Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)

Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)

Nuclear Education and Research in the USA Through the Department of Energy- NSUF Conference, June, 2011

Professor John Gilligan Director of the NEUP Integration Office

Idaho National Laboratorywww.neup.gov

The Nuclear Renaissance is Apparent to Students

NEUP Mission and ObjectivesMission:

Engage the U.S. university community to conduct program directed, program supporting, and mission supporting research and development, related infrastructure improvements, and student fellowship and scholarship support to build world class nuclear energy and workforce capability as an integral component of the Office of Nuclear Energy.

Objectives: Support the NE R&D Roadmap objectives while bolstering university R&D infrastructure, especially research reactors.

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How NEUP Worked in 2009, 2010

NEUP offered three funding opportunities

All Peer Reviewed, Relevancy and Technical Research & Development (R&D)

– Competitive R&D subcontract solicitation through INL’s NEUP Integration Office

Capabilities, Infrastructure & Equipment

– Competitive grants in conjunction with DOE-ID

Scholarships & Fellowships– Competitive grants in conjunction with

DOE-ID– $150K for Grad Fellowships(3 years), $5K

for Scholarships

R&D 2010 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

609 pre-applications 131 requested full

proposals 128 submitted proposals 42 funded proposals

FCR&D53

GEN IV45

LWRS5 MR-IIR

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Received Proposals

FCR&D

251

Gen IV

203

LWRS66

MR-IIR89

Received Pre-Applications

FCR&D13

GEN IV20

LWRS2 MR-IIR

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Funded Proposals

FUNDED R&D PROPOSALS BY STATE 2010

Examples of Interdisciplinary R&D Awards

Modeling Solute Thermokinetics in LiCl-KCl Molten Salt for Nuclear Waste Separation – MSE, NE

Monitoring Microstructural Evolution of Alloy 617 with Nonlinear Acoustics for Creep Fatigue – MSE, Civil E

Development of Scanning Microscale Fast Neutron Irradiation Platform – Chem. Engr, EE, NE

Heat Transfer Salts for Nuclear Reactor Systems – Civil E, NE

Development of Thermal Transient Flow Rate Sensors for High T, Corrosive Environment – EE, ME

Novel Methods of Tritium Sequestration – MSE, Chem. and Bio Engr.

Precursor Derived Nanostructured SiC-X Materials – MSE, Aero. Engr.

Understanding of Irradiation Behavior of Zirconium Carbide – NE, MSE

Novel Engineered Refractory Materials – NE, MSE

2010 R&D Award Stats• Overall – Awards/Full Submissions – 42/128• Awards to PIs for first time– 29• Awards to junior faculty – 20• Awards to Nuclear Engineering Faculty – 18• Awards in materials and waste – 30• Awards that are experimental – 30• Number of universities receiving awards – 26• Number of awards with lab partners - 20• Number of universities receiving awards for first

time – 8• Number of awards with partners/interdisciplinary –

35/17 9

InfrastructureMajor Reactor Upgrade

12 proposals (11 states) submitted for $15,078,389

4 proposals funded for $3,752,415

Minor Reactor Upgrade 19 proposals (15 states)

submitted for $2,994,970 12 proposals funded for

$1,982,185General Scientific Infrastructure Support 51 proposals (31 states) submitted for $12,728,567 33 proposals funded for $7,452,904

INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDED PROPOSALS BY STATE- EQUIPMENT AND UNIVERSITY REACTORS

Scholarships & FellowshipsScholarships• 149 viable applications*• 85 recommended for award,

representing 20 states• 3.8 average undergraduate

GPA of recommended students

*Of the 149 submitted viable applications, 33 were in majors not NE relevant.

Fellowships• 132 viable applications• 32 Fellowships were funded, representing 18

states (with alternates: 37 recommended in states)

FY 2010 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS - $5K EACH

FY 2010 FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS

A Few Facts and Figures• 609 pre-applications were submitted to the R&D

solicitation, up from 433 in 2009. 755 in 2011• 82 proposals submitted to the infrastructure solicitation,

28 more than FY 2009. 97 in 2011• 132 students applied for NEUP graduate fellowships,

(115 in FY 2009). 152 in 2011• 149 students applied for NEUP scholarships, (84 in FY

2009).• Average GPA for fellowship recipients for FY 2009 and

2010 was 3.8.• Average scholarship recipient GPA FY 2010 was 3.8. 3.7

In FY 2009.

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Fellowships Scholarships

Nuclear Engineering 21 37

Other Engineering 6 38Radiochemistry & Chemical Engineering

4 4

Health Physics 1 3Other 0 3Total 32 85

AREAS OF STUDY

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Nuclear Energy University Program Awards 2009, 2010 – Funding Increases

FY 2009 NE University Programs Awards FY 2010 NE University Programs Awards

University Research & Development (R&D) Awards (from ~20% of the NE R&D budget)

~$44 million.

71 awards to 31 schools in 20 states.

University R&D Awards (from ~20% of the NE R&D budget)

~$38 million.

42 awards to 23 schools in 17 states.

University Infrastructure Awards(from ~20% of the NE R&D Budget)

~$6 million

29 schools in 23 states for scientific equipment

University Infrastructure Awards (from ~20% of the NE R&D Budget)

$13.2 million

39 schools in 27 states for research reactor upgrades and scientific equipment

University Student Fellowship and Scholarship Awards

$2.9 million

70 scholarships and 16 fellowships

University Student Fellowship and Scholarship Awards

$5.0 million

85 scholarships and 32 fellowships

Total ~$53,000,000 Total ~$56,200,000

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Funding is Program Driven

Program Directed Funding

Program Supported Funding

Mission Supported Funding

Natl. Labs Universities DOE-NE HQ

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Summary of Improvements and New Programs 2011

• Expansion of “Blue Sky” for R&D• Integrated Research Projects, IRP• Expansion and improvement of Peer Review data

base• Enhancements to Fellowship and Scholarship

Criteria• Adopt NRC and NNSA Metrics as Appropriate to

NEUP• Peer Review at Pre Application stage for R&D

Overall NEUP Program Three Program Areas For 2011

• Nuclear Energy Enabling Techologies Crosscutting Transformational

• Reactor Concepts (RC) Small Modular Reactors Next Generation Nuclear

Plant Light Water Reactor

Sustainability Advanced Reactor

Concepts

• Fuel Cycle R&D (FCRD) Separations and Waste

Forms Advanced Fuels Systems Analysis and

Integration Materials Protection,

Accountancy, and Controls (MPACT)

Used Fuel Disposition and Storage

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NE Funding for Universities 2011 – Enhanced Blue Sky

• More than 20% of the NE R&D budget will be used to support university-based activities

• Up to 20% of the NE R&D budget is allocated to the peer-reviewed NEUP Support for infrastructure, students, and research and development are

all components of the NEUP scope All on-going and new University–supported activities directly funded by

DOE-NE will be included in NEUP (M and S Hub program is the one exception)

Requirement for university cost share has been waived for NEUP• Other NE University Investments Outside NEUP

NE funds fuel management support for University-based Research Reactors

National Laboratories use NE R&D funds to support specific R&D or support efforts at universities

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Integrated Research Programs• NEUP anticipates accepting proposals for IRPs focused on

development of advanced reactor technologies and supporting experimental testing capabilities and used nuclear fuel interim storage

• Projects will be for 3 years• Proposing teams must include:

Designated lead university and at least one other university

• Proposal teams are encouraged to include: One or more industry partner (may receive funding) One or more National Laboratory (may receive

funding) See www.NEUP.gov

2011 Proposed Schedule

NEUP Program

2011

Proposed Schedule 2011

RPA/FOA

Pre Apps Due

Proposals Due

Awards Announced

R&D (PS and Blue Sky) Oct. ‘10 Dec.’10 Mar.’11 June ‘11

Integrated Research Partnerships(PD)

Feb. ‘11 May ‘11 July ‘11

Infrastructure Equipment Reactors

Mar. ‘11 Apr. ‘11 June ‘11

Scholarships and Fellowships

Dec. ‘10 Feb. ‘11 TBD

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Concluding Remarks• NEUP engages universities to conduct program

directed, program supporting, and mission supporting R&D, infrastructure improvements, and S&F

• Through NEUP, DOE-NE has competed $110 Million of funding in 32 states at 66 universities since 2009 $82.44 Million in research projects

• Several important changes for FY11 (review structure, reviewer database, IRP Solicitation)

• Many opportunities for collaboration with all US universities including 2 year colleges and trade schools.

• NEUP Workshop for 2012 is August 9-10, Chicago

• Comprehensive Workforce Survey

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2011 Originally Proposed NEUP Budget(actual will be less based on CR budget)

• Program Directed Integrated Research Projects (IRP) - $12.0M (NEW)

• Program/Mission Supporting R&D - $44.0M

• University Infrastructure: Reactor Upgrades and University Equipment - $13.0M

• IUP Fellowships and Scholarships - $5.0M

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Summary of Educational Partnership Programs 2010

• R&D Awards Derive from Interdisciplinary Problems of DOE Roadmap – More than Nuc. Engr.

• R&D Projects are Larger in Size and Scope by Design

• Larger Number of Partners per Project Required and Fundable

• Many New Projects Have Interdisciplinary Partners

• Many Projects Have Multi University and Multi Lab Partners

• New IRPs Will Require Even Larger Project Teams

Materials Proposal Topics, Examples • Characterization and Modeling of

Strain Localization and Creep Cavitation

• High Fluence Low Flux Embrittlement Models of LWR Reactor Pressure Vessel

• The Curing/Aging Behavior of Concrete:

• Understanding the Fundamental Linkage Between Defect Production

• Understanding Radiation Effects on Graphite at VHTR Relevant Conditions

• Microstructural Modeling and Simulation to Predict Fission Gas

• Ultrasonic Techniques for High Resolution-High Temperature Fuel

• Nanoscale intermetallic-dispersed steels

• A Nuclear Qualified Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

• Physically-Based Thermo-mechanical Fatigue

• Thermomechanical Processing and Alloying Effects on Microstructure Evolution

• Multilayered Metal/Metal and Metal/Ceramic

• Discovery of Grain Boundary Degradation Mechanisms

• Mechanism-Based Modeling and Simulation of Creep-Fatigue

• Combined multiscale modeling and experimental investigation of irradiation induced embrittlement

• Development of Radiation Resistant Crystalline-Amorphous

• Investigation of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Deformation

• Pulsed electrodeposition of thick metallic nanolayers

• Understanding Small Scale Test Data Related to Microstructural Features

• Graphite Microstructural Characterization

• Radiation Behavior of High-Entropy Alloys

• Electric NDE of Thermo-Mechanical and Irradiation Damage

• Thermodynamic and Defect Properties of Metal

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Materials Proposal Topics, cont.• Dispersion and refinement of

precipitates in HT-UPS alloys• Predictive Multiscale Modeling of

Microstructural Evolution• Mechanisms of Oxidation of Complex

Graphite• Resolving Critical Outstanding

Irradiation Materials Science• Diffusion Coating of Vanadium on the

F/M Cladding• SCC and Three-dimensional Grain

Boundary Connectivity• Characterization and Modeling of Grain

Boundary Chemistry• Innovative stress corrosion cracking• Synergistic Effects of Dynamic Strain

Aging• Development of Multiscale Materials

Modeling Techniques• Fatigue Analysis and Residual Stresses

in Welds

• Studies on microstructural evolution,• Fracture and Fatigue Behavior of

Graphite• Structural Performance of Composite

Steel Plate• Accelerated Irradiations for High Dose• Optimized Processing-Fabrication Paths• Dynamic strain aging in nickel-based

alloys• High-performance concrete• High Temperature Deformation and

Microstructural Characterization• Mechanistic Studies of Dynamic Strain

Aging