1

Research in Nuclear Engineering at

Penn State University

Arthur T. Motta

Chair of Nuclear Engineering Program

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

and Materials Science and Engineering

The Pennsylvania State University

atm2@psu.edu

atm2@psu.edu

Minha trajetoria pessoal

• UFRJ Engenharia Mecanica – opcao nuclear

• Mestrado na COPPE Engenharia Nuclear, tese em

Termohidraulica

• Doutorado University of California, Berkeley, Materials

• Pos doutorado na Franca, Centro de Estudos Nucleares de

Grenoble

• Pos doutorado no Canada, Chalk River Laboratories

• Professor at Penn State, Nuclear Engineering desde 1992,

chefe de programa 2010.

Outline

• Review of Penn State University

• Research in Nuclear Engineering at Penn State

• Why graduate study? How to get there

Review of Penn State

Penn State University

• Located in State College, PA

• About 45,000 students on

campus, 80,000 overall,

research university

• College of Engineering has

almost 300 professors, 13 +

programs

• Population about 80,000

6

7

Views of Campus and Town

Some numbers

• Undergraduate Program in Nuclear Engineering enrollment

has been increasing dramatically (highest number in US).

Currently about over 200 students in program, 75 graduated

last year

• Nuclear Engineering Graduate Program has 50 + resident

students (about 60% PhD) and over 100 distance education

students (M.Eng.)

• Research funding de $500,000/ per faculty member/year on

the average

Nuclear B.S. Degrees Granted

Comparison with peers (UG graduation)

Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

at Penn State• Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering offers PhD

programs in ME and NucE. Nuclear Engineering research areas

– Reactor Physics and Fuel Management (Profs. Ivanov, Watson

and Avramova)

– Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (Profs. Kim and Cheung)

– Nuclear Materials (Profs. Motta and Catchen)

– Nuclear Science Applications (Profs. Jovanovic and Brenizer)

– Neutron Beam Analysis (Prof. Unlu)

– Reactor Controls (Prof. Ray)

– Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Prof. Fratoni)

– Radiochemistry (Dr. Johnsen)

• 12 professors, 50 + graduate students

• MNE had more than 25 million dollars of research expenditures

while Penn state overall had 780 million dollars 2009-2010

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THE ADVANCED MULTITHE ADVANCED MULTI--PHASE FLOW PHASE FLOW

LABORATORY (AMFL)LABORATORY (AMFL)

Prof. Seungjin Kim

Design and perform experiments and theoretical and computational analysis on various multi-phase flow phenomena found in nuclear reactor systems.

http://www2.mne.psu.edu/amfl/

.The Advanced Multi-phase Flow Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

Tel: (814) 867-0282 Email: jtalley@psu.edu

TWOTWO--PHASE FLOW TRANSPORT IN COMBINATORIAL CHANNELSPHASE FLOW TRANSPORT IN COMBINATORIAL CHANNELS

Sponsored by U.S. DOE Sponsored by U.S. DOE -- NEER Program; Continued by U.S. NRCNEER Program; Continued by U.S. NRC

L/D=7.5

L/D=34.5

L/D=61.5

L/D=3

L/D=93

L/D=177

L/D=1.5

L/D=15

L/D=66

L/D=3

L/D=87

L/D=165

1.5

25.5

49.5

• 5.08 cm ID acrylic test section

• Glass elbows

• Development length

Vertical: ~ 60D or ~3 m

Horizontal: ~180 or ~9 m

• Two inlet conditions

To study two-phase flow transport under the effects of geometric restrictions and orientations

P3; (L/D)V = 60

P4; (L/D)H = 3 P10; (L/D)H = 177

P11; (L/D)V = 1.5 P12; (L/D)V = 16.5

P7; (L/D)H = 93P5; (L/D)H = 30

Measured Void Fraction Profiles

jf=3.0 m/s & jg=0.35 m/s

P3; (L/D)V = 62 P11; (L/D)V = 1.5

P12; (L/D)V = 15

TRACE CODE DEVLEOPMNET USING TRACE CODE DEVLEOPMNET USING INTERFACIAL AREA TRANSPORT EQUATION INTERFACIAL AREA TRANSPORT EQUATION

Sponsored by U.S. NRCSponsored by U.S. NRC

To develop TRACE code capable of dynamic modeling of two-phase flow using the interfacial area transport equation

• Dynamic prediction throughout regime transition

• Eliminates bifurcation / numerical oscillation

• Significant improvements in code prediction results

Error bars shown: ±20%

Vertical Downward Air-WaterPipe Size: 2.54 cm ID

jg,loc,1= 0.453 m/s, jf= 3.110 m/s

The Advanced Multi-phase Flow Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear EngineeringTel: (814) 867-0282 Email: jtalley@psu.edu

• 38.1 mm ID acrylic test section

• Adiabatic air-water

• L/D ~ 250 or 9.5 m

• Capable of comprehensive two-phase flow regimes

HORIZONTAL TWOHORIZONTAL TWO--PHASE FLOWPHASE FLOW

Sponsored by Bettis Atomic LaboratorySponsored by Bettis Atomic Laboratory

To establish database for CMFD code development at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory

Igor JovanovicAssociate Professor of Nuclear Engineering

See http://www.mne.psu.edu/IJ for more info

Current projects:•laser particle acceleration in plasma waveguides and dielectric photonic bandgap structures•laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for nuclear forensics•quantum sensors for super-resolution in imaging•graphene-based radiation detectors•coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering•directional neutron detection

•expect to hire 1-2 Ph.D-track students next year

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Science and Engineering Center

Radiation Science and Engineering CenterRadiation Science and Engineering Center

� Breazeale Nuclear Research Reactor

1 MW TRIGA

3x1013 n/cm2 sec thermal neutron

flux at core center

� Gamma Irradiation Facilities

In-Pool irradiators

Gamma Cell 220 Dry Irradiator

(12,000 Curie Co-60, 1.5 MRads/hour)

� Hot Cells

� Radiation Detection and Measurement Labs

� Neutron Beam Laboratory

� Radionuclear Applications Laboratory

� Radiochemistry Laboratory

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Science and Engineering Center

Measurements of signature trace elements in Measurements of signature trace elements in dated tree ring samples to make correlations dated tree ring samples to make correlations

with environmental effects with environmental effects

Using Neutron Activation Analysis and Compton Suppression System at RSEC Dendrochemistry measurements are being performed for thousands of dated tree ring samples for identifications of volcanic eruptions and climate effects in history.

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Science and Engineering Center

Analysis of spent fuel samples with Compton Analysis of spent fuel samples with Compton Suppression System at RSECSuppression System at RSEC

Gamma spectroscopy spent fuel samples to determine isotopic content

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Science and Engineering Center

Development of innovative radioactive isotope Development of innovative radioactive isotope production techniques at RSECproduction techniques at RSEC

Radioisotope production 41Ar, 56Mn, 82Br and 24Na is being explored at RSEC. Production of 67Cu and by extension 64Cu to alleviate the national shortage of needed isotopes.

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Radiation Science and Engineering Center

New Radiochemistry Teaching LaboratoryNew Radiochemistry Teaching Laboratory

Current Research Current Research

Bill Cheung Bill Cheung –– Professor of Mechanical & Nuclear EngineeringProfessor of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering

Project #1: Project #1: Study the effects of spacer grids on heat transfer.Study the effects of spacer grids on heat transfer.

Sponsors:Sponsors: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Purdue Univ. Thermal US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Purdue Univ. Thermal

Hydraulics InstituteHydraulics Institute

Project #2: Project #2: Conceptual design of core catcher in case of core accident Conceptual design of core catcher in case of core accident

for severe accident mitigation for Eufor severe accident mitigation for Eu--APR1400 APR1400

Sponsors:Sponsors: Korean Atomic Energy Research InstituteKorean Atomic Energy Research Institute

SPACERSPACER--GRID THERMALGRID THERMAL--HYDRAULICS (SGTH)HYDRAULICS (SGTH)Sponsored by U.S. NRCSponsored by U.S. NRC

• Reference System: 17x17 Westinghouse PWR

• 7x7 full length heated rod bundle assembly

Pressure oscillation damping tank

test section: 7x7 rod-bundle flow housing

upper plenum

lower plenum

steam separator

heated water supply tank

exhaust muffler

To study spacer-grid effects on the cooling of PWR fuel assemblies, including

the oscillating reflood conditions

Clad Temperatures at Constant Reflood Rates

2.54 cm/s (Run #5092) vs. 5.08 cm/s (Run #5086)

200

600

1000

1400

1800

0 100 200 300 400 500

Time (sec)

Te

mp

era

ture

(˚F

)

Exp 5092 D3 2.69 m (106")

Exp 5092 D3 2.80 m (110")

Exp 5086 D3 2.69 m (106")

Exp 5086 D3 2.80 m (110")

Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Management Group

Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Management Group (RDFMG) – research

group consisting of 18 graduate students and four faculty:

– Dr. K. Ivanov – Distinguished Professor of NE, Director

– Dr. M. Avramova – Assistant Professor of NE, Associate Director

– Dr. J. Watson – ARL

– Dr. S. Levine – Professor Emeritus of NE

Established in 1999 and since then has graduated students with the following Nuclear Engineering (NE) degrees - 21 PhD, 33 MS, 19 ME, and 5 BS with Honors

Advanced Coupled Neutronics and Thermal-Hydraulics Methodologies for Integrated Fuel Management and Safety Analysis

www.mne.psu.edu/rdfmgwww.mne.psu.edu/rdfmg

Hydrogen from corrosion responds to temperature and stress gradients (=> hydride distribution not homogeneous)

� Radial re-distribution due to heat flux induced temperature gradient => hydride rim

� Oxide thickness differences; when oxide spalling occurs, hydride blisters can form

� Other changes due to localized corrosion or crud deposition

� Concentration in liner

� Axial profile due to corrosion differences from coolant temperature, grid spacers and inter-pellet region

� Azimuthal profile because of differences in flux and in cooling around the clad circumference

November 2011 29

200µm

Miyashita 2007, Tsai & Billone 2002, Pyecha 1985

The project is based on the coupling of four simulation codes and a hydride model

FRAPTRAN

DeCART(Neutronic)

Cobra-TF(Thermohydraulic)

Hydride model

Cross-section library Off-line coupling CFD

Local Power

Hydride distribution(r,θ,z)

Boundary conditions

Local Power

Local bulk T

σ (r,θ,z)T (r,θ,z)[H] (r, θ,z)

Cross sections

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At a given burn up

Burn-up

FRAPCON

[H]

31

Investigate two reactor core designs representative of current PWRs and BWRs.

As a BWR representative we will utilize the General Electric BWR-4 design with 24-month cycle based on Peach Bottom 2 plant.

Consider as PWR representative a typical Westinghouse 4-loop pressurized water reactor core design with a 18-month high-burnup cycle

Reactor Core Designs

PB-2 BWR Loading Pattern

Typical PWR 18-Month Loading Pattern

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2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

2 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2

2 1 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 2 2

2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 1 2 2 2 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 2 1 1 2

2 2 2 2 2 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2 1 2 2

2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1

2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

30

Assembly Type 1

Assembly Type 2

Assembly Type 3

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25 27 29 3117 19 21 239 11 13 151 3 5 7

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 22 24 26 2820

5

4

3

2

1

24

22

20

18

23

21

19

15

13

11

9

7

17

29

27

25

8

6

16

14

12

10

30

28

26

25 27 29 3117 19 21 23

26 28

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

18 20 22 2410 12 14 162 4 6 8

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Core cycle calculations will be performed with CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3

Based on these results representative core and pin locations exhibiting strong azimuthal flux and temperature gradients will be identified

Advanced high-fidelity multi-physics modeling capability will be utilized for “zoom-in” snapshot calculations of the identified locations

Multi-Physics Analysis

DeCart/TORT-TD

CTF

FRAPTRAN FRAPCON

Local power / linear heat rate

Local bulk temperature & density

Local fuel temperature

Initial fuel state

Local

power

Initial flow area

reduction

Local flow area reductionHeat transfer to coolant

Local pressureLocal bulk temperatureLocal surface HTC

Multi-physics high-fidelity simulation framework

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Calculation Sequence

Pteparation of Multi-group Pin-

Cell Cross-Section Library

DeCart/TORT calculation of

Φn

Selection of Core locations for two

prototypical reactors using CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3

CTF calculation of mass flow rate, T

in coolant

Calculation of T(r,θ,z) by FRAPTRAN

Flowchart of Calculation Tasks

CTF sub-pin analysis capability for flexible azimuthal modeling of flux and temperature

distributions

Azimuthal flux distribution in a pin-cell of assembly with intra-assembly flux gradient

Coupling of Core Thermal-Hydraulic Models with other Models and Phenomena

MCNP/NEM/CTF –Accelerated Monte Carlo Calculations with Thermal-Hydraulic Feedback

Multi-Scale Multi-Physics System NEM/CTF/FRAPCON

TORT-TD/CTF coupling for High-Fidelity Calculations

RELAP-3D/COBRA-TFCoupling for LOCA Analysis

Faculty Participants: Prof. AvramovaLab/Center Name: RDFMGSponsor: AREVA NP, MHI, NECSA and GRS

Coupled 3-D Neutronics/Thermal-Hydraulic System Safety Analysis

Fully implicit coupling of TRACE and PARCS

Cross-section modeling for transient applications

Real –time simulators for operator training

Faculty Participants: Dr. Watson, Prof. Ivanov and Prof. AvramovaLab/Center Name: RDFMGSponsor: US NRC, GSE, Risk Engineering Ltd., ARL

Research interests

Nuclear reactor design

– Accident tolerant fuel for light water reactors

– Liquid fuel thorium reactors

– Critical and subcritical systems for actinides transmutation

Nuclear fuel cycle and system analysis

– Thermal modeling of repository

– Energy return over investment

Massimiliano Fratoni

Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering

mfratoni@psu.edu

MicroencapsulatedMetallic Matrix (M3) fuel

Scope: design light water reactors to operate with M3 fuel

Motivations: M3 fuel is expected to improve fuel performance and reactor safety; M3 fuel does not require cladding and eliminates all failure mechanisms associated with cladding

Sponsors and collaborators:

– Oak Ridge National Laboratory

M3 fuel consists of TRISO particles dispersed in a zirconium matrix

UO2

Pellet

ZircaloyCladding

Gap

Coated Fuel

Particle

Zr-Alloy Matrix

Conventional LWR UO2 Fuel Rod

Integral LWR M3 Fuel Rod

MicroencapsulatedMetallic Matrix (M3) fuel

Challenge: heavy metal load in M3 fuel is 50% or less than in standard fuel

Approach:

– High fidelity neutronics modeling using stochastic codes (Serpent, MCNP)

– Single assembly and full core models

Current design requirements:

– High density fuel– 15% enrichment– Small rod pitch-to-diameter

ratio (1.10)– Distributed neutron poison

(BN) to compensate reactivity excess

M3 fuel compared to standard fuel requires higher enrichment and larger

fuel rods

Generic repositorythermal modeling

Scope: Develop and implement a simplified thermal modeling tool for generic (no site and no media specific) waste repository

Motivations: thermal limits determine the waste management strategy (surface storage duration, waste package size, repository capacity, etc.); necessity to analyze and compare numerous options

Sponsors and collaborators:

– DOE

– Lawrence Livermore

Nat. Lab.

Generic repositorythermal modeling

An analytical model was developed for scoping natural or engineered barriers peak temperature

Peak temperatures were compared against thermal limits

Combinations of three media (granite, clay, and salt) and six fuel forms derived from three fuel cycle options (once-through, modified open, and closed) were analyzed

Result example: large waste packagesare preferred for transportation but

they could require long surface storage

Razoes para se fazer pos graduacao

• Aprofundar conhecimentos• Fazer pesquisa• Aumentar sua marketabilidade• Mais $$$

Source:www.asme.org2011 salary survey

~$10,000/yr

Graduate Student Life

• Graduate students are generally supported through their degree program as a Graduate Teaching Assistant or Graduate Research Assistant. The stipend for an incoming MS student is $1900 / month.

• With an Assistantship, your tuition and health coverage are paid for through the department (for TA) or through the research grant (for RA)

• The MS degree generally requires two years while the PhD degree requires a total of 4-5 years both of which depends on many factors

Pos-graduacao em Eng. Nuclear

PhD: doutorado, leva de 4 a 5 anos, precisa exame

de candidatura (coisas basicas da nuclear), exame

compreensivo (projeto de tese) e defesa final.

MSc: grau de pesquisa, 2 anos, 24 creditos de

cursos, e tese (financiado por projetos de pesquisa.

M.Eng: grau profissional, 2 anos, baseado em

cursos (financiado pelo aluno).

Como chegar la? Pos graduacao

• Bolsa de doutorado pleno CNPq ou CAPES

• Bolsa sanduiche, dado pelos mesmos orgaos

• Financiamento pela universidade americana

O que e necessario?

• Aplicacao: mne.engr.psu.edu (tem uma taxa)

• Curriculo escolar traduzido

• Graduate Record Examination (treinar)

• TOEFL (test of English as a Foreign Language)

• Cartas de recomendacao (2 ou 3 dadas por

professores que os conhecam)

• Personal essay (dizendo sua motivacao, interesse,

eventualmente areas de foco, etc)

Suporte americano

• Bolsa mensal

• Ensino pago (ensino americano nao e gratis,

mas a bolsa cobre)

• Seguro de saude

• Pode ser research assistantship ou teaching

assistantship (monitor de cursos) ou uma

combinacao dos dois.

• Research Assistantship ligado a um projeto

especifico (suporte pedido no projeto) e dado

para o projeto (ao inves de para o aluno)

Como chegar la? graduacao

• Estamos costurando!

• Ciencia sem fronteiras (?)

• Estagio e cursos

• Faremos contato direto entre professores

• Participacao com Penn State e Westinghouse

Conclusion

• Review of Penn State, world class research university and very

highly rated in nuclear engineering

• Review of research areas at Penn State

• Discussed how one can apply for graduate study

• Encourage you all to think about it, could have a major

difference in your career

END