Title |
Institution |
Estimated
Funding* |
Award Description |
|
Advanced Methods for Manufacturing |
|---|
|
Environmental Cracking and Irradiation Resistant Stainless Steel by Additive Manufacturing | GE Global Research | $847,940
| Researchers will significantly enhance stress corrosion cracking resistance, irradiation resistance and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel (SS) used in core components by controlling the non-equilibrium microstructure during fabrication using direct metal laser melting (DMLM). The process will produce near net-shape components to save the deployment time. The improved material properties will reduce the overall life-cycle cost and improve plant reliability. |
|
Advanced Onsite Fabrication of Continuous Large-Scale Structures | Idaho National Laboratory | $800,000 | A joint US/UK team will develop a novel method for on-site fabrication of continuous large structures such as pressure or containment vessels for the nuclear industry. This project will investigate techniques and additive manufacturing methods to construct large-scale structures onsite from smaller format raw materials. This process could enable the domestic production of large structures at a much-reduced cost. |
|
Advanced surface plasma nitriding for development of corrosion resistance and accident tolerant fuel cladding | Texas A&M University | $800,000 | Researchers will apply an advanced surface plasma nitriding technique to convert alloy surface layers into nitride layers for better structural integrity and compatibility with both coolants and nuclear fuels. The project will impact both the development of advanced methods for manufacturing and the development of advanced reactor in-core structural materials. |
|
Prefabricated High-Strength Rebar Systems with High-Performance Concrete for Accelerated Construction of Nuclear Concrete Structures | University of Notre Dame | $800,000 | Researchers will reduce the field erection times and fabrication costs of reinforced concrete nuclear structures through high-strength steel reinforcing bars (rebar), prefabrication of rebar assemblies with headed anchorages, and high-performance concrete. The research will integrate cost-benefit analysis and optimization with structural design, analysis, and testing to validate feasibility, design criteria, and design tools for nuclear structures with high performance materials. |
|
Advanced Sensors & Instrumentation |
|---|
|
Nuclear Qualification Demonstration of a Cost Effective Common Cause Failure Mitigation in Embedded Digital Devices | Electric Power Research Institute | $991,341 | Researchers will investigate an alternate approach to CCF mitigation using embedded digital components that can be demonstrated to contain no additional capabilities or characteristics beyond those specially required for functional objectives. The project creates a new and alternate concept to design, fabricate, and validate embedded digital devices for safety-related applications. The concept offers a lower total cost and reduction in schedule risk by minimizing validation, analysis, and regulatory review overhead. |
|
Development and Demonstration of a Model Based Assessment Process for Qualification of Embedded Digital Devices in Nuclear Power Applications | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | $1,000,000 | Researchers will develop an effective approach employing science-based methods to resolve concerns about common-cause failure (CCF) vulnerability that serve to inhibit deployment of advanced instrumentation (e.g., sensors, actuators, micro-controllers) with embedded digital devices in nuclear power applications. The project will advance the state of the art in the qualification of advanced instrumentation with embedded digital devices for nuclear power plant application. |
|
Reactor Materials |
|---|
|
Nanoprecipitates-Strengthened Advanced Ferritic-Martensitic Steels and Ferritic Alloys for Advanced Nuclear Reactors | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $1,000,000 | Researchers will develop advanced ferritic-martensitic steels and ferritic alloys that favor the formation of a high number density of robust nanoprecipitates, leading to significant improvements in high temperature strength and radiation resistance. Microstructure, mechanical properties, and ion irradiation resistance of the advanced alloys will be assessed. The developed advanced alloys will benefit a variety of advanced reactor concepts. |
|
Radiation tolerance and mechanical properties of nanostructured amorphous-ceramic/metal composites | University of Nebraska, Lincoln | $994,997 | Researchers will use a non-traditional approach to design amorphous-ceramic/metal composites for service in extreme irradiation environments. Rather than try to prevent microstructure changes in polycrystalline aggregates, researchers will evolve composite systems where one of the constituents is intentionally synthesized in a non-crystalline or “amorphous” state. These materials may serve as the basis for developing a new class of structural materials with unprecedented resistance to radiation. |
|
Cyber Security |
|---|
|
Consequence Evaluations of Cyber-Attacks on Nuclear Power Plants Using Adaptive Sampling of Attack Scenarios | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $990,000 | Researchers will develop a methodology that will enable cyber-security analysts to identify digital systems in nuclear power plants that, if compromised, will lead to undesirable consequences. In collaboration with Westinghouse, researchers will demonstrate the methodology on a representative AP1000. The methodology is based on adaptive sampling of the input space to select inputs (e.g., control systems behavior) that will cause the plant to be in undesirable states. |
|
Nuclear Energy Related R&D |
|---|
|
Wireless Non-Linear Ultrasonic Testing and Microstructural Evolution: Developing a Prognostic Damage Map For Reactor Structural Materials | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $500,000 | Researchers will integrate experiment and modeling to establish the relationship between ultrasonic signals and defect microstructures, and improve the capability of signal discrimination for the life prediction of a reactor component in simulated reactor conditions. The new capability could probe the relative healthiness of materials in real time or nearly real time, to better understand the safety limits and lifetimes of components. |
| |
Total |
$8,554,690 | |
