Research Groups

Nuclear Power Engineering

Quad Chart for Research Group

Group Members:

Thermal Hydraulics

Space Power

Reactor Analysis and Design

Associated Research Websites:

Recent Publications:

  1. T. Rogers, J.C. Ragusa, S. Schultz, R. St-Clair, "Optimization of PWR Fuel Assembly Radial Enerichment and Burnable Poison Location based on Simulated Annealing," Nuclear Engineering and Design (to be published).
  2. P. Tsvetkov, T. G. Lewis, III, and A. B. Alajo, "TRU-Fueled VHTRs for Applications Requiring an Extended Operation with Minimized Control and No Refueling," Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power (to be published).
  3. N. Brown, S. Oh, S. T. Revankar, K. Vierow, S. Rodriguez, R. Cole Jr., R. O. Gauntt, "Simulation of Sulfur Iodine Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Plant Coupled To High Temperature Heat Source," Nuclear Technology 167(1), 95-106, 2009.
  4. Y. Liao and K. Vierow, "Variable Property Effects on Vapor Condensation with a Noncondensable Gas," Nuclear Technology 167(1), 13-19, 2009.
  5. S. B. Rodriguez, R. O. Gauntt, R. Cole, F. Gelbard, K. McFadden, T. Drennen, B. Martin, D. Louie, L. Archuleta, M. El-Genk, J. M. Tournier, F. Espinoza, S. T. Revankar, and K. Vierow, "Transient Analysis of Sulfur-Iodine Cycle Experiments and Very High Temperature Reactor Simulations Using MELCOR-H2," Nuclear Technology 166(1), 76-85 (2009).
  6. Y. Liao, K. Vierow, A. Dehbi, and S. Guentay, "Transition from Natural Convection for Steam-Gas Flow Condensing along a Vertical Plate ," International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 52, 366-375, 2009.
  7. P.V. Tsvetkov, K. Vierow, K.L. Peddicord, J.C. Ragusa, S.M. McDeavitt, J.W. Poston, Sr., L. Shao, and G. Willems,, "Autonomous Multi-purpose Floating Power System with a Compact Static Pebble Bed Reactor," PHYSOR ‘08 – International Conference on the Physics of Reactors, Interlaken, Switzerland, September 14-19 (2008).
  8. K. J. Hogan and K. Vierow, "A New Drift-Flux-Based Approach to Predict Flooding," Proceedings of the U.S. Japan Two Phase Flow Seminar, Santa Monica, CA, Sept. 2008.
  9. M. Solmos, K. J. Hogan, and K. Vierow, "Flooding Experiments and Modeling for Improved Reactor Safety," Proceedings of the U.S. Japan Two Phase Flow Seminar, Santa Monica, CA, Sept. 2008.
  10. P. Nelson, S. Wang, and E. Kee, "Dynamic Reliability Using entry-time approach for Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants," Proceedings of the 26th International System Safety Conference, Vancouver, BC, 25-29 August 2008.
  11. D. E. Ames, II, A. B. Alajo, T. G. Lewis III, and P. Tsvetkov, "Spectrum Shifting as a Mechanism to Improve Performance of VHTRs with Advanced Actinide Fuels," Nuclear Engineering and Design 238(8), 1958-1964 (2008).
  12. B. Bradley and J.C. Ragusa, "Plutonium and Minor Actinides Transmutation in Standard PWRs Fuel Assemblies," Proceedings of the ANS Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 8-12 June 2008.  
  13. Y. Liao, K. Vierow, and J. T. Han , "MELCOR Validation against a PUMA Facility Main Steam Line Break Integral Test ," Proceedings of the International Conference for Advanced Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP-08), Anaheim, CA, June 2008.  
  14. P. Tsvetkov, A. B. Alajo, T. G. Lewis III, and D. E. Ames II, "Out-of-Core Fuel Cycle Characteristics of VHTRs with No On-Site Refueling," Proceedings of the Intern. Congr. Adv. Nucl. Power Plants (ICAPP 08), Anaheim, California, 8-12 June 2008.
  15. S. Bragg-Sitton, R. Dickens, D. Dixon, R. Reid, , M. Adams, and J. Davis, "Advanced Thermal Simulator Testing: Thermal Analysis and Test Results," Proceedings of the Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF-2008), Albuquerque, NM, 10-14 February 2008.
  16. K. Vierow, "Severe Accident Investigations and Modeling – Recent Progress and Issues ," Proceedings of the New Horizons in Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, Jan 7-8, 2008.  
  17. K. Hogan, H. Alkaabi, S. Revankar, R. K. Cole Jr., R. O. Gauntt, S. B. Rodriguez and K. Vierow, "MELCOR Analysis of High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Nuclear Reactors ," Proceedings of the India Society of Heat and Mass Transfer – American Society of Mechanical Engineers Conference, JNTU Hyderabad, India, Jan. 3-5, 2008.
  18. K. Vierow, "Enhancement of Nuclear Power Plant Safety by Condensation-driven passive heat removal systems," Thermal engineering in power systems. edited by R. S. Amano and B. Sunden (WIT Press: Southampton, 2008), pp.141-170.
  19. S. Bragg-Sitton, R. E.Dickens, J. T. Farmer, J. D. Davis, M. R. Adams, J. J. Martin, and K. L. Webster, "Heater Development, Fabrication, and Testing: Analysis of Fabricated Heaters," NASA Technical Report (NASA TM-2008-215466).
  20. L. Valota, C. Kurwitz, A.Shephard, F. R. Best , "Microgravity Flow Pattern Identification Using Void Fraction Signals," International Journal of Multiphase Flow 33 (11), 1172-1185, 2007
  21. N. Brown, S. T. Revankar, K. Vierow, S. Rodriguez, R. Cole Jr., R. O. Gauntt , "Thermochemical Hydrogen Pant Coupled to High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor ," Proceedings of 12th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-12), Pittsburgh, PA, Oct., 2007.
  22. P. Nelson, and S. Wang, "Dynamic reliability via computational solution of generalized state-transition equations for entry-time processes," Reliability Engineering and System Safety 92(9): 1281-1293 (2007).
  23. P. Tsvetkov, D. E. Ames,II, M. L. Pritchard, A. B. Alajo, and T. G. Lewis III, "TRU-fueled VHTRs: Design, Performance and Applications," Proceedings of the ANS Topical Meeting/Intern. Conf. on Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Systems (GLOBAL 2007), Boise, Idaho, 9-13 September 2007.
  24. Y. Liao and K. Vierow, "A Generalized Diffusion Layer Model for Condensation of Vapor with Non-condensable Gases," Transactions of the ASME, Journal of Heat Transfer 129, 988-994 (2007).
  25. P. Tsvetkov, "Magnetic-Nuclear Propulsion/Power System (MAGNUS): Control and Heat Removal Options," Proceedings of the Space Nuclear Conference 2007, Boston, MA, 24-28 June 2007.
  26. S. M. Bragg-Sitton, R. Dickens, R., D. and Dixon, "High Fidelity Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Results," Proceedings of the Space Nuclear Conference (SNC-2007), Boston, MA, June 24-28, 2007.
  27. T. Nagae, M. Murase, T. Chikusa, K. Vierow, and T. Wu, "Reflux Condensation Heat Transfer of Steam-Air Mixture under Turbulent Flow Conditions in a Vertical Tube," Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 44(2), 171-182 (2007).
  28. S. M. Bragg-Sitton, R. Dickens, D. Dixon, R. Kapernick, M. Adams, and J. Davis, "Development of High Fidelity, Fuel-Like Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing," Proceedings of the Space Technology and Applications International Forum (STAIF-2007), Albuquerque, NM, February 2007.
  29. S. M. Bragg-Sitton and K. L. Webster, "Application of Simulated Reactivity Feedback in Nonnuclear Testing of a Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor," NASA Technical Report NASA/TM-2007-214959 (2007).