Published paper on Bayesian calibration of fiber optic sensors for nuclear systems

For cooling the fuel in SMR reactors, we often use natural circulation, which does not require the operation of pumps. However, measuring and calculating natural circulation driven by temperature differences presents interesting challenges. In our latest study published in the prestigious journal Nuclear Engineering and Design, together with Gergely Imre Orosz, Levente Schaul, Bence Barnabás Mészáros and Dániel Kacz, we investigated in a brand new, purpose-built experimental facility how laser-based PIV measurement techniques can be used to examine a fuel bundle consisting of 4x4 heated rods. (Direct access to the paper: https://lnkd.in/dffzBfrB)

We’re excited to announce the next wave of innovation in nuclear research! The 2024/25 UNENE Research Cooperative Projects have been selected. After an exceptional round of proposals, three outstanding projects from our member universities will move forward, tackling key challenges in materials science, reactor longevity, and testing technologies. Congratulations to: 🔬 Dr. Olga Palazhchenko (UNB) – Magnetite kinetics & station lifetime modeling 🔬 Dr. Laurent Beland (Queen’s) – Aging of Calandria vessel steel under irradiation 🔬 Dr. Thomas Krause (RMC) – In-reactor pressure tube condition assessment Thank you to all researchers who submitted proposals. Your work continues to push the industry forward. Stay tuned for our next call in 12–15 months! 🔗Read more under UNENE News: https://lnkd.in/gJ-UCFd #NuclearResearch #Innovation #UNENE #CleanEnergy #Collaboration #Academia

Meet Tim Phero, a materials science postdoc researcher at INL. 👋 Our understanding of the materials in the harsh environmental conditions, such as nuclear reactors, is often limited to what we know before and after an experiment has run its course. Phero's additively printed sensors offer additional insight into these experiment gaps. WATCH to learn more. 🎥 ⬇️ Check out our critical materials research: https://lnkd.in/e9gymGtN #MaterialsScience #Nuclear #NuclearEnergy #NuclearReactor #Research #Tech #INL #Idaho

Every year, radiographers around the world perform about 375 million CT scans. To keep themselves safe from radiation exposure, they rely on radiation protective glass. Lead-coated, expensive, and produced by a select few companies, such glass is hard to come by for much of the developing world, looking for affordable advanced healthcare. In this regard, countries have turned to nuclear science for solutions- and have found success. Developed at Nigeria's @Federal University of Lafia, Professor Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu and his team pioneered their own radiation shielding glass doped with Bismuth and Tin. The glass, as tests have shown, can match the quality of lead-coated glass. Furthermore, unlike lead or barium, Bismuth and Tin are readily available in Nigeria, easing domestic production, thus bringing down costs. Cherry on top: The glass doesn't have any lead, making it a much safer alternative. A change of material used on a piece of glass found in hospitals may seem insignificant, but such developments have benefits for multiple stakeholders. > For the country of Nigeria, having a globally competitive product can attract investment dollars to set up manufacturing and export products in a niche field. Foreign investment and good-quality exports benefit the Nigerian economy and its people. > For the people of Africa, a cheaper and safer source of advanced healthcare products makes it easier to set up CT scanners and other machinery involving radiation. This decreases the overall cost of healthcare, making it more accessible- an achievement in itself. > Finally, for the field of nuclear science, the beneficial applications of nuclear science serve to build its reputation. If more and more people see the direct impact nuclear science has on their lives, then people may view "nuclear" as a force of good rather than harm. A solution for a problem rarely exists that benefits everyone directly affected, and as such, much credit goes to Professor Abubakar and his team of researchers for pushing forward with the technology. Let us hope that this is the first of many cases where "nuclear" can help benefit the people who need it the most!   For those interested in learning more, please view slides 9-20 in the following post!

MIT researchers have developed a technique that enables real-time, 3D monitoring of corrosion, cracking, and other material failure processes inside a nuclear reactor environment. During their experiments, the researchers utilized extremely powerful X-rays to mimic the behavior of neutrons interacting with a material inside a nuclear reactor. They found that adding a buffer layer of silicon dioxide between the material and its substrate, and keeping the material under the X-ray beam for a longer period of time, improves the stability of the sample. This allows for real-time monitoring of material failure processes. By reconstructing 3D image data on the structure of a material as it fails, researchers could design more resilient materials that can better withstand the stress caused by irradiation inside a nuclear reactor. “If we can improve materials for a nuclear reactor, it means we can extend the life of that reactor. It also means the materials will take longer to fail, so we can get more use out of a nuclear reactor than we do now. The technique we’ve demonstrated here allows to push the boundary in understanding how materials fail in real-time,” says Ericmoore Elijah Jossou, PhD, who has shared appointments in the MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE), where he is the John Clark Hardwick Professor, and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MIT EECS), and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Read the MIT News article: https://lnkd.in/eKcAY99N Jossou, senior author of a study on this technique, is joined on the paper by lead author David Simonne, an NSE postdoc; Riley Hultquist, a graduate student in NSE; Jiangtao Zhao, of the ESRF - The European Synchrotron; and Andrea Resta, of Synchrotron SOLEIL. The sample preparation was carried out, in part, at the MIT.nano facilities! #nanoscience #nanotechnology #nuclearscience #engineering #energy #imaging #characterization #metrology #electricalengineering #computing #xrays #microelectronics #electronics #quantummaterials #science #technology #research

This study gives another way to accurately forecast a reactor vessel lifetime. A big step forward for even more safety in nuclear reactors !

📢 📢 📢  A Sub-Picoampere Measurement Algorithm for Use in Dosimetry of Time-Varying Radiation Fields 🧑🔬 Michał Kuć, Maciej Maciak, and Piotr Tulik 🏫 National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warsaw University of Technology 💥 Dosimetry based on gas detectors operating in the recombination and saturation region provides unique research opportunities but requires high-quality electrometers with a measuring range below 1 pA (10−12 A). The standard approach in electrometry is to strive to increase the accuracy and precision of the measurement, ignoring the importance of its duration. The article presents an algorithm for the measurement of low current values (from 100 fA) that allows both a fast measurement (with a step of 2.3 ms) and high accuracy (measurement error below 0.1%), depending on the measurement conditions and the expected results. A series of tests and validations of the algorithm were carried out in a measurement system with a Keithley 6517B electrometer and a REM-2 recombination chamber under conditions of constant and time-varying radiation fields. The result of the work is a set of parameters that allow for the optimisation of the operation of the algorithm, maximising the quality of the measurements according to needs and the expected results. The algorithm can be used in low current measurement systems, e.g., for dosimetry of mixed radiation fields using recombination methods and chambers. https://lnkd.in/gFSE2nQX

🌟OPEN ACCESS🌟Source Characterization at Low Yields from Physics Experiment One A #BSSA The National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development has funded the Physics Experiment One, or PE1 experiment, as part of the Low Yield Nuclear Monitoring program. PE1 will include a series of experiments designed to improve future explosion monitoring by varying the circumstances of each experiment. For instance, size of explosion, emplacement condition, sensor coverage, and other such factors can all vary with real world explosions. The first of the series was the detonation of a well-recorded, coupled explosion at the Nevada National Security Site. In a new paper, a team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory estimates yield using a variety of methods, such as magnitude, envelope, acoustic amplitude, seismoacoustics and moment tensor. “With the exception of magnitude‐based methods, all the techniques were more or less successful in recovering the known yield,” they report. For further information, please visit the paper. https://lnkd.in/gzWQ_9Y9

Forging the Future of Fusion at UVA For nearly a century, nuclear fusion has been the dream of clean, limitless energy. While the world races to make it commercially viable, researchers at the University of Virginia are steadily advancing the science — one breakthrough at a time. From developing next-gen reactor materials to pioneering machine learning models that decode high-energy physics, UVA engineers and scientists are tackling fusion’s toughest challenges: ⚛️ Patrick Hopkins is creating tungsten-ceramic composites to help reactors withstand extreme heat. ⚛️ W. Streit Cunningham is designing nanocrystalline alloys to resist radiation damage. ⚛️ Beth Opila & Prasanna Balachandran are advancing protective coatings for reactor components. ⚛️ Stephen Baek & Alex Gates are using AI to model complex nuclear systems. ⚛️ Wilson Miller is exploring hyperpolarized fusion fuel to double reaction power. ⚛️ Sean Agnew is shaping nuclear policy and innovation across Virginia. UVA’s Fusion Innovation Hub will unite academia, industry, and government to accelerate commercialization, workforce development, and supply chain growth. 🌍 As the world seeks sustainable energy solutions, UVA is leading with innovation, collaboration, and a bold vision for the future of fusion. #NuclearFusion #CleanEnergy #UVAEngineering #Innovation #Sustainability #FusionEnergy #MaterialsScience #DataScience #EnergyFuture

I am pleased to present our recent publication, "The feasibility of calculating the enrichment of 235U using the PIGE method with high-energy protons," now available in Annals of Nuclear Energy (Volume 226). This paper details our investigation into the application of the Proton-Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) method, using 25 MeV protons, for the determination of 235U enrichment. Our key finding identifies a unique 2.2 MeV gamma-ray signature specific to 235U, providing a reliable marker for its quantification. The study, supported by MCNPX simulations, also elucidates the underlying nuclear processes responsible for this distinct emission. This publication is the culmination of a significant research effort, and I wish to acknowledge the diligent work of my co-authors: Mehdi Hassanpour, MohammadReza Rezaie, and Mohammad Rashed Iqbal Faruque. The full text is now available online. For the next 50 days, Elsevier has provided complimentary access via the Share Link below. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/dguWq7P7 #Nuclear_Energy #Nuclear_Physics #PIGE #Uranium_Enrichment #Research #Spectroscopy #Elsevier #Annals_Of_Nuclear_Energy