Integrated Research Projects
All Projects
| Title | Lead University | Funding Amount | Abstract | Project Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novel Device for Enhanced Access to Ultimate Heat Sink for Reduced Cost and Risks and Accelerated Site-Neutral Deployment of Advanced Reactors | Georgia Institute of Technology | $3,099,220 | Document | Project will complete and optimize the design of a recently patented heat removal concept/device for nuclear reactors. The new device will be examined and demonstrated via modeling and prototype construction and testing. The project goals are to (1) enhance reactor safety, (2) increase achievable safe power levels, which improves the economy of reactor plants, (3) reduce capital costs per unit of generated energy, and (4) free the plant from site-specific deployment constraints. | FY2024 |
| Experimental and computational assessment of thermodynamic stability of fission products in advanced reactor fuels | University of Texas San Antonio | $3,000,000 | Document | Project brings together two minority serving institutions (The Universities of Texas at San Antonio and El Paso) and a leading DOE-NE national laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, in a collaborative effort to advance the state of knowledge for fission product behavior in advanced reactors fuels, particularly uranium mononitride (UN). | FY2024 |
| Disruptive Manufacturing of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Steels for Nuclear Applications | Texas A&M University-College Station | $2,999,998 | Document | Project involves the manufacturing of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels via a disruptive technology based on liquid metallurgy, and their microstructural characterization, mechanical testing at room temperature and elevated temperatures, ion irradiation, neutron irradiation, as well as post-irradiation examination. The microstructure, mechanical properties, irradiation resistance, and scalability will be compared against those of powder metallurgy manufactured counterparts. | FY2024 |
| Grand Challenge to Accelerated Deployment of Advanced Reactors – A Predictive Pathway for Rapid Qualification of Core Structural Materials | University of Michigan | $3,000,000 | Document | Project will provide a predictive tool incorporating ion irradiation and computational materials modeling to determine the microstructure and mechanical properties of core structural materials, benchmarked against reactor data and codified in ASTM standards, to provide licensees with a justification of core material performance in their safety case for the NRC, and thus, accelerating the deployment of advanced reactor designs critical to achieving the U.S. clean energy climate change goals. | FY2023 |
| Exascale Simulation of Thermal-Hydraulics Phenomena in Advanced Reactors and Validation Using High Resolution Experimental Data | CUNY City College | $1,499,999 | Document | CCNY and UNM will work with ANL to guide and train the students in the use and development of Nek5000/RS for simulations of two benchmark problems: CCNY's experiments on helium-air mixing in HTGR cavities and Purdue's experiments on thermal stratification of a liquid metal in a pool-type SFR. UNM will conduct Star-CCM+ simulations of the same benchmark experiments. The results will be compared to achieve a better understanding of the physics and to improve the codes. | FY2023 |
| Research, Education and Training Center of Excellence on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Towards Advanced Reactor Technology | Virginia Commonwaelth University | $1,500,000 | Document | Three MSIs (VCU, VUU, and VSU) will establish a research, education, and training Center of Excellence to bring together in-depth expertise on nuclear fuel cycle and waste management to support our future advanced reactor designs. Directly related to the center are experts in nuclear chemical science and engineering, radiation and health physics, isotope separations and detections, mechanical engineering and economics & finance. | FY2023 |
| Understanding of ATF Cladding Performance under Radiation using MITR | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $5,000,000 | Document | The objective of this proposal is to study ATF (Accident Tolerant Fuel) Cladding performance under radiation in collaboration with leading institutions and all major US ATF vendors. The project will provide unique hands-on training for the next generation of nuclear engineers on nuclear fuel R&D, which is at the heart of nuclear energy technology development. | FY2022 |
| Reduction, Mitigation, and Disposal Strategies for the Graphite Waste of High Temperature Reactors | State University of New York, Stony Brook | $3,000,000 | Document | This project intends to develop economically attractive and environmentally sound irradiated graphite waste management strategies resulting in specific and significant cost savings for advanced nuclear systems. The will be a achieved through a combined modeling, analysis, technology development, and disposal science and regulatory studies campaign. | FY2022 |
| Bridging the gap between experiments and modeling to improve design of molten salt reactors | University of California, Berkeley | $2,998,545 | Document | The scope of this project is to improve our understanding of the role of impurities and fission products on the operational performance of MSRs as well as potential impact on accident scenarios. A key target is to contribute to the development of MSRs solving real world issues and for this reason we will work closely with two MSRs vendors representing the two different categories: liquid fuel and solid fuel MSRs. | FY2022 |
| Advancing Diffusion Bonding for Compact Heat Exchangers: Development of Enabling Fabrication Technology for Compact Heat Exchangers for Advanced Reactors | University of Michigan | $4,000,000 | Document | This project will provide scientific understanding to optimize the diffusion bonding process to be used in creating compact heat exchangers. Additionally, it will develop acceptance criteria for bonding processes that could be implemented by the ASME BPVC committees. These results will inform future code cases for the use of these compact heat exchangers. | FY2022 |
| SUSTAIN: SUpporting Strategic Training of Adaptable and Integrated Nuclear Workforce | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | $2,960,610 | Document | This project develops a comprehensive/actionable plan to ensure a diverse pool of skilled workers to support the continued viability of the nuclear industry. A gap analysis integrating data and stakeholder input will identify workforce needs. Insights gained will be translated into actionable educational content for K-12, community colleges, trade schools, and undergraduate/graduate programs as well as increasing awareness of nuclear sector employment opportunities and benefits of nuclear power. | FY2022 |
| Integrating socially led co-design into consent-based siting of interim storage facilities | University of Oklahoma | $2,923,510 | Document | This project explores a qualitatively different approach to engaging with potential host communities (PHCs) about siting interim storage facilities (ISFs). This new approach engages with PHCs to explore the implications of partnering on co-design of a prospective facility with project engineers. The process will be a collaborative engagement between community representatives and project engineers, with both groups learning from each other as they jointly pursue an effective ISF siting process. | FY2022 |
| Developing the technical basis and risk assessment tools for flexible plant operation | University of Tennessee at Knoxville | $4,000,000 | Document | This proposal addresses challenges related to operations and maintenance, human factors, and risk assessment to enable flexible plant operation and generation (FPOG). Nuclear energy is potentially well suited to flexible missions, including efficient and cost-effective co-generation with industrial heat applications. There are inherent challenges and regulatory concerns associated with expanded application of the existing fleet of light water reactors to support on- and off-grid applications. | FY2022 |
| Center for thermal-fluids application in nuclear energy: Establishing the knowledgebase for thermal-hydraulic multiscale simulation to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactors | Pennsylvania State University | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will establish a university component to the recently established Center Excellence for Thermal Fluids Applications in Nuclear Energy that is fully integrated with the laboratory efforts and its stakeholders (e.g., industry, DOE programs, NRC).The consortium will deliver improved, fast-running models for complex physical phenomena involving turbulent mixing, thermal stratification and thermal striping in complex geometries relevant to these reactors. This will in turn lead to improved economics by achieving higher operating temperatures and/or a reduction in capital costs. | FY2020 |
| Multi-physics fuel performance modeling of TRISO-bearing fuel in advanced reactor environments | University of Tennessee at Knoxville | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will develop and validate accurate and computationally efficient multiphysics TRISO fuel performance models for advanced pebble bed fluoride cooled, and gas cooled high temperature reactor concepts currently being pursued by industry partners. BISON-based fuel performance models will be informed by reactor core modeling tools, and focus on predicting the thermal-mechanical response of TRISO fuel compacts during normal operation and transient accidents. | FY2020 |
| Molten Salt Reactor Test Bed with Neutron Irradiation | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $4,800,000 | Document | Researchers will build and operate a flowing liquid salt loop with heated and cooled sections where the salt is irradiated with neutrons from the MIT research reactor. The loop will (1) enable understanding the behavior of tritium, noble metal fission products, and other radionuclides in a salt environment , (2) testing of instrumentation and (3) be a prototype for future loops at other universities and in DOE test reactors. The salt can include uranium that generates fission products. | FY2020 |
| Advancements towards ASME nuclear code case for compact heat exchangers | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $4,999,907 | Document | Researchers will advance the technical state of compact heat exchangers and lay the foundation to get these types of heat exchangers certified for use in nuclear service. The team will advance the understanding of the performance, integrity and lifetime of the CHXs for use in any industrial application. This will be done by developing qualification and inspection procedures that utilize non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and advanced in-service inspection techniques, with insight from EPRI. | FY2017 |
| Development of a Mechanistic Hydride Behavior Model for Spent Fuel Cladding Storage and Transportation | Pennsylvania State University | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will develop a macroscale modeling capability that can assess the impact of hydride behavior on cladding integrity in commercial spent nuclear fuel during pool storage, drying, transportation, and long-term dry cask storage. To develop this capability, the team will investigate both experimentally and with computational modeling the hydride behavior relative to three critical phenomena in various zirconium alloy cladding materials: 1) Migration and redistribution of hydrogen; 2) Precipitation and dissolution of hydride particles; 3) The impact of hydride microstructure on mechanical properties of the cladding. | FY2017 |
| NuSTEM: Nuclear Science, Technology and Education for Molten Salt Reactors | Texas A&M University | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will Contribute to the molten salt fast reactor concept while educating new workforce in molten salt systems. The project will focus in five technical areas: 1) Material and corrosion science; 2) Optical/chemical sensor development; 3) Modeling, multiphysics simulation, and uncertainty quantification; 4) Thermal hydraulic science; 5) 35cl(n,p) cross-section measurements. | FY2017 |
| NEUP Project 16-10905: Transient Reactor (TREAT) Experiments to Validate MBM Fuel Performance Simulations | Utah State University | $5,000,000 | Document | Researchers will work to make significant progress toward benchmarks for validation using combined computational and experimental research as well as integral TREAT experiment data sets to mitigate uncertainty. The multidisciplinary team will intensively characterize: 1) Fuel fracture/fragmentation, 2) ZrHx cladding failure, and 3) Transient water boiling using special effect modeling and experiments. These will inform the design for twelve integral TREAT experiments (multi-SERTTA vessel). | FY2016 |
| NEUP Project 16-10918: Development and Application of a Data Driven Methodology for Validation of Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization Models | North Carolina State University | $4,000,000 | Document | Researchers will develop and demonstrate a comprehensive data-driven methodology for the validation of risk-informed safety margin characterization (RISMC) models for nuclear power plant safety analysis. The project will advance simulation-based uncertainty analysis techniques to enable effective implementation of the methodology. The team will apply the validation methodology to guide the validation of flooding simulation code NEUTRINO and for system thermal-hydraulics analysis code RELAP-7. | FY2016 |
| NEUP Project 16-10908: Cask Mis-Loads Evaluation Techniques | University of Houston | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will develop a probabilistically-informed methodology, which involves innovative non-destructive evaluation techniques, to determine the extent of potential damage or degradation of internal components of used nuclear fuel canisters/casks during normal conditions of transport or hypothetical accident conditions. | FY2017 |
| NEUP Project 16-10925: Understanding Fundamental Science Governing the Development and Performance of Nuclear Waste Glasses | Rutgers University | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will supply actionable information to DOE to reduce costs and risks associated with nuclear waste vitrification. Primary information will be compositional dependence and glass chemistry effects on undesirable processing outcomes (such as low waste loading, crystal formation, technetium volatility, and salt formation) and long term performance (chemical durability). | FY2016 |
| Innovative Approach to SCC Inspection and Evaluation of Canister in Dry Storage | Colorado School of Mines | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will study the effects of chloride-initiated stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) of dry storage containers. The project will use experimental testing and non-destructive evaluation methods for CISCC that will allow for better prediction and monitoring of materials degradation. Early identification of CISCC occurrence will allow for more responsive corrective actions. | FY2015 |
| Development of Accident Tolerant Fuel Options For Near Term Applications | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will develop computational tools to evaluate accident tolerant fuel (ATF) options for near term applications. The computational tools will be predominantly developed under the NEAMS framework and will include: RattleSNake, MARMOT, BISON and RELAP-7. These codes will be further enhanced in order to model ATF options. | FY2015 |
| Computational and Experimental Benchmarking for Transient Fuel Testing | Oregon State University | $4,000,000 | Document | Researchers will perform a benchmark of the Transient Reactor Facility located at the Idaho National Laboratory. This benchmark will include two steady state neutronic benchmark problems and two transient benchmark problems. It will include the design, construction and utilization of a full-scale representation of an in-pile flow loop prototype for TREAT and numerical benchmarking against the experimental data gained from the experiment. | FY2015 |
| Multimodal Nondestructive Dry Cask Basket Structure and Spent Fuel Evaluation | University of Mississippi | $3,000,000 | Document | Researchers will use emission source tomography, acoustics and ultrasonic investigation, and muon imaging to evaluate and monitor the structural health of above ground dry storage casks. Partnerships with AREVA and EPRI will provide access to full scale test casks to move technology from the laboratory to the field. | FY2015 |
| Integrated FHR Technology Development: Tritium Management, Materials Testing, Salt Chemistry Control, Thermal-Hydraulics and Neutronics with Associated Benchmarking | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $5,000,000 | Document | Four FHR challenges will be addressed. Tritium absorption by carbon (fuel/reflector) will be measured and modeled. Salt redox control strategies and materials tests will be conducted in the laboratory and the MIT reactor. The UCB thermal-hydraulics Compact Integral Effects Test (CIET) facility will perform integral effects tests. This and other data will be used for a series of code benchmarking and validation workshops in neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and materials/coolant/tritium modeling. | FY2014 |
| Integrated Approach to Fluoride High Temperature Reactor (FHR) Technology and Licensing Challenges | Georgia Institute of Technology | $4,999,989 | Document | This project advances FHR technology via integrated approach by addressing key related gaps: tritium management; liquid salt coolant impurity removal and redox and corrosion control; advanced instrumentation; qualification of structural alloys; novel heat exchangers; and, V&V of neutronics and thermal hydraulics tools in support of licensing. The outcomes reduce technical uncertainties and facilitate commercialization of Fluoride High Temperature Reactors, with a broader impact of supporting development of other advanced reactors. | FY2014 |
| Multi-Sensor Inspection and Robotic Systems for Dry Storage Casks | Pennsylvania State University | $3,000,000 | Document | A robotic device and new sensor systems to monitor for conditions conducive to stress corrosion cracking and inspect for deterioration and cracks within dry storage casks for used nuclear fuel will be researched. Based on this research a prototype system will be developed and demonstrated on a mock-up dry storage system. The robotic device will be designed specifically to provide access to the canister surface through the ventilation system of the concrete overpack. | FY2014 |
| Experimental Determination and Modeling of Used Fuel Drying by Vacuum and Gas Circulation for Dry Cask Storage | University of South Carolina | $4,000,000 | Document | Experiments will determine the amount, form, and location of water remaining in dry casks. A full length mock fuel assembly with heater rods will be employed in these full scale experiments. Combined and separate effects tests will be conducted involving intact rods, failed rods, a BWR water rod, a PWR guide thimble, porous neutron absorber materials, spacer disks, etc. Correlations will be developed for inclusion in multiphysics codes and industry/regulatory codes, TRACE and COBRA-SFS. | FY2014 |
| Advanced Instrumentation for Transient Reactor Testing | University of Wisconsin, Madison | $3,000,000 | Document | This Advanced Instrumentation for Transient Reactor Testing IRP focuses on: development of innovations for hodoscope imaging for a transient test using advancements in detection and image resolution; development of novel sensors for conductivity and temperatures of fuel rods and local measurements of neutron fast and thermal flux; out-of-pile and in-pile testing with these sensors under common transient test protocols; and design of transient standard test with our instrumentation. | FY2014 |
| High Fidelity Ion Beam Simulation of High Dose Neutron Irradiation | University of Michigan | $5,000,000 | Document | Researchers will demonstrate the capability to predict the evolution of microstructure and properties of structural materials in-reactor and at high doses, using ion irradiation as a surrogate for reactor irradiations. Partners include Pennsylvania State University, University of Tennessee, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Wisconsin, Madison, University of South Carolina, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Participants will provide an additional $4 million in cost share or in-kind contributions. | FY2013 |
| Integral Inherently Safe Light Water Reactor (I2S-LWR) | Georgia Institute of Technology | $5,999,784 | Document | Researchers will develop a novel concept of a high-power LWR with inherent safety features. The inherent safety features will advance its safety level beyond that of advanced passive systems. Partners include University of Michigan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, University of Tennessee, University of Idaho, Morehouse College, Idaho National Laboratory, Westinghouse Electric Company, Polytechnic of Milan, University of Cambridge, Southern Nuclear Company, and an independent consultant. The UK offers $446,387 in collaborative research. | FY2012 |
| Engineered Zircaloy Cladding Modifications for Improved Accident Tolerance of LWR Fuel | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | $3,499,945 | Document | The team will fabricate and evaluate modified Zircaloy LWR cladding under normal BWR/PWR operation and off-normal events. A combination of computational and experimental protocols will be employed to design and test modified Zircaloy cladding with respect to corrosion and accelerated oxide growth. Cladding performance evaluation will be incorporated into a reactor system modeling effort of fuel performance, neutronics, and thermal hydraulics, thereby providing a holistic approach to accident tolerant nuclear fuel. Partners include University of Florida, University of Michigan, ATI Wah Chang, Idaho National Laboratory, and University of Manchester. The UK offers $1,545,260 in collaborative research. | FY2012 |
| https://neup.inl.gov/content/uploads/14/2024/11/2012-CFP-Technical-Abstract-4722.pdf | University of Tennessee | $3,510,000 | Document | Researchers will develop a fuel concept based on an advanced ceramic coating for Zr-alloy cladding. The coated cladding will exhibit demonstrably improved performance compared to conventional Zr-alloy clad by decreasing cladding oxidation and hydrogen pickup. Collaborating institutions include Pennsylvania State University; University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Michigan; Westinghouse Electric Company; Los Alamos National Laboratory; University of Manchester; University of Oxford; University of Sheffield; and University of Huddersfield. The UK offers $1,646,956.48 in collaborative research. | FY2012 |
| IRP - Fuel Aging in Storage and Transportation (FAST): Accelerated Characterization and Performance Assessment of the Used Nuclear Fuel Storage System | Texas A&M University | $4,500,000 | Document | Researchers will receive $4.5 million over the next three years to research aging of used nuclear fuel and canisters that are stored for an extended period of time. Partners include 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. | FY2011 |
| High-Temperature Salt-Cooled Reactor for Power and Process Heat | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $7,500,000 | Document | Researchers will be awarded $7.5 million over the next three years to test a new, advanced reactor design that generates electricity using a technology similar to what is used in modern natural gas plants. The design will also generate higher temperatures than seen in typical reactors and thus high temperature “process heat.” This heat can be used in refineries to produce transportation fuels. It will also include advanced safety features. Partners include the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. | FY2011 |
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