ACEP Nuclear Research Collaboration with INL
For the summer of 2014, ACEP has sent three 911 students to participate as fellows at the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR), an affiliate of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls. At CSNR, these interns have been working to advance “mini” reactor concepts for use by NASA in space exploration programs. At this point their research has indicated that some aspects of the space reactor technology may be applicable to northern deployment as there are many similar operational requirements such as desire for semi-autonomous operation and smart controls, safety, reliability, and long life.
The three 911 students, Michael Kuka (M.S. Environmental Engineering), Haley McIntyre (M.A. Natural Resource Management), and Alana Vilagi (B.S. Mechanical Engineering), have been teamed up with students from other universities to aid in the design of and feasibility studies for a mobile, robust reactor for remote environments. In addition, the 911 fellows will be creating a follow-up to ACEP’s 2011 report Small Scale Modular Nuclear Power: an option for 911 to be presented at this fall’s 911 Rural Energy Conference. Their findings will update the status of small modular reactor (SMR) technology as well as provide insight to the opportunities and barriers of deploying such devices in 911.
Photo: Haley McIntyre, Alana Vilagi, and Michael Kuka in Idaho. Photo courtesy H. McIntyre, ACEP/911.