride salt irradiations, and testing of irradiation hardened sensors for in-core applications.

Past Events & Webinars

Tech Talk: STAND Tool - January 26, 2022

Watch this webinar recording and learn more about the Siting Tool for Advanced Nuclear Development (STAND), a user-friendly decision tool that supports current and emerging advanced nuclear companies in locating potential host communities. STAND’s expansive data sets go beyond traditional proximity and safety siting data to also include socioeconomic data at the community level, which will help your team facilitate and accelerate the siting process.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Enveloping Advanced Reactors to Streamline Environmental Analysis - August 12th, 2021

The NRIC Plant Parameter Envelope uses a bounding approach to efficiently analyze environmental impacts of reactor siting, construction, and operation. PNNL’s team developed parameters for the reactor plant and site, encompassing a wide array of potential designs and footprints. Learn more by watching this webinar recording.

Click here to watch video

Tech Talk: Construction Activities with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission webinar - July 6, 2021

This webinar built on NRIC’s previous Tech Talks with NRC experts. In this session, presenters explained differences between a Limited Work Authorization (LWA) versus “pre-construction” activities, and the process for obtaining an LWA as part of a Combined License Application or Early Site Permit.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Pre-application Process with the NRC webinar -May 26, 2021

This webinar focused on topical reports, meetings, audits, and white papers for the pre-application process with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Adrian Muñiz, licensing project manager in the Division of Advanced Reactor and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) presented.

Click here to watch video

Tech Talk: Environmental Reviews with the NRC webinar - April 20, 2021

This webinar will allow you to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and learn more about the National Environmental Policy Act process.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us: an Interactive Webinar on Nuclear Narratives - March 23, 2021

Inspiring others to understand the benefits of nuclear energy involves more than just laying out the facts. Thoughtful and personal storytelling bridges gaps between inspired individuals early in their careers and those who are unfamiliar with the field. Telling our personal stories and motivations for working in nuclear creates common ground. Human stories are our strongest tools when speaking to the public.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Digital Engineering - February 16, 2021

Learn how this valuable tool can effectively and efficiently accelerate highly complex projects like advanced nuclear energy technologies.
Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us: Advanced Reactor Demonstrations - Jan. 7, 2021

This 90-minute webinar, “What Inspires Us: Advanced Reactor Demonstrations,” is moderated by Ashley Finan, director of the National Reactor Innovation Center. It features Chris Levesque, president and chief executive officer of TerraPower, and Clay Sell, chief executive officer of X-energy. During this webinar they talk about their advanced reactor designs, which were awarded federal assistance under the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Opening remarks are offered by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us - Sept 29, 2020
“What Inspires Us” features Dr. Ashley Finan, director of NRIC, Mark Peters, director of Idaho National Laboratory and Suzanne Baker, creative director at the University of Michigan’s Fastest Path to Zero Initiative and founder of Good Energy Collective.
Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: STAND Tool - January 26, 2022

Watch this webinar recording and learn more about the Siting Tool for Advanced Nuclear Development (STAND), a user-friendly decision tool that supports current and emerging advanced nuclear companies in locating potential host communities. STAND’s expansive data sets go beyond traditional proximity and safety siting data to also include socioeconomic data at the community level, which will help your team facilitate and accelerate the siting process.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Enveloping Advanced Reactors to Streamline Environmental Analysis - August 12th, 2021

The NRIC Plant Parameter Envelope uses a bounding approach to efficiently analyze environmental impacts of reactor siting, construction, and operation. PNNL’s team developed parameters for the reactor plant and site, encompassing a wide array of potential designs and footprints. Learn more by watching this webinar recording.

Click here to watch video

Tech Talk: Construction Activities with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission webinar - July 6, 2021

This webinar built on NRIC’s previous Tech Talks with NRC experts. In this session, presenters explained differences between a Limited Work Authorization (LWA) versus “pre-construction” activities, and the process for obtaining an LWA as part of a Combined License Application or Early Site Permit.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Pre-application Process with the NRC webinar -May 26, 2021

This webinar focused on topical reports, meetings, audits, and white papers for the pre-application process with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Adrian Muñiz, licensing project manager in the Division of Advanced Reactor and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) presented.

Click here to watch video

Tech Talk: Environmental Reviews with the NRC webinar - April 20, 2021

This webinar will allow you to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and learn more about the National Environmental Policy Act process.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us: an Interactive Webinar on Nuclear Narratives - March 23, 2021

Inspiring others to understand the benefits of nuclear energy involves more than just laying out the facts. Thoughtful and personal storytelling bridges gaps between inspired individuals early in their careers and those who are unfamiliar with the field. Telling our personal stories and motivations for working in nuclear creates common ground. Human stories are our strongest tools when speaking to the public.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

Tech Talk: Digital Engineering - February 16, 2021

Learn how this valuable tool can effectively and efficiently accelerate highly complex projects like advanced nuclear energy technologies.
Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us: Advanced Reactor Demonstrations - Jan. 7, 2021

This 90-minute webinar, “What Inspires Us: Advanced Reactor Demonstrations,” is moderated by Ashley Finan, director of the National Reactor Innovation Center. It features Chris Levesque, president and chief executive officer of TerraPower, and Clay Sell, chief executive officer of X-energy. During this webinar they talk about their advanced reactor designs, which were awarded federal assistance under the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Opening remarks are offered by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson.

Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides

What Inspires Us - Sept 29, 2020
“What Inspires Us” features Dr. Ashley Finan, director of NRIC, Mark Peters, director of Idaho National Laboratory and Suzanne Baker, creative director at the University of Michigan’s Fastest Path to Zero Initiative and founder of Good Energy Collective.
Click here to watch video
Click here to see slides