Media Appearances
In search of lost data
College of Engineering, VCU online
2021-07-26
Nuclear engineering faculty member recreates missing data from watershed 1960s reactor experiments
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Young Former Student Award 2019
Texas A&M University online
2019-10-01
The 2019 Young Former Student Award winner was Dr. Zeyun Wu. Wu is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and directs the Computation Applied Reactor Physics Laboratory (CARPL) at VCU. Wu received his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering at Texas A&M University with a research focus on reactor physics and computational methods on neutron transport.
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Research Grants
Improving the computational efficiency and usability of dynamic PRA with reinforcement learning
Department of Energy - NEUP
2024-08-01
The overall objective of the proposed research is to improve the efficiency and usability of dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). Specifically, the first objective is to develop a new algorithm for dynamic PRA analysis that can significantly increase the computational efficiency. The second objective is to develop a question-answering system to streamline the process of risk-informed decision-making based on results obtained from the dynamic PRA analysis using the new algorithm.
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Development of a Benchmark Model for the Near Real-Time Radionuclide Composition Measurement System using Microcalorimetry for Advanced Reactors
Department of Energy - NEUP
2024-08-01
The primary goal of this proposed project is to develop high fidelity Monte Carlo radiation transport models of a microcalorimetry detector informed by fuel depletion models of a molten salt reactor and a pebble bed reactor to quantify the current and future capabilities of this detector technology to characterize and assay used fuel from these reactors in near real-time.
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Research, Education and Training Center of Excellence on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Towards Advanced Reactor Technology
Department of Energy - NEUP IRP
2023-08-01
Three MSIs (VCU, VUU, and VSU) will establish a research, education, and training Center of Excellence to bring together in-depth expertise on nuclear fuel cycle and waste management to support our future advanced reactor designs. Directly related to the center are experts in nuclear chemical science and engineering, radiation and health physics, isotope separations and detections, mechanical engineering and economics & finance.
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Creation of a Pebble Database for Material Control and Accountancy in Pebble Bed Reactors
Department of Energy - NEUP
2022-10-01
The primary goal of this proposed project is to develop a database of NDA signatures from a wide variety of used PBR pebbles. This database can be used for facility operations, safety, security, and safeguards (3S) to directly measure fission product content and indirectly 235U and plutonium content of each PBR pebble. This project has significant synergy with current 3S PBR research at ANL, BNL, and ORNL, all of whom are collaborators to this proposed project.
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Regenerating Missing Experimental Parameters with Data-Assimilation Methods for MSRE Transient Benchmark Development and Evaluation
Department of Energy - NEUP
2021-10-01
Researchers will regenerate the undocumented basic data from available experimental data of the MSRE using advanced data-assimilation methods to facilitate the whole-loop modeling of the representative MSRE transients, and perform a thorough MSRE transient benchmark evaluation for the IRPhEP handbook.
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Identifying and Prioritizing Sources of Uncertainty in External Hazard Probabilistic Risk Assessment
Department of Energy - NEUP
2020-10-01
Researchers will develop a method for identifying and prioritizing sources of uncertainty in external hazard probabilistic risk assessment for nuclear power plants, with particular emphasis on uncertainties associated with hazard characterization. External flooding wil be utilized as the demonstration hazard during this project, while a common taxonomy for communicating uncertainties across a broad range of external hazards will be created.
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Courses
EGMN 303 - Thermal System Design
Introduce fundamentals of heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, as well as basics for system simulations and optimizations. Students are required to apply these fundamentals to the thermal analysis, design, selection and application of energy conversion systems. This is a project based course.
EGMN-321: Numerical Methods
A study of numerical algorithms used in error analysis, computing roots of equations, solving linear algebraic equations, curve fitting, numerical differentiation and integration, numerical methods for ordinary differential equations and a brief introduction to numerical methods for partial differential equations. MATLAB computing and programming are heavily involved along with homework, exam, and project assignments. The course content is tailored for mechanical and nuclear engineering applications.
EGMN 352 - Nuclear Reactor Theory
Introduce fundamental properties of the neutron, the reactions induced by neutrons, nuclear fission, the slowing down of neutrons in infinite and finite media, diffusion theory, the 1-group or 2-group approximation, point kinetics, and fission-product poisoning. Provides students with the nuclear reactor theory foundation necessary for reactor design and reactor analysis problems.
