Annual Report 2011-2012
Cultivating leaders I Researching solutions I Promoting understanding
Mission historyVision Vision Mission History
To serve our state, our nation and our global community by nurturing future nuclear engineering professionals and leaders who are: • instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior; • prepared to meet the complex challenges associated with sustainably expanding peaceful uses of nuclear energy; • enhancing global nuclear security and avoiding the dangers of nuclear proliferation.
To develop and maintain a nationally and internationally recognized program that promotes a passion for understanding and applying the knowledge of nuclear science and engineering to support the nation's alternative energy, national security and health care missions.
• The decision to enter the field of nuclear engineering was made in 1957, while Dr. John C. Calhoun was Dean of Engineering. • Our AGN-201 nuclear training reactor was purchased and installed in the mechanical engineering shops building, under the direction of Dr. Richard E. Wainerdi in 1957. • In 1958, the Academic Council approved the recommendation of the Executive Committee that a Department of Nuclear Engineering be created and that graduate programs in nuclear engineering be authorized. • At that time, only two degree programs were administered: an M.S. and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering. The undergraduate program was established in 1966.
a word from the
department head
Dear Friends, During a time of great transition for the university and the department, it is my pleasure to present the 2011-2012 Annual Report for the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M. I hope you are intrigued reading this overview of the department’s achievements in the past year; none of it would be possible without your spirit, energy and support. Former and current students, faculty, staff, colleagues, and those partners in the industry-- it is to you we give our thanks for these numbered achievements. Each year, we strive to surpass the last, to provide more opportunities and support for the students, to forge more partnerships in industry, national labs and government, and to incorporate a stronger, more interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to our teaching and research.
In this annual report, we highlight the achievements of our faculty and students from the past year. Some of our most significant achievements include the 36.3% growth over the last five years of our undergraduate student body, and the 34.6% growth over the last five years of our graduate student body. The department’s research awards for fiscal year 2012 were over $12.8 million. Faculty advancement is shown in the promotion and tenure of several of our faculty: Dr. Sean McDeavitt, Dr. Pavel Tsvetkov, and Dr. Jean Ragusa all to Associate Professor. We also brought in a promising new member to our faculty, Dr. Ryan McClarren as Assistant Professor. I hope you enjoy this summary of the department’s activities, and plan to be a part of what is to come. With changing times come new initiatives and new aspirations, and we hope to continue to improve
upon the program that is already the largest and one of the best in the nation. With your continued interest and support, we can accomplish much. On behalf of the department and myself, I thank Dr. Raymond Juzaitis for his tireless effort to raise the bar of excellence and push the boundaries. I assumed the position of Interim Head in January 2012, and I am happy to announce that I will serve as Department Head starting February 2013. I look forward to working with you. Visit us should you have the chance, and if you have any questions about our department, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely,
Yassin A. Hassan Interim Department Head
Table of Contents TO START Greetings from the Department Head.................................................................2 Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering Department at a Glance......................................6
11
.........................The Dwight Look College of Engineering at a Glance 12..............................................Student Recognition
Nuclear Engineering Department Briefs....................
14
18....................................................................................................Faculty Profiles 24............................................................Graduate Students: Theses & Dissertations
Department Interest Stories 26.......................Students win 2011 Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards 27..............Grad Student J. Johns Presents at Low Carbon Earth Summit
GNEII Hosts Symposium and Graduation Ceremony..............................................28
NSSPI Faculty and Students Participate in Nonproliferation Summer School in Russia..................................
30
Aggie Nukes tour WIPP and Sandia National Labs............................................32 NASA Space Tech Program to Sponsor Aggie Research.................................................................... Everyone Can Do It: Marna Billiter Creates Scholarship......................................
39
36
34
............Nuclear Materials Under Extreme Conditions
Give a gift, make your mark....................................................................................44 Rottler Named Distinguished Former Student for 2011...................................45
Save th e date s ! Nuclear Engineering Department 55th Anniversary............................... FALL 2013 Nuclear Engineering Department Annual Tailgate............................................TBA
6
Department at a Glance 310 244 66
Undergraduate Students B.S. Nuclear Engineering B.S. Rad. Health Engineering
133 73 11 49
Graduate Students M.S. Nuclear Engineering M.S. Health Physics Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
U.S.News & World Report Rankings Program rankings among public institutions
2 Undergraduate 3 Graduate
(Source: TAMU OISP, Fall 2011 Semester)
Incoming Undergraduate Students (Fall 2011)
Incoming Students
61 total students 1303 SAT (Math + Verbal) 28.8 ACT Composite 2 National Hispanic Scholars 3 National Merit 67% of incoming freshmen were top 10% 16% of incoming freshmen were 1st generation 54 Texas Residents 4 Out of State 3 International
By Ethnicity
2 Black 7 Hispanic 3 Asian/Pacific Islander 3 International 44 White
By Gender
46 Male 15 Female
By Major
50 NUEN 11 RHEN
2012
Department at a Glance
ANNUAL REPORT
32 Total faculty 18 Tenured/Tenure-track faculty 8 Full 7 Associate 3 Assistant 2 Senior Lecturers 9 Research Faculty 3 Professor Emeritus
7
Student Organizations: Alpha Nu Sigma Honor Society American Nuclear Society Health Physics Society Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Women in Nuclear
Incoming Graduate Students (Fall 2011)
Incoming Students 25 total students 742 GRE Quantitative Average 554 GRE Verbal Average 3.690 Average GPR International Tomsk Polytechnical Institute (Russia) Ecole Polytechnique FÊminine (France) Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology Harbin Engineering University (China) Tsinghua University (China) National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) Domestic Abilene Christian University Air Force Institute of Technology Angelo State University Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Pennsylvania State University Texas A&M University - Kingsville U.S. Naval Academy University of Houston University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign University of Wisconsin - Madison (48% of incoming grad students come from the department’s undergraduate program)
By Major
24 NUEN 1 HLPH
By Gender Male 17 8 Female
By Ethnicity
1 Black 1 Hispanic 6 International 17 White
87
19 11 8 4 2
8
15 9
8
71 Department at a Glance 68 6 7
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
7
5
2
-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 87 53 Degrees awarded over past 4 years 100 45
87
71
Total
32 28 53
11 8 4 2 28
PhD-NUEN
19
MS-HLPH 7
MS-NUEN
326
36 68
80
71
6015
45
53
45
9
8 36
7
405
36
2
32
24 BS-RHEN -2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 28
19
BS-NUEN 11 8 4 2
68
24
11 8 4 2
8
7 6
2015
Total
05
9 7
24 19
15
7
8
6
5
9 7
2
2
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012
87 -2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 PhD-NUEN Total UnderGraduate Student Enrollment
MS-HLPH
71
Total BS-NUEN MS-NUEN Total Total
BS-RHEN BS-NUEN
BS-RHEN BS-RHEN PhD-NUEN
53
BS-NUEN MS-HLPH 32 28
MS-NUEN
BS-RHEN 19 11 8 4 2
7
BS-NUEN
6
350 350 30068 300 250 250 200 200 150 36 150 100 100 50 15 50 0 8 0 5
331
Total
331
291
291 260 PhD-NUEN
253
237
237 194 194
253 208 45 208
233
MS-HLPH 233
260
310
310 244
244
MS-NUEN BS-RHEN
24
43
43 Fall 2007 Fall 2007
BS-NUEN 58
45
45 9 Fall
2008 7 Fall 22008
58 Fall 2009 Fall 2009
71
66
71 Fall 2010 Fall 2010
66 Fall 2011 Fall 2011
-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012Student Enrollment Total Graduate Total Total MS-NUEN Total
PhD-NUEN PhD-NUEN MS-NUEN
MS-HLPH PhD-NUEN
MS-HLPH MS-HLPH MS-NUEN BS-RHEN BS-NUEN
150 150 120 120 90 90 60 60 30 30 0 0
131 104
104
110 98
131
110
61
69
69 45
54
52 32
54 31
34
2032
31 13
34 15
13 Fall 2008 Fall
15
16
Fall 2009 Fall
Fall 2010 Fall
Fall 2007 Fall
135
98
52
20
135
61
62 6162
61
45 16
11
11 Fall 2011 Fall
2012 ANNUAL REPORT
Nuclear Engineering Annual Tailgate Although several attendees swore they saw a boat float by, the A&M versus Arkansas Razorbacks game on September 29, 2012, had everyone jumping out of their seats. It was a great time together, as Aggie Nukes from all years visited together under the giant tent, watching the game on two TVs. The Aggies got their first SEC win against the Razorbacks, with a whopping win of 58-10. The Razorbacks couldn’t score anything after the first quarter. Current and former Nukes took away a great memento that we encourage them to wear at each tailgate from here on out: the department tailgate t-shirt below.
Department at a Glance
9
Department at a Glance
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Research Areas
Facilities & Centers
Photo courtesy of Clark Moody
10
Accelerator Laboratory AGN-201M Nuclear Reactor Laboratory Center for Large-scale Scientific Simulations (CLASS) Fuel Cycle and Materials Laboratory (FCML) Institute for National Security, Education and Research (INSER) Interphase Transport Phenomena Laboratory (ITP) Laser Diagnostics Multiphase Flow Laboratory
Micro-Beam Cell Irradiation Facility NASA Space Power Center (TEES) Nuclear Heat Transfer Systems Laboratory Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) Nuclear Science Center (1MW Triga Reactor) (NSC) Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) Radiation Detection Measurement Laboratory Tandem Accelerator Laboratory
Computational & Experimental Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer Dosimetry: Micro, Internal & External Fuel Cycles & Materials Ion Implantation & Beam Solid Interactions Ionizing Radiation Bio-effects Medical Applications for Radionuclides Multiphase Flow & Visualization Multiphysics Computation & Simulation Non-Proliferation & Disposition Strategies Nuclear Instrumentation
Nuclear Material Safeguards Optimization Methods for Nuclear Energy Systems Radiation & Cancer Biology Radiation Detection & Measurement Radiation Safety & Transport Radiological Effects & Risk Assessment Reactor Design & Experimentation Thermal Hydraulics Transmutation Doping Waste Management & Form Development
2012
College of Engineering at a Glance 11
ANNUAL REPORT
Texas A&M College of Engineering Enrollment, Fall ‘11
U.S. News & World Report nati on al rankings Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M
8,329 undergraduate 2,850 graduate 11,179 total
7th in graduate 9th in undergraduate
$267.4 million in Engineering Research Expenditures (American Society for Engineering Education)
Engineeri n g Certificate Program The Look College of Engineering has designed the certificate programs below to offer students the opportunity to go beyond the traditional curriculum and gain specific knowledge in a concentration area. The certificates are of great value - both to the students who pursue them and to potential employers who seek candidates who posses competencies developed from earning them. • Energy Engineering Certificate • Engineering Project Management Certificate • Engineering Scholars Program Honors Certificate • International Engineering Certificate • Polymer Specialty Certificate • Safety Engineering Certificate • Business Management Certificate for Engineering Students
Un dergraduate Research Scholars The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program provides motivated, undergraduates the opportunity to engage in mentored, in-depth research experiences. Undergraduate Research Scholars engage in a two-semester research experience (fall/spring academic year) conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor that culminates in a written thesis or other scholarly project, as determined by the Scholar and his or her faculty advisor. The objectives of the programs are to involve motivated undergraduates in a complex research project that emulates the “graduate student” experience and to also introduce the student to the academic publication process and the scholarly community.
12
Student Recognition
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Scholarships
Undergraduate Student awards Mclan Amos Ryan Brito Landon Brockmeyer William Cook Daniel Custead Eric Davied Lainy Dromgoole Leigh Emerson Tyrell Foster Ezra Ginder Kelli Humbird Timothy Jansen Samuel Kuhr Joshua Loucks Sara Loupot Paul Mendoza Robert Mikel Drew Mitchell Michelle Okezie Christopher Pannier Jacob Peterson Lloyd Price Jonathan Scherr Robert Seager Dylan Singh Steven Smiley Christopher Smirnis Karyn Stern Clay Strack Jaclyn Stuart Laura Sudderth Richard Vega Ethan Windsor
Stinson Stinson Harold J. Giroir, Jr. Memorial Stinson Departmental Departmental, Jeff W. Simmons ‘85 Departmental, R.D. Neff Departmental Bill R. Teer ‘55 Departmental Jeff W. Simmons ‘85 Departmental Mitty C. Plummer ‘65 Stinson Departmental Harold J. Giroir, Jr. Memorial Departmental Departmental Neff-Poston Health Physics Harold J. Giroir, Jr. Memorial Stinson Jeff W. Simmons ‘85 Departmental Harold J. Giroir, Jr. Memorial Eloise Vezey Dromgoole David G. Barker ‘66 Departmental Departmental Departmental R.D. Neff Departmental Harold J. Giroir, Jr. Memorial Bill R. Teer ‘55
2012
Student Recognition13
ANNUAL REPORT
Fellowships
graduate Student awards Bradley Appel
NSF Graduate Fellowship and National Excellence
Marie Arrieta
Sandia National Laboratory
Christopher Chance Alice Dale Royal Elmore
Institute of Nuclear Power Operations Texas Space Grant National Science Foundation
Jessica Feener
DOE - National Nuclear Security Administration
Braden Goddard
DOE - National Nuclear Security Administration
Michael Hackemack Medical University of South Carolina Rickover Andi Jati Zachary Kulage Cheuk Lau Peter Maginot James Miller Vishal Patel Charles Stratton Hayes Stripling Andrew Till
Fulbright DHS - Nuclear Energy Forensics National Excellence DOE - Computational Science Graduate DHS - Domestic Nuclear Detection Office DOE - Nuclear Energy University Programs (NUEP) Department of Energy DOE - Computational Science Graduate Nuclear Regulatory Commission
14 News
Briefs
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Department Moves Offices in was presented at the 2011 Waste Zachry Engineering Center Management Symposium in February. The research was performed and the paper was written while Sames was an undergraduate student at Texas A&M. {More on page 28} NEUP Awards More than $2.2 Million to Nuclear Engineering Professors
Predictive Coupled-Physics Reactor Simulations” was granted more than $1 million and is part of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation mission. Through the NEUP, the DOE is working to leverage the research and development capabilities of American universities and colleges to enhance U.S. leadership in the global nuclear energy industry.
Nuclear engineering professors The Department of Nuclear Engineering Marvin Adams and Paul Nelson were has relocated its offices to the third awarded three research grants of Texas A&M University Receives floor of the Zachry Engineering Center. more than $2.2 million from the U.S. $4.5 Million to Study the Aging of Department of Energy (DOE). Stored Used Nuclear Fuel The main office is now located in suite 337, with faculty, staff and graduate Dr. Paul Nelson, professor emeritus The Department of Energy (DOE) students in various office locations of nuclear engineering and current has awarded Texas A&M University throughout the third floor. NPI is now Associate Director for International $4.5 million located in suite 304 of Zachry. Programs of Nuclear Security Science over the next and Policy Institute, received two three years The new mailing address for the grants with Dr. Marvin Adams to research department is: 337 Zachry Engineering receiving the third. The grants were the aging of Center, 3133 TAMU, College Station, part of the $39 million awarded to stored used TX 77843-3133. support up to 51 projects at colleges nuclear fuel. and universities across the country NE Students Win 2011 Innovations through the Nuclear Engineering The project, “Fuel Aging in Storage in Fuel Cycle Research Awards University Program (NEUP). and Transportation (FAST): Accelerated Characterization and Performance Two nuclear engineering students The projects selected for award Assessment of the Used Nuclear won awards in the U.S. Department cover four nuclear energy research Fuel Storage System” was selected of Energy’s Innovations in Fuel Cycle fields including Fuel Cycle Research for negotiation of award and is led Research Awards competition. and Development; Reactor Concepts by nuclear engineering associate Research, Development and professor Sean McDeavitt. Funding for Adam Parkison, a Ph.D. student, was Demonstration; Nuclear Energy the project is through the Integrated awarded first place in the category Advanced Modeling and Simulation; Research Projects (IRP) program of Nuclear Fuels. His award-winning and Transformative Research. under the Nuclear Energy University research paper, “Hydride Formation Program (NEUP), which supports Process for the Powder Metallurgical Nelson’s projects were awarded under large, multi-year projects led by teams Recycle of Zircaloy from Used the Transformative Research mission. of American universities working to Nuclear Fuel,” was published in the His projects, “Improved Safety Margin develop cross-cutting breakthroughs journal Metallurgical and Materials Characterization of Risk from Loss in nuclear energy technologies. Transactions A in January 2011. of Offsite Power” and “Correlates of Sensitive Technologies” were granted McDeavitt led a team of 18 principal William Sames, a master’s degree $600,000 and more than $500,000 investigators and their respective student, was awarded a prize in the ,respectively. research groups at six universities Undergraduate category. His awardand two national laboratories. The winning research paper, “Voloxidation Adams project, “Phenomena- organization functioned as a matrixed Modeling and Code Development,” based Uncertainty Quantification in engineering research team focused on
2012
15 News Briefs
ANNUAL REPORT
four distinct, yet integrated Technical Mission Areas (TMAs): TMA1: Low Temperature Creep, TMA2: Hydrogen Behavior and Delayed Hydride Cracking, TMA3: UNF Canister Corrosion, and TMA4: Novel System Monitoring. The TMAs are designed to address challenges relevant to almost every Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) system currently deployed or under development, with a special emphasis on high burnup fuel.
$400,000 and will assess whether or not it is possible to reliably predict and measure a unique, intrinsic physical signature in weapons-grade plutonium produced in reactors of foreign nuclear fuel cycles. Chirayath will lead the project with Dr. David Boyle, NSSPI Deputy Director, and Dr. Charles M. Folden, III of the Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute serving as co-principal investigators.
Engineering Student Advisory Council (NESAC) were named November 14, 2011.
Members: Cody, Clayton (4th yr) Martin, John (4th yr) Dromgoole, Lainy (3rd yr) Twaddle, Rose (3rd yr) Michaelides, Dimitrios (2nd yr) Pannier, Christopher (2nd yr) Holgado, Aaron (1st yr) Researchers will use both Loofs, Ryan (1st yr) computational and experimental Evans, Jordan (GRAD) “The project at Texas A&M supports methods to study plutonium resulting Helmreich, Grant (GRAD) the cutting-edge nuclear energy from fast breeder reactor depleted Sames, Will (GRAD) research that will advance our uranium blankets and CANDU-type Banuelos, Cervando (HPS) domestic nuclear industry and help reactor natural uranium fuel to define Spence, Grant (INMM) us maintain global leadership in the its unique, identifying characteristics. Swim, Ashley (ANS) field,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Through this investment WIN Tours MD Anderson Cancer Nuclear Engineering Students Win we are also training and educating Center ANS Design Competition the next generation of leaders in the U.S. nuclear industry to help build a Former nuclear engineering strong new energy economy.” {More undergraduate students Wes Deason, on page 40} Daniel Eichel, Josh Hansel and Will Sames won the 2011 Undergraduate Chirayath Awarded NSF Grant Design Competition hosted by the American Nuclear Society at its Sunil Chirayath, TEES research scientist annual Winter Meeting held October for the Nuclear Security Science and 30 - November 3, 2011, in Washington Policy Institute (NSSPI) and visiting Women in Nuclear (WIN) sponsored D.C. assistant professor for the Department a tour of the nuclear medicine and of Nuclear Engineering, was awarded Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Their design project was titled, a grant from the National Science departments at MD Anderson in “Design and Analysis of a 1-MWe Foundation under the NSF/Domestic Houston on October 21, 2011. Transportable Heat Pipe-Cooled Fast Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) Reactor.” Academic Research Initiative (ARI). The trip presented the participants with an opportunity to learn The project, “ARI: Experimental and about the departments, continuing Computational Assessment of Unique education opportunities and potential Trace Elements and Isotope Ratios employment with MD Anderson. in Plutonium Students toured the facility and were from Depleted given demonstrations of how the U r a n i u m various machines worked. Irradiated in Fast Reactor Inaugural Nuclear Engineering B l a n k e t s , ” Student Advisory Council Named The team found the design was was awarded compared favorably to diesel electric n e a r l y Members of the “first” Nuclear generators for energy production in
16 News
Briefs
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
disaster relief and military scenarios. Hassan joined the The students originally completed the faculty of nuclear project as part of NUEN 410 - Nuclear engineering Reactor Design. They all earned in 1986 and their Bachelor of Science degrees in currently serves May. Eichel, Hansel and Sames are as the associate pursuing their graduate studies here head of the in the department, while Deason is department. a graduate student at Oregon State University. Aggie Collaborative Research Awarded 2010 Significant Juzaitis Announces Departure Contribution Award Nuclear engineering department head Dr. Raymond Juzaitis has announced his departure from the department to become the president of National Security Technologies (NSTec). Juzaitis has served as the head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering since 2007. During his tenure, he has increased the number of faculty, saw enrollment growth in both the undergraduate and graduate programs, created the “Nuclear Society and Technology Invited Speaker Series,” and improved outreach activities and communications with former students. Additionally, he revamped the Department’s Advisory Council to emphasize mutual relationships with the laboratories, nuclear industry and government. Hassan Appointed Department Head
Interim
Dr. Yassin Hassan has been appointed by the Look College of Engineering as the interim head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, effective Friday, January 6, 2012.
Czech Ambassador Hosts TAMU Workshop Participants On June 18, 2012, four TAMU nuclear engineering faculty members, Dr. Radek Skoda, Dr. Jean Ragusa, Dr. Craig Marianno and Dr. Alexander Solodov, took part in a luncheon at the US Embassy in the Czech Republic. Ambassador Norman L. Eisen hosted the luncheon in honor of the CVUT Nuclear Engineering Conference, a week-long graduate and post-graduate workshop that was held in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the nearby Czech Technical University in Prague.
Texas A&M Nuclear Engineering faculty and graduate students, and co-authors selected as recipients of the 2010 Significant Contribution Award by the Materials Science and Technology Division of the American Nuclear Society for the paper entitled “Introducing a High Thermal Conductivity UO2-BeO Nuclear Fuel Concept,” by Dr. Sean McDeavitt, Dr. Jean Ragusa, Michael Naramore, Robert Miller (Texas A&M), Shripad Revankar, Alvin Solomon (Purdue University), James Malone (IBS Advanced Alloys Corp). The workshop was organized by the Czech Nuclear Education Network This award is to be presented at the (CENEN) using European Union ANS Annual Meeting on June 27 in program funds and was endorsed by Chicago. To see past recipients of the US Embassy as part of its initiative this award, visit http://mstd.ans.org/ to build stronger nuclear cooperation awards.html. between Czech universities and US institutions of higher learning. NASA Space Tech Program to Sponsor Aggie Research Aggie Nukes tour WIPP and Sandia National Labs NASA’s Space Technology Program has selected 14 proposals on commercial On May 14, a group of undergraduate reusable suborbital launch vehicles and graduate students, professors and for development and demonstration. guests traveled to Carlsbad, N.M. to Each idea innovative in its own visit the Waste Isolations Pilot Plant way, one of these 14 proposals, (WIPP), followed by Sandia National “Demonstration of Variable Radiator,” Laboratories in Albuquerque. The goal was that of Dr. Richard “Cable” of the trip was to give students a look Kurwitz, lecturer in the Department at applied nuclear engineering in the of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M industry setting. University. {More on page 36}
2012
News Briefs 17
ANNUAL REPORT NPI Hosts Three IFNEC Meetings NPI had the honor of hosting three concurrent meetings for IFNEC, (International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation) on July 18-19, 2012. The International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) is a forum of those States that share the common vision of the necessity of the safe use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes worldwide in a safe and secure manner. IFNEC consists of 32 participants, three permanent international observers, and 31 observer countries. The hosted meetings were: Infrastructure Development Working Group, Reliable Nuclear Fuel Services Working Group Meeting, and the Steering Group Meeting.
Students were treated to a private ‘insider’ tour of WIPP, the primary storage site for low-grade transuranic nuclear waste in the U.S. Students went deep into the Carlsbad salt caverns to see how waste is stored, and observed the natural process of the salt entombing the containers. WIPP was constructed during the 1980’s, authorized by Congress through the U.S. Department of Energy. In 1998, WIPP was certified for the safe, longterm disposal of TRU, or transuranic wastes. WIPP’s disposal rooms are nearly a half mile below the surface, Science on Saturday Promotes at around 2,150 feet. {More on page Science, Technology, Engineering 34} and Math (STEM) NSSPI Receives Indian University
Visitors
from
(Nuclear Power Institute) to garner interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). An estimated 175 students of all ages participated in a variety of experiments. Parents, teachers and other community members attended as well. SOS was NPI’s first attempt to bring a STEM related event outside of the classroom and into the community to demonstrate and explain to students that science is fun, and everywhere. Workshop for Kenyans a Success From July 8 to August 8, 2012, 29 specialists from Kenya attended a workshop organized by NPI. The objective of the workshop was to provide a background on the utilization of nuclear energy, and consisted of lectures, lab exercises, tours, facilities, and group projects. All activities focused on building the capability in Kenya to embark on a nuclear power program. Participants included scientists, engineers, and a number of others from the fields of law, human resources, communications, procurement, public policy and advocacy, public relations, and regulation.
On May 19, 2012, local area teachers and a handful of A&M students electrified local students at the Center During the first two weeks of July, for Energy Development in Bay City. NSSPI hosted two students, Mr. Manit SOS is a presentation of experiments Shah and Mr. Vijay Mehta, from the geared toward junior high and high M. Tech. program in Nuclear Energy school students, developed by NPI at the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), along with Profesor Shriram Paranjape, Chair of the Nuclear Energy department at PDPU. (FY2012)
By the numbers
The objective of their visit was to receive hands-on laboratory experience in measurement techniques to support the security of nuclear materials.
$12.8 M in research awards $10.2M in R esearc h Expenditures 138 Total pu b licati o ns 107 R esearch/teaching assistantships 18 F ellow sh i p s 63 r e fe re ed journal articles
75 Selective conf er ence papers 9 F ellows in professional soc ieti es 10 editorships & editorial board m em be r shi ps 27 Me mbers o f professional society commit tees
18
FACULTY
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Marvin Adams Professor Director, Institute of National Security Education & Research Ph.D., University of Michigan mladams@tamu.edu Computational transport theory, Efficient algorithms for massively parallel scientific & engineering calculations, Quantification of uncertainties in predictive science & engineering
Gamal Akabani Associate Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University akabani@tamu.edu Medical sciences, Biomedical engineering, Nuclear medicine imaging, Nuclear oncology, Radiation Monte Carlo transport, Radiation oncology, Radiotherapy physics, Radiobiology, PK/PD & PBPK modeling, Basic immunology, & Radiopharmaceutical research
David Boyle Deputy Director, Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology dboyle@tamu.edu Safety & efficiency of plutonium storage, disposition approaches
Leslie Braby Senior Lecturer TEES Research Professor Ph.D., Oregon State University labraby@tamu.edu Radiation dosimetry, Microdosimetry, Biological effects of radiation, Microbeam lab, Food irradiation
William Charlton Associate Professor Director, Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute Ph.D., Texas A&M University wcharlton@tamu.edu Nuclear nonproliferation & international security, Reactor physics & fuel cycle analysis, Reactor experimentation & nuclear data development
2012
ANNUAL REPORT
Sunil Chirayath Visiting Assistant Professor TEES Research Scientist Ph.D., University of Madras, India sunilsc@tamu.edu Monte Carlo transport methods in reactor physics & radiation shielding, Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) core physics simulations, Safeguards approaches & analysis for FBR fuel cycles
John Ford Associate Professor ABET Coordinator Ph.D., University of Tennessee thasl@tamu.edu Response of intact tissues to ionizing radiation & a microbeam is required to determine how the response of individual cells in a tissue are modified by neighboring unirradiated cells
Stephen Guetersloh Assistant Professor Ph.D., Colorado State University guetersloh@tamu.edu Space Weather, Experimental particle physics, Effectiveness of composite materials as radiation shields, Radiation transport modeling (FLUKA, PHITS, MCNP, MCNPX), Accelerator shielding design
Ron Hart Professor Emeritus Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley rhart@tamu.edu Ion beam interactions, Neutron transmutation doping, Radiation effects
Yassin Hassan Professor Interim Department Head Ph.D., University of Illinois y-hassan@tamu.edu Computational & experimental thermal hydraulics, Reactor Safety, Fluid Mechanics, Two-phase flow, Turbulence & laser velocimetry, Imaging techniques
FACULTY
19
20
FACULTY
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Cable Kurwitz Lecturer TEES Associate Research Engineer Ph.D., Texas A&M University kurwitz@tamu.edu Reduced Gravity Thermal Management, Modeling of High Dimensional Data, Data Classification, & Model Validation, Nuclear Power Systems
Craig Marianno Visiting Assistant Professor TEES Research Engineer Ph.D., Oregon State University marianno@tamu.edu Nuclear counter terrorism, Nuclear instrumentation development, Exercise development, Radiological consequence management, Environmental health physics
William Marlow Professor Undergraduate Program Advisor Ph.D., University of Texas w-marlow@tamu.edu aerosols,
Physics of molecular clusters & small particle interactions Applications in materials, radioactivity & disperse materials, Environmental & health protection
Ryan McClarren Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan rgm@tamu.edu Uncertainty Quantification, numerical methods for radiation
transport, multiphysics simulation, high performance computing
Sean McDeavitt Associate Professor Director, Fuel Cycle & Materials Laboratory Ph.D., Purdue University mcdeavitt@tamu.edu Nuclear Materials Science, Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Processing, Materials Processing in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, High Temperature Materials Science
2012
ANNUAL REPORT
Pete Miller TEES Research Professor Ph.D., Northwestern University wmiller@tamu.edu Analysis of policy options for the storage & disposal of spent nuclear fuel, Nuclear fuel recycle, Breeding plutonium, elimination of transuranics.
Jim Morel Professor Director, Center for Large-Scale Scientific Simulations Ph.D., University of New Mexico morel@tamu.edu Monte Carlo methods & hybrid deterministic/Monte Carlo methods, Discretization & solution techniques for multiphysics/multiscale calculations
Paul Nelson Professor Emeritus TEES Research Engineer Associate Director of Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute Ph.D., University of New Mexico p-nelson@tamu.edu Transport theory, Computational methods, Management of nuclear materials
Natela Ostrovskaya Senior Lecturer Ph.D., Texas A&M University natela@tamu.edu Mathematical & computer modeling of radiation response of human tissues, predicting changes occurring in tissues following radiation insult
Kenneth Peddicord Professor Director, Nuclear Power Institute Ph.D., University of Illinois k-peddicord@tamu.edu Behavior of nuclear fuels, Reactor systems & design, Fissile materials disposition, MOX fuels, Generation IV nuclear power systems, Nuclear generated hydrogen, Hydrogen economy, Nuclear workforce
FACULTY
21
22
FACULTY
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
John Poston Professor Associate Director, Nuclear Power Institute Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology j-poston@tamu.edu External & Internal Dosimetry
Jean Ragusa Associate Professor Associate Director, Institute for Scientific Computation Ph.D., Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble jean.ragusa@tamu.edu Numerical Methods for Multiphysics Simulations Computational Techniques for Neutral Particle & Electron Transport Nuclear Fuel Assembly & Reactor Design
Dan Reece Professor Director, Nuclear Science Center Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology w-reece@tamu.edu Radiation Transport, Assessment of Effective Dose Equivalent, Medical Application of radioisotopes, Dosimetry, Uses for Research Reactors
Lin Shao Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Houston lshao@tamu.edu Materials science & Nanotechnology, Radiation effects in nuclear & Electronic materials, Ion beam analysis
Radek Skoda Visiting Lecturer TEES Assistant Research Engineer Associate Director, Nuclear Science Center Ph.D., Czech Technical University rskoda@tamu.edu Economics of nuclear power, Nuclear research reactors, Neutron detection
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FACULTY
Alexander Solodov Lecturer TEES Associate Research Engineer Ph.D., Texas A&M University solodov@tamu.edu Nondestructive assay of nuclear materials, Health Physics instrumentation, Nuclear nonproliferation & international security
Pavel Tsvetkov Associate Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University tsvetkov@tamu.edu System analysis & optimization methods, Complex engineered systems, System design, Symbiotic nuclear energy systems, Waste minimization, Sustainability, HTGRs & co-generation systems, Direct nuclear energy conversion systems
Galina Tsvetkova Lecturer Senior Research Associate Ph.D., Texas A&M University tsvetkovag@tamu.edu Reactor physics, Small nuclear power & co-generation applications, Nuclear data management systems, Isotope separations, Molecular dynamics & Separations phenomena
Karen Vierow Associate Professor Graduate Program Advisor Ph.D., University of Tokyo vierow@tamu.edu Thermal hydraulics, Multiphase flow, Particularly condensation heat transfer, Reactor safety, Severe accident analysis, Reactor design
Some of our invited sp eake rs....: Commissioner William Magwood IV, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Dr. Katrina Groth, Sandia National Labs,
Tom Forbes Nuclear Energy for Texans
Dr. Daud Mohamad, AEA Deputy Director General
Dr. David Senor Pacific Northwest National Lab
Dr. Stephen Rottler ‘80 Sandia National Laboratories
Dr. Li-Chi Cliff Po, Micro-Simulation Technology
Dr. Rick Jacobi Jacobi Consulting
Dr. Ray Rothrock ‘77 Venrock
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Graduate Students: Theses & Dissertations
ANNUAL REPORT REPORT 2012 2012 ANNUAL
Noushin Amini, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Hassan, Turbulent Flow Analysis and Coherent Structure Identification in Experimental Models with Complex Geometries
Bradley Appel, M.S., Advisors: Drs. Bragg-Sitton & Vierow, Multiphysics Design and Simulation of a Tungsten-Cermet Nuclear Thermal Rocket
Marie Arrieta, M.S., Advisor: Dr. McDeavitt, Low Temperature Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zirconium Nitride in a Fluidized Bed
Rouming Bi, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Ford, Custom Device for Low-Dose Gamma Irradiation of Biological Samples
Luigi Capone, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Hassan, CFD Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Bundles and Spacer Grids for PWR Reactors
Nandan Chandregowda, M.S., Advisors: Drs. Charlton & Chirayath, Assessment of the Fingerprinting Method for Verification of Spent Fuel in MACSTOR KN-400 CANDU Spent Fuel Dry Storage
Di Chen, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Shao, Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Damage Cascade Formation in Ion Bombarded Solids
Curtis Conchewski, M.S., Advisors: Drs. Boyle & Charlton, Physical Security System Sensitivity to DBT Perturbations
John Creasy, M.S., Advisor: Dr. McDeavitt, Thermal Properties of Uranium-Molybdenum Alloys: Phase Decomposition Effects of Heat Treatments
Wes Cullum, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Vierow, Subcooling Effects for Flooding Experiments with Steam and Water in a Large Diameter Vertical Tube
Marie-Hermine Cuvel ier, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Tsvetkov, Advanced Fuel Cycle Scenarios with AP1000 PWRs and VHTRs and Fission Spectrum Uncertainties
Nathaniel Fredette, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Ragusa, Imaging Heterogeneous Objects Using Transport Theory and Newton’s Method
Akshay Gandhir, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Hassan, Computational Analysis of Fluid Flow in Pebble Bed Modular Reactor
Alison Goodsell, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Charlton, Flat Quartz-Crystal X-ray Spectrometer for Nuclear Forensics Applications
Je f frey Hausaman, M.S., Advisor: Dr. McDeavitt, Hot Extrusion of Alpha Phase UraniumZirconium Alloys for TRU Burning Fast Reactors
Gentry Hearn, M.S., Advisors: Drs. Charlton & Marianno, Mutable Detector Array Software for the Detection of Gamma Emissions in Classrooms and the Field
Laura Hol ewa, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Charlton, Angular Anisotropy of Correlated Neutrons in Lab Frame of Reference and Application to Detection and Verification
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Graduate Students: Theses & Dissertations 25
Carissa Humrickhouse, M.S., Advisor: Dr. McDeavitt, Characterization of Thermal Properties of Depleted Uranium Metal Microspheres
Joe Justina, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Marianno, Radiation Transport Simulation Studies using MCNP for a Cow Phantom to Determine an Optimal Deteector Configuration for a new Livestock Portal
Abdul Khan, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Hassan, Bubbly Flow Experiment in Channel Using an Optical Probe and Tracking Algorithm
Samuel Kuhr, M.S., Advisor: Dr. McDeavitt, An Electrolytic Method to Form Zirconium Hydride Phases in Zirconium Alloys with Morphologies Similar to Hydrides Formed in Used Nuclear Fuel
Sathish Lakshmipathy, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Tsvetkov,VHTR Core Shuffling Algorithm Using Particle Swarm Optimization ReloPSO-3D
Dapeng Lao, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Akabani, TOF-PET Imaging within the Framework of Sparse Reconstruction
Dongyoul Lee, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Braby & Guetersloh, Simulation and Analysis of Human Phantoms Exposed to Heavy Charged Particle Irradiations Using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport System (PHITS)
Hai fe ng L iu, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Braby, Monte Carlo Simulations of Grid Walled Proportional Counters with Different Site Sizes for HZE Radiation
Thomas Martin, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Guetersloh, Design and Simulation of a Boron-loaded Neutron Spectrometer
Vishal Pate l, Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Tsvetkov, A Multi-Modular Neutronically Coupled Power Generation System
Stephen Rev is, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Charlton, Determination and Mitigation of Precipitation Effects on Portal Monitor Gamma Background Levels
Paul Rodi, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Nelson, Algorithms for Incorporation of Dynamic Recovery in Estimating Frequency of Critical Station Blackout
Nathani el Salpeter, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Hassan, Development of Spatio-Temporal Wavelet Post Processing Techniques for Application to Thermal Hydraulic Experiments and Numerical Simulations
Grant Spence, M.S., Advisor: Dr. Charlton, Directionally Sensitive Neutron Detector For Homeland Security Applications
Cheyn Worn, M.S., Advisors: Drs. Best & Tsvetkov, An Evaluation of Shadow Shielding for Lunar System Waste Heat Rejection
Valentin Zingan , Ph.D., Advisor: Dr. Morel, Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method for the Nonlinear Hyperbolic Problems with Entropy-Based Artificial Viscosity Stabilization
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
NE Students Win 2011 innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards
Two nuclear engineering students have won awards in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards competition. Adam Parkison, a Ph.D. student, has been awarded a first place prize in the category of Nuclear Fuels. His award-winning research paper, “Hydride Formation Process for the Powder Metallurgical Recycle of Zircaloy from Used Nuclear Fuel,” was published in the journal Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A in January 2011. William Sames, a master’s degree student, has been awarded a prize in the Undergraduate category. His award-winning research paper, “Voloxidation Modeling and Code Development,” was presented at the 2011 Waste Management Symposium in February. The research was performed and the paper was written while Sames was an undergraduate student at Texas A&M. The academic community plays a vital role in helping to develop the advanced nuclear technologies that will help sustain and further expand nuclear power in the United States. The Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards program supports academia and the goal of the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy to develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycle options by encouraging innovative research in fuel cycle related disciplines. The Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards program is designed to award graduate and undergraduate students for innovative fuel-cyclerelevant research publications; demonstrate the Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies’ commitment to higher education in fuel-cycle-relevant disciplines; and support communications among students and DOE representatives. The program awarded 26 prizes in 2011 for student publications and presentations relevant to the nuclear fuel cycle. In addition to cash awards, winning students will have a variety of other opportunities including presenting their winning publication during the American Nuclear Society Winter meeting, participating in an Innovators’ Forum, and participating in the DOE Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies Annual Meeting.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Grad student Jesse Johns presents at Low Carbon Earth Summit
Nuclear engineering graduate student Jesse Johns gave two presentations at the inaugural Low Carbon Earth Summit held October 19-26, 2011 in Dalian, China. The summit drew more than 1,000 participants from 58 countries and covered the fast-growing field of innovation in the low carbon economy. It provided a forum where industry and academia joined together to learn about the latest and future developments, and explore opportunities for new business ventures. Presentations included speakers from academia, consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, technology providers, designers and carbon trade brokers. Johns presentation topics included, “Fidelity Needs for Design, Safety, Performance and Fuel Cycle Evaluations of Next Generation Nuclear Reactors - Integrated Systems Approach,” and “Energy Sustainability: Offering Integrated Solution to Energy Delivery and Waste Management,” and were part of the “Global Nuclear Energy Outlook and Energy Policy” and “Next Generation Nuclear Reactor” sessions. “The organizing committee recognized our efforts and contributions in this area and invited us to participate in the summit,” said Pavel Tsvetkov, associate professor of nuclear engineering. Johns is a Ph.D. candidate working with Tsvetkov whose research group focuses on system methods and evaluations of contemporary nuclear energy aspects including energy sustainability, global outlook, and next generation reactors. Tsvetkov selected Johns to make the presentations on behalf of the research group. “It was an important opportunity to engage in global energy talks and offer our point of view on the key subjects defining our global future,” said Johns. Johns’ research interests include high-fidelity modeling of nuclear systems, computational fluid dynamics, reactor behavior of coupled systems, and design of advanced/novel reactor concepts. Johns is an employed Senior Reactor Operator at the Texas A&M University’s TRIGA reactor at the Nuclear Science Center, and provides the facility with experimental design and core modeling expertise.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
GNEII Hosts Symposium Graduation Ceremony
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The Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) held a two-day symposium and graduation ceremony on the Abu Dhabi campus of Khalifa University on October 9 and 10 to mark the completion of their 2012 program. The symposium focused on nuclear safety, security, and safeguards and featured the eleven capstone projects completed by the GNEII fellows. The 2012 GNEII class consisted of 26 fellows from five different countries. The capstone projects were the culmination of the 16-week GNEII course. Four of the capstone projects are already slated for publication in international journals. The symposium was opened by Ambassador Michael H. Corbin, the US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Also in attendance were representatives from the US Department of Energy, US Department of State, Sandia National Laboratories, Khalifa University, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), the Emirati Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the Emirati Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Texas A&M University was represented by Nuclear Engineering Interim Department Head Dr. Yassin Hassan, NSSPI Deputy Director Dr. David Boyle, and GNEII Faculty Coordinator Dr. Michael Schuller. A key note address on a “Culture of Safety” was given by a senior member from ENEC, and the symposium program included a presentation by Dr. Ali Boussaha from IAEA on the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Department activities in the Middle East and a discussion on “3S integration in nuclear regulation in UAE” by Dr. Christer Viktorsson, Deputy Director General of FANR. GNEII alumni, Mr. Wael Al Hashimi, who is currently working with CICPA, also spoke to the graduates.
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According to GNEII manager Abdelaziz Al Madhloum, “Programs like GNEII are vital to furthering the region’s quest to develop a peaceful nuclear program, as well as become an intellectual and academic hub in the Gulf area.” GNEII was established in 2011 as a Khalifa University institute housing a regional education program offering both classroom instruction and hands-on experience in topics related to nuclear energy safety, security, safeguards and nonproliferation. Conceived as a response to the growing interest in nuclear energy among Middle Eastern nations, GNEII strives to promote a nuclear energy security and safety culture in countries in the region with nascent nuclear energy programs. The program is sponsored on the US side by the International Nuclear Safeguards and Engagement Program (INSEP) at the US Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS), which is a program of the US Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction. NSSPI has worked with Sandia National Laboratories to develop the curriculum and supply the instructors for the modules.
Programs like GNE II are vital to furthering the region’s quest to develop a pea c e fu l nuclear program as well as become an intellectual and academic hub in the Gulf area.
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NSSPI Faculty and Students Participate in Nonproliferation Summer School in Russia From August 10 - 20, 2012, NSSPI faculty and students traveled to Tomsk in Russia to participate in the 6th International Nonproliferation Summer School: “Nuclear Technologies: Nonproliferation, Disarmament, and Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy.� They also met with and discussed joint research and educational projects with Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) faculty, signed a joint TAMU-TPU Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and toured the TPU Museum, Exhibition Center, Educational laboratories, and the Atomic Energy Information Center. At the Nonproliferation Summer School, 26 students from Russia, the Ukraine, and the US, along with 16 experts from various organizations around the world were gathered to participate in a week-long course on nuclear nonproliferation. The student participants represented a variety of both technical and policy backgrounds and were at different stages of their educational careers, anywhere from 3rd year undergraduates to PhD-level students. During the course of the school, students participated in a various activities, including lectures and presentations by experts, presentations by fellow students, hands-on exercises and simulation games, a writing/speaking workshop for Russian-speaking students, and social activities in the evenings. Two simulation games were carried out relating to creating a physical security system for a nuclear reactor and negotiating a tactical nuclear weapon reduction treaty. During the first exercise, groups of students were given a layout of a reactor facility and a set of security equipment to use. They were asked to develop a full security system for the site, justify choices of the security plan, and determine locations of various protection measures and security sensors. During the second simulation, participants were asked to represent a variety of European NATO states, Russia, Ukraine, United States, and several nonweapon states around the world. The goal of the simulation was to potentially negotiate a treaty aimed at reducing the number of tactical nuclear weapons on the European continent. While in Tomsk, the TAMU delegation achieved a major milestone towards closer collaboration between the two universities after the MOU outlining areas of joint work was signed by TPU rector Chubik and TAMU president, Bowen Loftin.
The TAMU students also toured the TPU Museum, Exhibition Center and Educational laboratories of the Physics Technical Institute (PhTI). US participants were presented with the history of one of the oldest universities in Siberia and a variety of educational programs and major accomplishments of its professors and students. They also saw laboratories featuring nondestructive assay instrumentation, physical security equipment, radiochemistry and other laboratories used in nuclear security and nonproliferation education programs at PhTI. On the last day of the Summer School, all participants toured the Atomic Energy Information Center in Tomsk. The main purpose of the Center is educating public on about various aspects of nuclear energy, the nuclear fuel cycle and, particularly, the safety of nuclear operations. Students participated in an interactive presentation on nuclear waste handling and disposal. The TAMU delegation consisted of NSSPI faculty member Dr. Alexander Solodov and students Jessica Feener, Matt Fitzmaurice, Braden Goddard, Zak Kulage, Eowyn Pedicini, Kate Putman, Matt Sternat, and TPU alumnus Alexandra Khudoleeva. The visit of the TAMU delegation to TPU and the Nonproliferation Summer School had extensive coverage in the local media. For more information, and to see a list of some of the media reports, please visit nsspi.tamu.edu to see the original article.
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Aggie Nukes tour WIPP Sandia National Labs
On May 14, a group of undergraduate and graduate students, professors and guests traveled to Carlsbad, N.M. to visit the Waste Isolations Pilot Plant (WIPP), followed by Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque. The primary goal of the trip was to give students a look at applied nuclear engineering in the industry setting. Students were treated to a private ‘insider’ tour of WIPP, which is the United States’ primary storage site for low-grade transuranic nuclear waste. This tour allowed student to go deep into the Carlsbad salt caverns to see how the waste is stored and observe the natural process of the salt entombing the containers. WIPP was constructed during the 1980’s, authorized by Congress through the U.S. Department of Energy. In 1998, WIPP was certified for the safe, long-term disposal of TRU, or transuranic wastes. WIPP’s disposal rooms are nearly a half mile below the surface, at around 2,150 feet. By comparison, the Empire State Building is only 1,454 feet high. “It’s stepping out farther than just sitting in a classroom, going so deep underground,” Chad O’Hagan, nuclear engineering senior, said. “We saw where waste was currently kept, and a hint of where it would go. Seeing the huge salt slab and how the waste collapses in on itself, compacting and weathering through billions of years was pretty huge. The mine encloses on itself, preserving waste like the mosquitos stuck in sap in Jurassic Park.” The WIPP project will basically continue until it fills capacity with the salt slab acting as a buffer. It’s ideal because the waste will stay put, and the natural conditions will not disturb the waste, or allow it to affect the environment. Marking deep-geologic disposal site is a permanent indicator, cautioning against disturbing this ground. “Propaganda tends to mislead; I was genuinely impressed with the setup and careful planning of WIPP. How they used the properties of the Permian Basin salt to naturally encase the waste was pretty remarkable. [The waste] is mainly just contaminated clothes and such,” Vishal Patel, PhD graduate student, said. Students witnessed the process used to bring in waste, and then transfer it into containers for preservation and disposal, as well as the carefully planned placement of contained waste in specific sites. They were even given salt samples from the mines as mementos. The trip wasn’t just interesting for students and faculty, though. “Being with the department for so long, I’ve been interested in [nuclear engineering],” Cory Hearnsberger, nuclear engineering
staff, said. “I’ve always wanted to see what they do, what they research, and how they apply it.”
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On May 16, the group toured Sandia National Laboratories facilities at the Carlsbad, N.M. and Albuquerque, N.M. sites. At the Albuquerque site, the group toured a large variety of multi-disciplinary research labs, including the Ion Beam Lab, Microsystem and Engineering Science Application (MESA) facility, Solar Array, TA-V nuclear facilities, and Thermal Test Complex. The tour and demonstration content spanned work over several engineering disciplines, including nuclear engineering. In addition to several nuclear-specific tours, such as a Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF) and demonstration of the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) pulse, students learned about supercomputing capabilities, solar energy research, and nanotechnology. For many students who were unfamiliar with the lab system and Sandia’s role in the nuclear fuel cycle, there was genuine surprise regarding the extent of engineering and fundamental science performed at Sandia to ensure the effectiveness of the nation’s stockpile and to safely dispose of spent nuclear fuel waste. “There was just so much there, on this entire trip. We learned about the big picture of the nuclear power industry, specifically where these two major players [WIPP and Sandia] fit into the big picture. In class, you don’t really see that. It’s theory and coursework, but [at WIPP and Sandia] we saw it in action. Dr. Rottler was a great speaker,” O’Hagan said. Two social evening events allowed the students to engage TAMU alumni and other members of SNL’s technical and management staff. These events provided a ‘taste of Albuquerque’ and gave students the opportunity to ask more candid questions related to career paths and life outside the lab. The trip provided an opportunity for Sandia to exhibit a small selection of the Labs’ research capabilities and the students to learn more about the DOE mission and Sandia, as well as future employment opportunities. “From a soon-to-graduate perspective, getting a feel for a national lab like Sandia is very useful,” Patel said. “I highly recommend the trip to any student interested in perhaps working at a national lab.”
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NASA Space Tech Program to Sponsor Aggie Research NASA’s Space Technology Program selected 14 proposals on commercial reusable suborbital launch vehicles for development and demonstration. Each idea innovative in its own way, one of these 14 proposals, “Demonstration of Variable Radiator,” was that of Dr. R. Cable Kurwitz, lecturer in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University. Dr. Kurwitz, associate research engineer and director of the Interphase Transport Phenomena Laboratory, will develop a variable thermal energy rejection technology for spacecraft. The technology modulates portions of the spacecraft radiator to control spacecraft temperature during different phases of the mission. Variable heat rejection is considered an enabling technology for future NASA mission. The technology utilizes expertise gathered from over 20 years of reduced gravity research and technology development within the laboratory. “We are pleased to be selected for the NASA Game Changing Opportunities Program. Our approach builds upon knowledge and technology derived from years of reduced gravity testing and we are excited to be working with NASA,” said Dr. Kurwitz. The submitted proposals offer unique approaches and solutions to high-priority technology needs recently identified in the National Research Council’s Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities report. Each report seeks to further advance and enable technology development for NASA’s current and future missions in exploration, science and space operations. “These technology payloads will have the opportunity to be tested on commercial suborbital flights, sponsored by NASA, that fly up to and near the boundary of space,” said Michael Gazarik, Director of NASA’s Space Technology Program at
Our approach builds upon knowledge & technology de rived from years of reduced gravity testing & we are excited to be working with NASA.,
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Thermal Load
3-‐way Switch Valve Phase Separator
Radiator
Eductor Hot Liquid Cold Liquid NC Gas
Main Pump
Above is a conceptual layout of the system operating in a high-powered state with all fluid legs of the radiator available for heat rejection.
NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The flights will ensure the technology fidelity before they’re put to work in operational systems in the harsh environment of space.” NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program sponsored this solicitation in collaboration with NASA’s Game Changing Development Program. Awards will range from $125,000 to $500,000 with a total NASA investment of approximately $3.5 million. Payloads are expected to fly in 2013 and 2014. Below is a conceptual layout of the system operating in a lower-powered state with the far left leg unavailable for heat rejection.
Thermal Load
3-‐way Switch Valve Phase Separator
Eductor Hot Liquid Cold Liquid NC Gas
Main Pump
Radiator
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Everyone can do it
I really just want to set an example for my kids. I want them to understand how important it is to think of others, no matter what.”
A single mom and program coordinator in the Department of Nuclear Engineering proves you don’t have to be a millionaire to give back to Texas A&M. Marna Billiter, a program coordinator in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, is proving that you don’t have to be a millionaire to give back to support Texas A&M University. This summer, she committed to fund an endowed scholarship for students pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering or radiological health engineering.
Billiter graduated with a degree in sociology in 1991 and shortly after took a job with the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. After living abroad for nine years, starting a family and working as a stayat-home mom, Billiter and her children returned to Texas. She found her way back to Aggieland and into the Department of Nuclear Engineering. “I always joke that I’m the department mom because I advise incoming freshmen,” Billiter said. “When I see them, I ask how they’re really doing. I ask if they’re studying, finding personal time, eating healthy and sleeping. It’s like a well-check. That’s something faculty advisors don’t always think to ask about when they’re advising on academics, and I take a more holistic approach.” Billiter’s interest in funding a scholarship began when she worked in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. She saw many students who needed help, and she realized that there wasn’t enough funding for everyone to receive assistance. “I saw how someone could make such a difference to a student, and I realized the donors aren’t always people who are super well-off,” Billiter said. “Creating a scholarship is an attainable goal for many people because even though an endowment requires $25,000, if you plan for it, you can conceivably
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Billiter’s scholarship serves as a tribute to her parents, Ed and Shirley Kissmann, because as a child they taught her the importance of giving back through their support of the family’s church. “I got my education from A&M, and they’re the ones who put me through school,” Billiter said. “So I knew there was no better way to honor them than with this scholarship.” Recipients of the scholarship will be upperclassmen because they are more committed to their chosen major. The scholarship also targets students who have had to overcome personal challenges in order to attend college. “I want to help the students who are not straight “A” students,” Billiter said. “They’re the ones who sometimes miss out on opportunities because they don’t have perfect grades.” She also hopes that her scholarship recipients will want to follow her example and give back after they graduate and begin their careers. When considering the effects her scholarship will have, Billiter smiled, and added, “I really just want to set an example for my kids. I want them to understand how important it is to think of others, no matter what.”
I want to help the students who are not straight A students. They're the ones who sometimes miss out on opportunities because they don’t have perfect grades.
do that on a lot of different types of salaries.”
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Texas A&M Un iversity Receives $4.5 Million to Stu dy the Aging of Stored Used N uclear Fuel The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Texas A&M University $4.5 million over the next three years to research the aging of stored used nuclear fuel. The project, “Fuel Aging in Storage and Transportation (FAST): Accelerated Characterization and Performance Assessment of the Used Nuclear Fuel Storage System” was been selected for negotiation of award and is led by nuclear engineering associate professor Sean McDeavitt. Funding for the project is through the Integrated Research Projects (IRP) program under the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), which supports large, multi-year projects led by teams of American universities working to develop cross-cutting breakthroughs in nuclear energy technologies. McDeavitt led a team of 18 principal investigators and their respective research groups at six universities and two national laboratories. The organization functioned as a matrixed engineering research team focused on four distinct, yet integrated Technical Mission Areas (TMAs): TMA1: Low Temperature Creep, TMA2: Hydrogen Behavior and Delayed Hydride Cracking, TMA3: UNF Canister Corrosion, and TMA4: Novel System Monitoring. The TMAs were designed to address challenges relevant to almost every Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) system currently deployed or under development, with a special emphasis on high burnup fuel. The overall objective was to create predictive tools in the form of observation methods, phenomenological models, and databases that will enable the design, installation, and licensing of dry used nuclear fuel storage systems that will be capable of containing used nuclear fuel for up to 300 years. Partners included Boise State University, North Carolina State University, the University of Florida, the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Savannah River National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. “The project at Texas A&M supports the cutting-edge nuclear energy research that will advance our domestic nuclear industry and help us maintain global leadership in the field,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Through this investment we are also training and educating the next generation of leaders in the U.S. nuclear industry to help build a strong new energy economy.”
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By Lesley Kriewald
Nuclear Materials Under Extreme Conditions Designing advanced materials for next-generation nuclear reactors To build safer, longer-lasting nuclear reactors, researchers need advanced materials that can withstand the harsh environment inside a reactor. Lin Shao, an associate professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, is a materials physicist on the hunt for these advanced materials. Shao’s research focuses on understanding why materials fail, particularly in the harsh environments inside a reactor, such as high temperature, stress, corrosion and neutron damage. The aim of the research is not only reactor safety but also reactor economics and nuclear waste management. Since 2007, Shao’s research group has received $8.3 million in funding, primarily from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. Shao and his collaborators study a variety of materials, from stainless steel, which was used as cladding material (the hollow tube used to contain nuclear fuels), to ceramics and even concrete.
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out systematic research,” Shao says. “We need to test these materials to get an idea of how long the materials will last,” Shao says, “and we need to understand what the mechanism is behind these failures so we can come up with a strategy to have better material development so the materials can have a longer lifetime.” Unique capabilities Aiding in this study is the country’s largest university radiation facility, Shao’s Ion Beam Laboratory, with five accelerators providing the particles at various energies that are needed to
Aiding in this study is the country’s largest university radiation facility, Shao’s Ion Beam Laboratory, with five accelerators providing the particles at various energies that are needed to simulate what happens inside a nuclear reactor—in a relatively short time. simulate what happens inside a nuclear reactor—in a relatively short time. “Previously, if someone said, ‘This material is good and can be used as a structural component inside a reactor,’ we can test to see whether that’s true,” Shao says. “We could put this material inside a reactor and irradiate it for a long time—probably five or 10 years—and then evaluate the damage. “But we just can’t afford to wait such a long time,” he continues. “Therefore, we use our accelerator to create those high-energy, strong beams to simulate radiation damage and get a very quick answer. Our machines are very capable. For example, one day of exposure to radiation from an accelerator can represent a few years of the radiation inside a reactor.” Shao says the capabilities of the five accelerators can be combined with those of the Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute, which produces very high-energy particles, and the university’s Nuclear Science Center, which can supply gamma and neutron particles. “Combine these facilities, and we have unique capability to carry
The unique capabilities of Shao’s lab have led to several subcontracts from various national laboratories that lack the kind of radiation testing facilities needed to test material behavior. Different types of damage Shao uses the example of stainless steel cladding. An energetic particle of radiation can rupture the atoms that make up the steel tube, causing damage that sets off a chain reaction that can lead to failure. “You have this perfect stainless steel inside, but the neutron will cause damage and that damage will cause trouble,” he says. “That is the fundamental reason that we have so many nasty conditions inside a reactor.” Swelling is one example of the damage that can occur. The atoms of a particular material are arranged in a certain shape. But left inside a reactor for a few years, the shape changes and grows. “If you’re able to see what’s inside, you’ll find it’s like Swiss cheese,” Shao says. “The material begins to have a cavity inside due to this damage. It used to be okay to have 5 percent swelling, but in the next generation of nuclear reactors, even 1 percent swelling will cause a safety issue. So therefore, the whole field is hungry to find what is the best material that can suppress this kind of swelling enough to keep the structural integrity.” Materials inside a nuclear reactor may also experience cracking. That can happen when stainless steel that contains nuclear fuel comes into contact with coolant, usually water at about 400–500 degrees Celsius in current reactors but will be about 1,000 degrees Celsius in next-generation reactors. After a few years, that water will begin to interact with the stainless steel and cause cracking. If this cracking cannot be stopped, then the nuclear fuel is exposed to coolant, contaminating the whole loop and causing accidents. Gas atoms that accumulate inside a metal can form bubbles, similar to the bubbles seen around the edge of a pancake while it’s being cooked. Neutrons interacting with the material create these gas atoms. Shao says it’s fair to blame all accelerated materials failures on
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neutrons, in fact. Neutrons destroy the original material structures through two types of interactions: nuclear reactions that create energetic fission fragments and direct neutron scattering in which the neutron knocks one atom out of its original location. A given atom can be pushed around by either fission fragments or directly by neutrons and get relocated up to hundreds of times. “So no matter how good a material is at the beginning, everything will get messed up at the end,” Shao says. Neutron damage also changes the water chemistry inside the reactor so that the water behaves like an acid. Therefore, corrosion damage is also of concern to nuclear engineers. Cracking, swelling, bubble formation and corrosion are just several typical ways that materials inside a reactor can fail. In reality, these failure mechanisms are correlated into each other and the combined effect is far more severe. The complexity of these materials issues has driven the nuclear materials research from large-scale descriptive studies into atomic- scale fundamental studies, which requires collaborative researches across the fields of engineering, physics and chemistry.
We need to test these materials to get an idea of how long the materials will last, and to understand what the mechanism is behind these failures so we can develop materials with a longer lifetime. “Thanks to the excellent collaborative research environments at Texas A&M, we are lucky to find many partners having common interests in these areas,” Shao says. Understanding damage on the atomic level Shao says that in addition to testing, his research group seeks to understand the mechanism behind the behaviors observed. To do that, the researchers have established a strong modeling program to “see” what experiments can’t see. One collaboration
Shao directs the largest university radiation facility in the country, with five accelerators to create high-energy particle beams needed to simulate radiation damage.
with Tahir Cagin, from the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, has allowed the researchers to understand how some metals and ceramics react when bombarded with radiation. “We are able to catch those atom interactions at a very short time scale, to go beyond the experimental capability there. We combine experiments and modeling to get an understanding of the mechanism behind material failure.” Shao says the need for more safety in next-generation reactors drives this push for better material design, and that means studying nanostructured materials at the atomic scale. If you put two different materials together, the boundary (or interface) between these two different kinds of materials has a unique effect of trapping defects caused by radiation damage. These boundaries between materials, if they can be stabilized under neutron damage, behave as trash cans, collecting the garbage, or damage, created by radiation. This garbage-collecting property leads Shao to expect that these nanoengineered materials will have a significant impact on material design, with longer lifetime inside a nuclear reactor. This particular area of study has led to several research grants,
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including Shao’s National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2009. “We want to match modeling and simulations, to actually see individual atoms,” Shao says. “So we use transmission electron microscopy to see what happens at the metal–metal interface when we put two metals together and bombard with particles.”
“Our key interest is trying to maximize this interface region so the material will have a self-annealing effect: The material will repair the damage itself.” Most recently, Shao proposed to bond metals with ceramic glasses to create a new type of interface. The work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy as a collaborative project with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Benefits of nanostructured materials An energy particle is like a bullet, bombarding the material and causing damage inside. With bulk material—say, a lump of silicon—that energy bullet after one picosecond causes cascading damage by displacing all the atoms in the matrix. But when the same energy bullet is fired at a small nanowire, such as a fiber tube, the same radiation causes very few defects inside. “That’s the interface effect we are talking about,” Shao says. “Our key interest is trying to maximize this interface region so the material will have a self-annealing effect: The material will repair the damage itself.” One way to increase this boundary, or interface region, is to order the atoms in a polycrystal, a large crystal made up of many smaller crystals. “Our desire here is trying to maximize those boundaries so each material inside will have a domain, a crystal as small as possible so we can maximize those regional interfaces. If we can do that, we can trap more defects there to stop damage from spreading.”
Major focus A major focus of the research team is cladding material. That hollow tube serves as the first buffer layer between the coolant and the nuclear fuel—a critical function, Shao says. Shao cites the Fukushima nuclear reactor accident in Japan as an example of just how critical cladding material can be. “Everybody talks about that reactor accident. That accident came from the fact that the fuel cladding, that hollow tube, was made of zircaloy, a zirconium-based alloy. That alloy works very well at normal operating temperature, 500 degrees Celsius. But after the tsunami, due to the coolant being shut off, the water became very hot. That hot water interacted with the zirconium and released a huge amount of hydrogen. That’s what caused the explosion there. So you can see that material selection for that cladding material is critical. So that is the trend in this country, trying to replace zirconium.” Shao is investigating using a silicon carbide composite to replace zirconium in cladding material in order to avoid the situation in the Japan reactor. Because silicon carbide is a ceramic, no hydrogen will be released when (or if) the cladding interacts with hot water. And using fiber bundles of silicon carbide rather than bulk silicon carbide helps to strengthen the material. “If you had a material made of just bulk silicon carbide, and you tried to bend it, it would crack,” Shao says. “But silicon carbide fiber material can be bent to minimize cracking. When you push or displace a fiber, it pulls out of the matrix and then can go back into its shape. So you have a way to release the stress. Therefore, we do whatever we can do to find the best material that best performs under that normal operation temperature, but who knows what will happen if we have an accident? Anything can happen, so we try to say, ‘Are we able to structure this so we find a better material, which is safer even in extreme conditions?’
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educate. support. give. Education is a gift that keeps giving throughout one’s life, far after college is over. The Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University has graduated more nuclear engineers since the early 1960s than has any other school in the country. More important than just the number of graduates is the quality of those graduates. We go above and beyond to recognize the potential in students, and provide them with an education to be proud of. We continuously inspire our students, faculty and staff to be the best that they can be. We stand by our vision: to develop and maintain a nationally and internationally recognized program that promotes a passion for understanding and applying the knowledge of nuclear science and engineering to support the nation’s alternative energy, national security and healthcare missions. Our program is constantly evolving, and is focused on developing and strengthening every facet required to raise student achievement in and out of college. We aspire to be better, to improve year by year, and for that we require your support. The search for the best students is tougher than ever. As we continue our tradition of producing the high-quality nuclear engineers that the industry needs, a key factor is the ability to attract the most academically capable students. Some of the best and brightest high school students cannot afford today’s tuition, and scholarships open up a world of possibilities to them. For others, a scholarship frees them from student jobs, giving them more time to follow their intellectual curiosity or to participate in A&M’s character-building student-led organizations. There are many opportunities available for empowering the students of the department. Scholarships drive the spirit and guide the minds of generations of Aggies, so they can affect the world in productive and inventive ways. When you fund a scholarship, you’re making a profound difference for individual students and for the lives those students touch as graduates of Texas A&M University. Contact Derek Dictson, Director of Development, to make a difference in a student’s life. phone: 979.845.5113, email: d-dictson@tamu.edu
Rottler Named Distinguished Former Student for 2011 Dr. J. Stephen Rottler of Albuquerque, N.M., was named “Distinguished Former Student” of 2011 for the Department of Nuclear Engineering. On Friday, April 13, Dr. Rottler was presented with an award at an intimate gathering with faculty. “There are few forms of recognition more cherished than to be recognized by one’s peers or by one’s University. My time at Texas A&M University prepared me for and gave me my start as an engineer and leader of technical professionals; it was there where I met my wife and partner of 30-plus years. These gifts make this award all the more special. I am both very grateful and flattered to have been selected by the Nuclear Engineering Department for this recognition,” said Dr. Rottler. Recently, Dr. Rottler and his wife, Lee Ann ‘81, have endowed a scholarship fund for nuclear engineering undergraduates at Texas A&M University. Recipients of the scholarship must be full-time nuclear engineering students with a minimum GPA of 3.5. “We are extremely grateful to Stephen and Lee Ann for their continued commitment and engagement with both the university and our department.
Th e re ar e f ew f orms o f r ecognition mor e ch er is h e d t h an to b e r ecognized by on e’s p e ers or by o n e’s U n iversity. My ti m e at Texas A&M Uni versity prepare d m e for & gav e me my start as an e n gi n e er & l ead e r o f techn ical pr ofessionals. Having successful former students to serve as inspirational role models for our current and incoming students is a gift in itself,” said Dr. Yassin Hassan, nuclear engineering interim department head. As chief technology officer and vice president for the Science and Technology Division at Sandia National Laboratories, Dr. Rottler is responsible for leadership and management of corporate research and development and capabilities stewardship at Sandia National Laboratories. He is also responsible for leadership of technology transfer and strategic research relationships with universities, industry, and the State of New Mexico. Dr. Rottler currently serves on the College of Engineering’s external advisory board. He was a member of the Singing Cadets and received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1980, 1982, and 1984, respectively.
Nuclear Engineering 337 Zachry Engineering Center 3133 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3133 979.845.4161 nuclear.tamu.edu