WPI receives $500K to research on-campus nuclear reactors
Photo | Courtesy of WPI
Professors Derren Rosbach and David Medich will research on-campus microreactors with a $500,000 grant from the NRC.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were awarded $499,509 from the U.S. Nuclear Regulation Commission to design nuclear microreactor facilities to be built on university campuses, according to a Thursday press release from WPI.
David Medich and Derren Rosbach, professors in the physics department and the department of integrative and global studies respectively, will use the funds to determine the structure and shielding needed to operate a microreactor.
Microreactors are nuclear reactors fueled by uranium. They are small enough to fit on a tractor-trailer truck bed and can split atoms to produce electricity. On-campus microreactors can be used for research in physics, biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering, according to the release.
“Microreactors are being developed to be safer and more efficient than existing nuclear reactors,” Rosbach said in a statement. “However, there are still questions and concerns about safety and radioactive waste. We will explore these challenges and weigh them against the potential of a research reactor to generate both knowledge and carbon neutral energy.”
The final product of the research will include a proposal for obtaining federal licensing for university microreactors.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments