Titans Of Nuclear | Interviewing World Experts on Nuclear Energy

In this episode we discuss... Tina's background in chemical engineering and her personal evolution in the nuclear industry Tina's early work at Northeast Utilities helping to manage the start up of Millstone 3 The chemical processes involved in a steam generator B&W Nuclear Technologies aka Framatome Different reactor types and their chemical components Comparing the overall environmental impact and health risk across different energy sources including nuclear Risk-based versus prescriptive approaches to licensing new designs in the US Key drivers of research in plant modernization including technology to automatically monitor chemistry Ways we can improve the economics of nuclear safety

In this episode we discuss... Al's background in material science and his personal journey in the nuclear industry from the NRC to EPRI Ways in which the NRC regulates civilian use of nuclear materials and its role at Yucca Mountain A deep dive into pitting and dry cask storage Various material degradation methods including crevice corrosion The safety and economic benefits of dry storage EPRI's research improving fuel rod coating to slow down oxidation and prolong fuel cycle within a pressurized water reactor Ways in which EPRI is working to accelerate the deployment of these concepts Test reactors and how they're working to expedite material qualifications

In this episode we discuss... Andrew's background in physics and optics and his personal journey in the nuclear industry An understanding of the metal wastes like uranium in weapons facilities and their effect on the environment How uranium becomes radon Chernobyl and how the facility was salvaged after the accident A deep dive into accident tolerant fuels The neutronics of silicon carbide versus zirconium Improving nuclear safety and cost efficiency Energy parks and their potential role in nuclear success EPRI's recent study on factors that control nuclear destiny including economics and policy

In this episode we discuss... Dave's background in welding and his personal journey in the nuclear industry The advantages of welding versus a flange The history of ultrasonic inspection welds Fatigue and creep in fossil plants How data collected from materials testing in fossil plants now contributes to the nuclear industry Temperatures required in coal plants versus those required in nuclear plants The use of 3D printing in additive manufacturing on an industrial scale Improving the time and cost of producing small modular reactors and Gen IV reactors Manufacturing's vital role in increasing nuclear's scalability

In this episode we discuss... Rob's background in history and his personal evolution in the nuclear industry Design flaws that led to the Three Mile Island accident Rob's work in plant modernization managing major electrical and digital upgrades at plants in the US Pros and cons of analog systems versus digital systems The core inputs essential to safety control in a plant including coolant flow and temperature parameters Economic challenges in nuclear and how we can replace manual labor with automation to help overcome those challenges Concerns over software common cause failure Lessons we can learn from upgrade deficiencies in other countries How cybersecurity is maintained in digital systems How plant modernization methods are working to dramatically reduce the operation and maintenance costs required in nuclear

In this episode we discuss... Dan's background in chemical engineering and his personal journey in the nuclear industry Dan's work studying lanthanides and actinides The different types of research and development an independent nonprofit organization like EPRI provides to utilities The contributing factors within primary and secondary coolants and how they alter the chemistry of oxides on materials Where plants get their water and the purification processes involved How water's chemistry changes over the lifetime of a reactor why that led to the introduction of alloy 690 in steam generators Boric acid's critical role in maintaining power level in a reactor Automation in the water chemistry analysis space Dan's current work providing the data necessary to qualify switching from lithium 7 to potassium hydroxide

In this episode we discuss... Neil's background in the British Navy and his personal journey in the nuclear industry Neil's work as a system engineer at Sizewell The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and its work to increase a power plant's capacity factor and uptime Understanding a plant's realtime risk profile EPRI's relationship with the nuclear industry and where it gets its funding EPRI's research surrounding operations and maintenance cost as well as capital cost EPRI's long term work supporting small modular reactors Gen IV reactors and what we need to do now to support their implementation in the coming decades

In this episode we discuss... Eric's personal evolution in the nuclear industry and his entrepreneurial endeavors including General Compression Eric's work as one of the world's leading climate change analysts and advisors A deep dive into natural gas cavern storage How a combination of cheap gas and lack of demand for electricity nearly eliminated the wind development industry Why compressed air storage and wind energy can't solve the global carbon emission problem System constraints Eric established while determining how to bring carbon-free electricity to the entire world and how advanced nuclear fits within those constraints Commercialization development and deployment challenges with advanced reactors and how we can overcome them The Nuclear Cost Driver Study Ways in which we can reduce the cost and time required in the construction process to increase nuclear's scalability

In this episode we discuss... Gene's background in nuclear engineering and personal journey in the nuclear industry The history of nuclear in the US including the aftermath of the Three Mile Island accident Plant designs including Westinghouse's AP1000 and GE's ESBWR The importance of documenting assumptions and managing margins when it comes to nuclear design and performance The role of redundancy in safety function Economic challenges that impeded the nuclear renaissance The environmental benefits of nuclear including its lack of pollutants such as SO2 and nitrous oxide Why the market doesn't yet recognize those benefits and how today's oversupply of gas slows down the push for nuclear energy Challenges we must overcome to reach a worldwide consensus on the necessity of nuclear

In this episode we discuss... Richard's background in physics and engineering and his personal journey in the nuclear industry Richard's work at Los Alamos creating codes to calculate ways in which neutrons interact with devices including nuclear and fusion reactors Different groups in which neutrons are categorized depending on their energy range and cross section A deep dive into the Fast Breeder Reactor Program sponsored by the Department of Energy Richard's work in various departments at the NRC including the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation The highly precise processes within frontline safety systems How the NRC interacts with developers to bring forth new technologies including the AP600 Risk informed nuclear oversight and the probabilities it takes into consideration Accident circumstance design deficiencies the NRC has worked to resolve throughout its history Richard's recent work with AdSTM providing consulting and training to regulatory bodies including the NRC