FY 2011 Integrated Research Projects Awards
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $12.0 million in funding for two university-led research teams to develop an advanced thermal reactor concept and evaluate aging of used nuclear fuel and canister when stored for 100 years or more. Developing a new generation of highly efficient reactors and new methods to store used fuel are two key issues that DOE is tackling under this research field. The Department is engaging universities in the effort to find solutions through NEUP's new Integrated Research Projects (IRP). IRP award recipients are listed below.
|
Institution |
Funding Amount*
|
Location |
Project Description |
Texas A&M University
(Abstract) | $4,500,000 | College Station, TX | 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. |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(Abstract) | $7,500,000 | Cambridge, MA | 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. |
|
Total |
$12,000,000 | | |
*Actual project funding will be established during contract negotiation phase.
