A Research Program Nuclear Energy Conversion

Track I: Power GenerationIncludes audio file (21 min.)Direct conversion of nuclear energy to electricity has been a challenging problem since the inception of the generation of electricity from nuclear reactions. The development of wide bandgap, p-n junctions in materials such as diamond, gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, and silicon carbide is at the heart of this research. A p-n junction in materials with band-gaps greater than 3 eV can be used in nuclear energy conversion in multiple ways. For example, for direct conversion of the kinetic energy of particles from the decay of radioisotopes, a diamond p-n junction has some unique advantages. It is less susceptible to radiation damage than SiC, GaN, and AlN because, at high temperatures, it can self-anneal point defects caused by radiation damage. A method which eliminates the radiation damage problem is a Two-Step Photon Intermediate Direct Energy Conversion (PIDEC) method that uses the efficient generation of photons from the interaction of particulate radiation with fluorescer media. The photons are then transported to wide band-gap photovoltaic cells where electrical current is generated. PIDEC holds the promise of 40% energy conversion efficiency in a single cycle. PIDEC can be applied both to large power generation systems and to small scale nuclear batteries based on radioisotopes (Radioisotope Energy Conversion System-RECS). Students and faculty have built a test stand for the PIDEC and RECS concepts which tests the physics of fluorescence production from the interaction of radiation with various fluorescer media, the transport of photons, radiation shielding methods, photovoltaic conversion with wide band-gap photovoltaic cells, and conversion efficiencies. The technology is licensed to a Missouri company (US Semiconductor, Independence MO) and is helping to facilitate economic development in the State of Missouri

Neutron and gamma ray spectroscopic detection system

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office's mission is to improve the nation's ability to detect unauthorized nuclear importation, and the office was allocated $1.2 billion to accomplish its goal. The office has invested heavily in advanced spectroscopic portals, but these have turned out to have very low detection efficiencies despite the fact that they cost nearly$400,000 a piece. However, the office continues to search for new technologies that adequately detect neutrons. This invention, developed at this premier nuclear engineering school with the largest research reactor in the country, proposes a novel solution for neutron detection. Diamond based detection systems are becoming popular with the technological advances in CVD diamond film growth technologies. Within the past ten years, diamond film purities have reached levels that allow undoped diamond plates to be used as an intrinsic semiconductor. With this, several charged particle and ultra-violet detection systems have been developed, along with a few neutron detection systems. Neutron detection utilizing diamond use neutron absorption into carbon for fast neutron detection. However, the cross section for this detection mechanism is small and so these detection systems are limited in their active detection volume. If the volume of the diamond detection medium were increased, then this detection mechanism would become advantageous. Even more so, the elastic scattering cross section of neutrons from diamond is higher than that of neutron absorption and does not have a 5.7 MeV threshold. Therefore, by increasing the diamond detection volume, another avenue of detection and spectroscopic determination of neutron sources becomes available. There are two ways of doing this, through advancing the CVD growth technology limitations, or through innovation. Here, a plate combination mechanism is proposed that allows the increase in the active detection volume while maintaining all other characteristics of single diamond plates. Potential Areas of Applications: * Homeland Security (sea ports, airports, border crossings) * Nuclear reactor design and managemen

Storing hydrogen, by enhancing diamond powder properties with CaF2 and KF for use in fuel cells

Abstract only availableWhaaaat!!!!!!!!! Hydrogen as a fuel? Yes just like you read it, hydrogen is becoming the best alternative to change our economical dependence on fossil fuels. Today fossil fuels are the main source of energy in the world, covering over 80% of these needs, and most of this fuel is used in transportation systems. Hydrogen covers about 75% of matter in the universe, being by far one of the most abundant elements; it is also a very simple atom that consists of an electron and proton. Since hydrogen can easily provide energy; a technology called fuel cells has been developed. A fuel cell is like a battery that instead of using electricity to recharge itself, it uses hydrogen. In the fuel cell industry, one of the main problems is storing hydrogen in a safe way and extracting it economically. Gaseous hydrogen requires high pressures which could be very dangerous in case of a collision. The success of hydrogen use depends largely on the development of an efficient storage and release method. In an effort to develop a better hydrogen storage system for fuel cells technology this research investigates the use of 99% pure diamond powder for storing hydrogen. Mixing this powder with a calcium fluoride and potassium fluoride compound in its solid form and treating the surface of the powder with hydrogen plasma, modifies the surface of the diamond. After some filtration through distilled water and drying, the modified diamond is treated with hydrogen. We expect hydrogen to be attracted to the diamond powder surface in higher quantities due to the CaF2 and KF treatment. Due to the large surface area of diamond nanopowder and the electronegative terminal bonds of the fluorine particles on the structure's surface, to the method shows promise in storing high densities of hydrogen.Louis Stokes Missouri Alliance for Minority Participatio

Model of two-picometer deuteron clusters for LENR supported by laser emission of nuclear reactions products

Results about nuclear reactions of deuterons in 2 pm distance was specified in support of the experiments for LENR based on an evaluation of results of Prelas et al. were a Coulomb screening by a factor 13 was derived. These results were especially fitting the later results of ultrahigh density clusters fulfilling conditions of Bose-Einstein condensation where the conditions of surface states with swimming electron layers appeared to be of advantage. These results are now supported by recent measurement of emission of nuclear reaction products from the states of clusters within the voids in crystals (Schottky defects). An evaluation of these developments is presented for comparison about ongoing experimental results of LENR with the measurements of large amounts of neutrons from nuclear reactions in the LENR sources. These results are supported by the detailed quantum mechanical evaluation of the Coulomb screening computations which arrived at the same values as the phenomenological evaluations of the measurements of Prelas et al.

A Research Program on Very High Temperature Reactors

Track I: Power GenerationIncludes audio file (27 min.)Prismatic and pebble bed very high-temperature reactors (VHTRs) are very attractive both from a thermodynamic efficiency viewpoint and hydrogen-production capability. This project addresses numerous challenges associated with the fuel cycle, materials, and complex fluid dynamics and heat transfer. The objectives of the project are to: i. Conduct physical experiments for fission product transport phenomena in the overcoating and compact structural graphite and transport through TRISO coating layers; ii. Develop improved sorption measurement techniques to measure the accumulation of condensable radionuclides (“plateout”) in the VHTR primary coolant circuit and obtain representative data; iii. Develop advanced computations of charged, radioactive dust (aerosol) transport in the VHTR coolant circuit and confinement by exploring direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) techniques for deposition and resuspension and conduct experiments to verify computational predictions; iv. Develop a program to measure emissivity for various VHTR component materials, both bare and oxidized, and obtain extensive data; v. Develop an experimental program to characterize gas, fission product, and particle flows in the complex geometries of pebble bed modular reactors (PBMRs) and help improve computational approaches and computer programs through experimental understandings. This project is leading to research training of about a dozen Ph D students at the participating universities. Upon graduation, these students will be able to contribute even more effectively to the future challenges in the global deployment of nuclear power generation and hydrogen technologies. We will discuss the VHTR technology and research challenges. We also describe progress on the project by the three Consortium participants

Study of impurities and color effects on gemstones [abstract]

Abstract only availableFaculty Mentor: Dr. Mark A. Prelas, Nuclear EngineeringGemstones are found in a variety of colors but, what causes it? The color of gemstones is due to different impurities that are on the surroundings of the mines. In this project, researchers at the University of Missouri Columbia are using different processes to change the atomic structure of gemstones, create impurities and cause a change of color. In order to do that, the gemstones have to be characterized. The characterization process consists in measure the mass once a day, for three days to see if it remains constant. With a Raman Spectroscopy of each sample we can measure the wavelength and intensity of the molecules when radiation passes through them in a second. The Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FTIR) uses an infrared source to excite the sample. These spectrums identify a compound and it composition. In addition, the UV Spectroscopy is used to identify the type of atom of an element. This analysis gives us specific information about the sample's properties. After all this data is analyzed, the samples are annealed for six hours. The annealing process is held on a Cold Wall Reactor. This reactor maintains a constant temperature gradient on the walls and works in vacuum. This is a low pressure treatment, which is 10 to 20 mmHg and the maximum temperature reached is 1200˚ C. When finished, the spectroscopy tests are repeated and compared

Aluminim nitride vacuum ultraviolet photodiode [abstract]

This invention teaches a method of creating a novel photodiode that will enable a significant improvement in data storage capacity over the Blu-Ray technology. More than 4x the amount of data could be held on a VUV storage disc as compared to a Blu-Ray disc, which could, for example, allow storing multiple movies on one disc. III-V compound semiconductors have received much recent attention due to their many applications in electronics and optoelectronics, the highest profile application being Blu-Ray technology, which uses a gallium nitride semiconductor. Gallium nitride has a band-gap of 3.4 eV which produces photons in the blue spectrum and blue diodes have found significant commercial applications with new applications being developed all the time. The ultimate development of similar III-V UV diodes would be expected to have similar commercial applications. This invention teaches thin film doping of aluminum nitride, which then has a larger band-gap than gallium nitride, and goes beyond the state of the art blue diodes by operating in the ultraviolet spectrum. This larger band-gap and shorter spectral range translate into a technology that has more than 4x the data storage capacity of Blu-Ray. Potential Areas of Applications: * VUV photodiode * High temperature electronics * VUV photovoltaic cells for nuclear energy conversion Patent Status: Non provisional patent application on file Inventor(s): Mark Prelas, Tushar Ghosh, Robert Tompson, Dabir Viswanath, Sudarshan Loyalka Contact Info: Dr. Wayne McDaniel, Ph.D. ; [email protected] ; 573-884-330