Europe's Research Reactors Future: MAGIC-RR Project Updates

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Arizona State University and DCX USA, LLC, as key research partners for its Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) program, an innovative national effort led by Idaho National Laboratory to establish novel applications for advanced #microreactor technologies. The goal of this research is to determine whether a small modular nuclear reactor (#SMR) can provide dependable energy for the growing demands of artificial intelligence and high performance omputing, strengthening U.S. competitiveness in #AI. More: https://lnkd.in/geqzgryg

📄 New Publication | Best Practices for Axial Flow-Induced Vibration Simulation in Nuclear Applications I’m pleased to share that this paper, based on the remaining data from my PhD in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Manchester, has now been published in the Journal of Nuclear Engineering (MDPI). 🔎 Why this matters Flow-induced vibration (FIV)–driven fretting wear remains a leading cause of fuel failure in light-water reactors (LWRs). Even in recent designs, such as the EPR at Taishan, FIV-related issues have led to extended shutdowns in 2021, reducing the reliability and availability of nuclear power plants. 🧪 Paper highlights (1) Best-practice recommendations to accurately and efficiently predict natural frequency, damping, and RMS vibration amplitude for axial-FIV involving high-stiffness structures in turbulent axial flow. (2) Paidoussis’ semi-empirical model (1966) is shown to validate cantilever axial-FIV configurations, extending beyond classical both-ends-constrained cases. Improved axial-FIV prediction enhances the safety, reliability, and efficiency of future nuclear power plants, including advanced reactors and SMRs, and is applicable to other slender components in axial flow. 🔗 Read the paper: https://lnkd.in/entAJbBq Many thanks to my co-authors for the excellent collaboration: Wenyu Mao Andrea Cioncolini Eddie Blanco-Davis Hector Iacovides #PhDResearch #NuclearEngineering #FlowInducedVibration #CFD #FSI #ReactorSafety #SMR #AdvancedReactors

📍 GO-VIKING Progress Meeting at Ghent University On 20–21 November, the GO-VIKING consortium met in Ghent to review scientific progress and coordinate the next steps toward improving flow-induced vibration modelling in nuclear systems. Partners shared updates on: 🔹 uncertainty quantification & fast-running methods 🔹 AMOVI & GOKSTAD simulations 🔹 fuel assembly and steam generator modelling 🔹 experimental & multiphase flow work 🔹 education, training, and dissemination activities The meeting confirmed strong collaboration across Europe as GO-VIKING enters its final six months. 👉 Full article: https://lnkd.in/ecukRg7Q #EURATOM #NuclearSafety #FIV #ResearchCollaboration #HorizonEurope

Discover how our researchers are advancing #fusion by studying how rare-earth barium copper oxide superconducting magnet cables withstand the extreme conditions in future magnetic confinement #fusion reactors. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Berkeley Lab - University of California, Berkeley - Florida State University - Los Alamos National Laboratory - KEK - Berkeley Lab Nuclear Science Division https://lnkd.in/g9UD9BUT

#Communication Using the Two-Phase Emission Detector RED-100 at NPP to Study Coherent Elastic Neutrinos Scattering off Nuclei by RED-100 Collaboration https://lnkd.in/dRjcTMug MDPI National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) #twophaseemissiondetector #coherentelasticneutrinoscattering #liquidargoninparticlephysicsexperiment #Abstract The two-phase emission detector RED-100 with 130 kg of liquid xenon as a working medium has been exhibited at a distance of 19 m from the core of the VVER-1000/320 nuclear power reactor at the fourth power unit of the Kalinin Nuclear Plant Power in 2021–2022. Due to the high sensitivity of the detector for weak ionization signals (down to single electrons), the detector has been used to search for the elastic coherent scattering of reactor electron antineutrinos off xenon nuclei. However, the observation of ~30 kHz single-electron noise did not quite allow for an effective selection of the useful events. The next experiment with the RED-100 detector is considered to be arranged with 62 kg of liquid argon as a working medium. The advantages of this approach are discussed in this paper. This article belongs to the Special Issue From Heavy Ions to Astroparticle Physics https://lnkd.in/guKj_d_M

UT is the recipient of a DOE nuclear energy infrastructure award that will be used to establish an in-situ scanning electron microscopy platform. The microscope will be housed in the Tennessee Ion Beam Materials Lab, directed by Associate Professor Khalid Hattar. Learn more below! Department of Nuclear Engineering - University of Tennessee, Knoxville 🔗 https://bit.ly/450xequ

Funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will support research on structural and functional materials for nuclear fission and fusion energy production in a lab led by Khalid Hattar. UT was one of 15 universities to receive infrastructure awards aimed at strengthening U.S. nuclear research and workforce capabilities.

Exciting News from the Dalton Cumbrian Facility! We’re proud to announce the arrival of the TESCAN CLARA-2 Ultra-High Resolution (UHR) FEG SEM at our Cumbria facility. This state-of-the-art Scanning Electron Microscope represents a significant leap forward in our capability to deliver world-class nuclear research and materials characterisation. With its ultra-high resolution and advanced field emission gun technology, CLARA-2 enables: Unparalleled imaging precision for microstructural analysis. Enhanced performance for complex nuclear materials research. Support for innovation across safety, sustainability, and advanced reactor technologies. This investment strengthens our commitment to pushing the boundaries of nuclear science and supporting the UK’s clean energy future. 📍 Based at the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute in Cumbria, we continue to lead in research excellence and collaboration. 👉 Interested in partnering or learning more about our capabilities? Get in touch or visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eds-_-6P #NuclearResearch #Innovation #ElectronMicroscopy #CleanEnergy #UniversityOfManchester #DaltonCumbrianFacility

⚛️ Strengthening nuclear and advanced materials research The state-of-the-art Scanning Electron Microscope, TESCAN CLARA-2 UHR FEG-SEM, at the Dalton Cumbrian Facility marks a major advancement in our ability to conduct world-class nuclear research and materials characterisation. 🔬 This advanced electron microscopy capability boosts the facility’s research infrastructure and provides researchers with the tools to study complex materials in detail, reinforcing commitment to driving innovation in nuclear science while supporting the UK’s transition to clean energy. This is an exciting step forward for the facility and its role in delivering world-class research.

🔋 Check-out this recently published article in Environmental Research: Energy #EREN from Alessio Giacometti ��️ ⚡ 'All ways to fusion: a controversy mapping of the public-private shift in nuclear fusion research' 👨🔬 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eKq7NFEf 📰 And see Alessio's summary of this work below ☺️