| Affiliations: | STEM Research Leadership |
| Project Leader: | Trevor Melsheimer
Nuclear Engineering |
| Faculty Mentor: | Yassin Hassan, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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Monday 10am |
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Team Size:
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5
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Opportunity for hands-on experience with thermal hydraulic experiments, data analysis, mechanical design, physics-based modeling, co-authorship, and paid undergraduate research positions.
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Team Needs:
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• CAD (SolidWorks) • MATLAB and/or Python • FEA or CFD (ANSYS, StarCCM, OpenFOAM…) • Hands-on experience • Heat transfer and fluids coursework • Electrical circuits or instrumentation • Interest in space, nuclear, and/or thermal hydraulics |
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Description:
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Heat pipe cooled nuclear microreactors are under development for remote terrestrial power generation, nuclear electric propulsion for space travel, and fission surface power on the Moon or Mars. The focus of this project is the development of high temperature heat pipes for heat transfer from the solid microreactor core to an energy conversion system. Heat pipes are incredibly efficient heat transfer devices, commonly used in satellites or computer processors at low and medium temperatures to dispose of waste heat. This project offers hands-on experience building and operating test facilities for thermal-hydraulic experiments. Additionally, project members will be exposed to real applications of heat transfer and fluids analyses, instrumentation, and coding for data analysis and physics-based modeling. Work will primarily be mechanical and nuclear engineering in nature, however students from electrical, chemical, materials, or physics backgrounds could find overlap with their disciplines. Responsibilities and research opportunities will be determined based on competence and dedication. Paid undergraduate researcher positions are not guaranteed but are offered on a rolling basis. |