Savannah River National Laboratory and the University of Georgia have announced the joint appointment of J. Marshall Shepherd, an internationally recognized expert in weather and climate who will collaborate on research initiatives between the two institutions. “We are very excited to welcome Dr. Shepherd to SRNL,” said SRNL scientist Brian Viner. “This appointment represents an…
Savannah River National Laboratory’s International Trade Analysis and Policy Support group hosted its first University of Georgia Research Institute (UGARI) Scholar, Kaley Walker. The UGARI Scholar Mentorship program allows University of Georgia (UGA) students to work alongside SRNL personnel and utilize SRNL’s unique capabilities and instrumentation to further their academic research. Walker, pursuing a master’s…
With the wide variety of legacy nuclear materials across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex, it’s critical to keep a detailed inventory on the type and location of these materials. Though inventories are maintained regularly, at the end of each fiscal year an in-depth inventory assessment is performed that accounts for the specific characteristics of…
Savannah River National Laboratory and Duke University recently announced a first for the two institutions with the appointment of Dr. Jason J. Amsden to collaborate on research activities between the two institutions as a joint appointee. “I am honored to receive this joint appointment with SRNL,” said Amsden. “I look forward to working with SRNL…
Savannah River National Laboratory and Augusta University recently announced Guido F. Verbeck, Ph.D., an expert in mass spectrometry instrument design and development, as a joint appointee, a role through which he will collaborate on research activities between the two institutions. “This collaboration between Augusta University and Savannah River National Laboratory will enhance the reach of…
Dale Hitchcock, a fellow scientist in the Savannah River National Laboratory’s Tritium Technology Division, was recently appointed to Clemson University as a joint appointee, a role through which he will further collaborative research activities between the two institutions. “I am excited for the opportunity to further collaborate with Clemson,” said Hitchcock. “As an alumni of…
A custom-built additive manufacturing system is now up and running at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The lab’s Directed Energy Deposition (DED) system, which utilizes a powerful, class 4 laser, is designed to develop new alloys and parts for practical applications at speeds that significantly reduce the turnaround time compared to traditional manufacturing methods….
Additive Manufacturing (AM), sometimes referred to as 3D printing, is a novel method of manufacturing that has grown considerably in recent years. A team of five scientists from Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was recently granted a patent on behalf of Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA) for a new, innovative approach to AM. The team…
Savannah River National Laboratory’s (SRNL) packaging and transportation group leverages over 200 years of combined experience in the radioactive material packaging arena to ensure materials are safely contained. With a renewed focus on nuclear energy in the United States, the safe storage and transportation of nuclear material is critical in the new advanced reactor fuel…
In the United States, there is a push to increase energy security and capacity for numerous needs and applications. Numerous companies are working on developing advanced small modular reactors (SMR) with numerous different reactor and fuel types. However, nearly all of them require High-Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU). HALEU contains a higher percentage of Uranium-235 compared to all…
With plans to increase the number of research and commercial nuclear reactors across the next decade, dealing with spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to be a challenge facing our nation. While SNF can be reprocessed, numerous separation steps are required to convert this material into a usable product. Scientists at the Savannah River National…
Since the 1970s, the commercial nuclear industry has been attempting to address the issue of excess spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage and disposal. With industry focused on deployment of advanced small modular reactors (SMR) over the course of the next ten years, a viable solution is needed to handle SNF coming out of these reactors….