Titans Of Nuclear | Interviewing World Experts on Nuclear Energy

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**Titans Of Nuclear | Interviewing World Experts on Nuclear Energy**

A podcast featuring interviews with experts throughout the Nuclear Energy field, covering advanced technology, economics, policy, industry, and more.

Latest Episodes:

Ep 124: Bob Mumgaard, Commonwealth Fusion Nov 21, 2018

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In this episode we discuss...

Bob's background in fusion and personal journey in the nuclear industry
Bob's day-to-day as Chief Executive Officer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Bob's graduate work at MIT researching new technologies to solve fundamental challenges with fusion
Superconductors, their applications, and how Bob has significantly contributed to their productization
The mechanisms that enable superconductors to operate at very high temperatures
Why only 3 of over 100,000 superconductors have been commercialized
How collaboration between academics and industrialists is helping to drive fusion technology into the marketplace
Bob's mission to expedite superconductivity commercialization so that it can be deployed globally

Ep 123: Dennis Whyte, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nov 20, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Dennis' background and personal journey in the nuclear industry
A deep dive into tokamaks and their innerworkings
The definition of a plasma
Why heat and density are crucial to successful fusion and the material challenges involved
How tritium is extracted from lithium
Requirements to prevent coolant itself from becoming radioactive
Design challenges surrounding fusion systems including pumps and their inability to distinguish between helium and unburned fuel
The physics of magnetism
Dennis' mission to change the global nuclear industry through his work at MIT to make fusion economically viable

Ep 122: Jacopo Buongiorno, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nov 19, 2018

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In this episode we discuss...

Jacopo's background in techno-economic analysis and personal journey in the nuclear industry
Jacopo's work at the Idaho National Laboratory before he returned to his alma mater MIT as a professor of nuclear science and engineering
Lead-bismuth reactors and the processes within
Jacopo's contributions to MIT Energy Initiative's recent report, "The Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World"
Why Jacopo believes when it comes to reducing cost we should focus on improving construction methods rather than changing coolant or fuel
A breakdown of the costs involved in building a new plant
Inaccuracies in cost prediction surrounding AP-1000 and EPR and ways in which we can improve cost prediction
The benefits of assembling several microreactors to take advantage of economies of multiple versus economics of scale of size
Shipyard building and how Jacopo's research at MIT works to reduce construction costs

Ep 121: Mark Lesinski, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Nov 16, 2018

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In this episode we discuss...

Mark's background in biology and personal journey in the nuclear industry
A behind the scenes look at the Canada Nuclear Laboratory team and how each department coordinates with the others
The lifecycle of nuclear plants and Mark's evolution from repairing to decommissioning plants
The decommissioning of Rocky Flats Plant, a nuclear weapons production facility that now serves as a model for other decommissioning projects
The cleanup processes involved in decommissioning
Mark's work with British Nuclear Fuels Limited and then later as Chief Nuclear Officer for Magnox South
Chalk River Laboratories and its important place in nuclear history
Challenges with media and public perception surrounding nuclear energy and weapons
A deep dive into CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors
The benefits of SMRs and Canada Nuclear Lab's mission to facilitate global implementation

Ep 120: Rosaura Ham-Su, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Nov 15, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Rosaura's interest in nuclear from a young age and her journey through the industry
Rosaura's PhD in material science at McMaster University where she focused on ceramics processing
A deep dive into the importance of ceramics processing in regards to creating nuclear fuel
Magnetic shape memory alloys
Challenges associated with fuel processing and manufacturing and how Canada Nuclear Labs is working to overcome them
What drives requirements for creating new fuel from spent fuel and the economics involved
Canada Nuclear Lab's research regarding new fuels and their increased safety
The ratio of plutonium-239 and plutonium-240 and how it changes over fuel's lifespan within a reactor
The importance of waste management technology to nuclear success

Ep 119: Metin Yetisir, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Nov 14, 2018

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In this episode we discuss...

Metin's background in mechanical engineering and personal journey in the nuclear industry
A deep dive into CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors
The inner mechanisms that cause steam reactor tubes to fail and how we've overcome this issue
Metin's work in thermal performance and degradation studies
The neutronics and safety systems in PWRs and BDWs versus those in light water reactors
A breakdown of supercritical water
How technologies and designs within supercritical coal plants could potentially be recycled to create supercritical nuclear plants
Lessons learned from light and heavy water reactors and how Canada Nuclear Labs is applying those lessons to new technologies
The Pan-Canadian SMR Initiative and its mission to facilitate global implementation

Ep 118: Corey McDaniel, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Nov 13, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Corey's background in nuclear engineering and personal journey from Los Alamos to Canada Nuclear Labs
The history of US nuclear including the Nuclear Renaissance and the Energy Policy Act of 2005
Corey's contributions to nuclear startup NuScale Power
Challenges in nuclear across India and Asia including infrastructure, training, and corruption
Corey's work for an electrical supplier of cabling and the safety systems involved
International issues with CFSI (Counterfeit Fraudulent Suspect Items) and their toll on public trust
Canada Nuclear Lab's world class hot cells
The future of Canada Nuclear Lab and its work surrounding light water reactors and sustainability
A deep dive into fuel qualification
Canada's new build market and the significant role it plays in the global industry

Ep 117: Kathryn McCarthy, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Nov 12, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Kathryn's background in nuclear engineering and personal journey in the nuclear industry
The evolution of fusion and a deep dive into liquid metal magnetohydrodynamics
Kathryn's work with liquid metal magnetohydrodynamics in the Soviet Union
A deep dive into volatilization
The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative aka The Fuel Cycle R&D Program and Kathryn's work optimizing the backend of the fuel cycle
Low level waste repositories and the political challenges surrounding new repository sites
Canada Nuclear Lab's mission to promote SMR's (small modular reactors)
How a healthy dynamic between national laboratories and the industry can spur implementation
Canada Nuclear Lab's work in the hydrogen space
Canada versus US regulation timelines and alternative paths to expedite licensing
Canada Nuclear Lab's research surrounding radiation and targeted alpha therapy and their potential impact on the industry at large

Ep 116: Janice Dunn Lee, International Atomic Energy Agency Nov 09, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Janice Dunn Lee's 40-year journey through nuclear from her position in Export Licensing at the NRC to that of Deputy Director General at the IAEA
Janice's early career in Export Licensing at the NRC including her work preventing the weaponization of nuclear materials and reactors through IAEA safeguards
The relationship between Congress and the NRC and the ways in which Congress oversees build and appropriations
Intricacies of international nuclear agreements including 123 agreements for nuclear cooperation between the US, Japan, and China
The importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements in helping countries learn the regulations, inspection processes, and licensing in other countries
The decline of U.S. leadership in the nuclear field against Russia and China and the negative effects this could pose for the industry's future
Humanitarian aspects of nuclear and the IAEA's work in human health including cancer therapy and ebola prevention
How credible, relevant nuclear advocates can help reignite the US nuclear industry

Ep 115: Ed Pheil, Elysium Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we discuss...

Ed's background in the US Navy and his personal journey in the nuclear industry
Ed's work designing nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and space crafts for the Navy
General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls and their respective roles in nuclear construction
Uranium hexafluoride gas reactors and the processes within
Nuclear opponents and their negative effects on the construction and licensing processes
How the US nuclear industry is working to overcome supply chain challenges including replacing medium enriched uranium with plutonium
Table salt's important role in recycling spent fuels
The economics of fuel storage
A deep dive into fuel and reactor lifetimes
The plant Ed envisions including its total power output and the regulatory and financial hurdles involved

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