Publications & Patents

Publications

Publications

Year 2024

G. Hegab, et al., “Unveiling the latest progresses in chromium-coated Zircaloy cladding ATF materials: Fabrication techniques, performance metrics, and beyond,” Alexandria Engineering Journal, doi:
B. Li, et al., “Dynamics of PCM melting driven by spatially varying heat load,” International communications in heat and mass transfer, doi:
J. Lin, et al., “Research trends in electrospun conducting polymers derived CNFs and their composite as the potential electrodes for high-performance flexible supercapacitors,” Journal of Energy Storage, doi:
Muhammad, et al., “Thermal energy storage integration with nuclear power: A critical review,” Journal of Energy Storage, , doi:
Muhammad, et al.,” Applied Thermal Engineering, doi:
R. Selvakumar and A. Alkaabi, “Design and performance evaluation of a novel electrohydrodynamically enhanced PCM heat sink,” Journal of Energy Storage, doi:
P. Santhoshkumar, et al., “Engineering time-dependent MOF-based nickel boride 2D nanoarchitectures as a positive electrode for energy storage applications,” Applied Surface Science, doi:
K. Chaudri, et al., “Review of Neutron Physics Analyses for Accident-Tolerant Fuel System,” Engineered science, doi:
P. Yang, et al., “Numerical analysis of electro thermo convection of a dielectric nanofluid in a heated cavity,” Physica Scripta, doi:
P. Raj, et al., “Field-based soil-plant uptake measurements of natural radionuclides for key vegetables and ghaf leaves in Abu Dhabi,” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, doi:
K. Karuppasamy, et al., “Towards greener energy storage: Brief insights into 3D printed anode materials for sodium-ion batteries,” Current opinion in electrochemistry, doi:
R. Bose, et al., “Self-Ordered Anodic Porous Oxide Layers as a High Performance Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation,” ACS Applied Energy Materials, doi:
S. Hussain, et al., “Designing the CoS2-Mo2C and CoS2-W2C hybrids for high-performance supercapacitors and hydrogen evolution reactions,” Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers, doi:
D. Vikraman, et al., “Assemble the highly efficient X-ray and UV–visible light detectors using VS2–MoS2 and VS2–WS2 hybrid composite-embedded perovskite layer,” Journal of Materials Chemistry A, doi:
I. Khurshid, et al., “Study on corium-concrete interaction, heat transfer, and concrete ablation: Impact of replacing Zircaloy cladding with accident tolerant silicon carbide cladding on corium characteristic,” Applied Thermal Engineering, doi:
S. A. Albdour, et al., “Machine learning-driven approach for predicting the condensation heat transfer coefficient (HTC) in the presence of non-condensable gases,” International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, doi:
R. Selvakumar, et al., “Electrohydrodynamic acceleration of charging process in a latent heat thermal energy storage module,” Applied Thermal Engineering, doi:
Y. Addad, et al., “Effectiveness re-evaluation on the intentional primary system depressurization during Zion-like Westinghouse PWR station blackout considering pressure dependence of radionuclides release,” Nuclear Engineering and Design, doi:
Y. Ismail, et al., “Iodide ion-imprinted chitosan beads for highly selective adsorption for nuclear wastewater treatment applications,” Heliyon, doi:
H. Mittal, et al., “Recent developments in the adsorption of uranium ions from wastewater/seawater using carbon-based adsorbents,” Journal of environmental chemical engineering, doi:
B. Sharma, et al., “Highly sensitive and selective nanoengineered PtO2-BNNT heterostructures for ppb level ammonia gas sensing,” Sensors and Actuators B Chemical, doi:
S. Osman, et al., “Experimental study of boiling heat transfer of inclined down-ward facing heated curved wall under low flow and pressure conditions,” Applied Thermal Engineering, doi:
I. Khurshid, et al., “A Thermal Approach for Modeling Concrete Ablation During Molten Corium–Concrete Interaction,” Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, doi:
K. Karuppasamy, et al., “Unveiling the electrochemical excellence of sulfur and nitrogen-enriched 3D porous carbon nanofibers in high-performance energy storage devices,” Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, doi:
B. Li, et al., “Velocity field measurement and heat transfer characteristics of the melting process under constant heat flux,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, doi:
S. Albdour, et al., “Steam Condensation Heat Transfer in the Presence of Noncondensable Gases (NCGs) in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs): A Comprehensive Review of Fundamentals, Current Status, and Prospects for Future Research,” International Journal of Energy Research, doi:
S. Albdour, et al., “A Predictive Machine Learning-Based Analysis for In-Tube Co-current Steam Condensation Heat Transfer in the Presence of Non-condensable Gases,” Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, doi:
F. Mumtaz, et al., “Treatment of phenolic-wastewater by hybrid technologies: A review,” Journal of Water Process Engineering, doi:
S. Rabbani, et al., “Graphene-nuclear nexus: a critical review,” *2D Materials, doi:
I. Afgan, et al., 2024. Preface for special issue “VSI NFT-29: Outcomes and Achievements from Researches Orienting the future in nuclear Fission Technology: Saudi Arabia and Gulf States”. Nuclear Engineering and Design, p.113565.
F. D’Auria, et al., 2024. What is the future for nuclear fission technology? A technical opinion from the Guest Editors of VSI NFT series and the Editor of the Journal Nuclear Engineering and Design. Nuclear Engineering and Design, doi:
A. Alzarooni, et al., “Review of Neutronics, Thermal-Hydraulic, and Fuel Performance Research of Accident Tolerant Fuels for APR-1400 in United Arab Emirates Nuclear Power Plants,” in *Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, doi:
Mihalik, J., et al.��Challenges in radioecology following the new trends in UAE’s agriculture and environmental changes: a review.��Environ Sci Pollut Res��31, 58779–58794 (2024).

Year 2023

R. Selvakumar, et al., “Melting behavior of an organic phase change material in a square thermal energy storage capsule with an array of wire electrodes,” *Applied Thermal Engineering*, doi:
O. Nesterov, et al., “A numerical assessment of the dispersion of dissolved pollutants in the Arabian Gulf associated with the Barakah nuclear power plant,” *Ocean Modelling*, doi:
R. D. Selvakumar, et al., “Melting performance enhancement in a thermal energy storage unit using active vortex generation by electric field,” *Journal of Energy Storage*, doi:
B. Li, et al., “A chitosan film implanted with g-C3N4@Ag nanosheets and in-suit formed AgCl nanoparticles for efficient iodide removal,” *Chemical Engineering Journal*, doi:
N. Alhattawi, et al., “Sensitivity neutronic analysis of accident tolerant fuel concepts in APR1400,” *Journal of Nuclear Materials*, doi:
M. Alrwashdeh, et al., “A Neutronics Study of the Initial Fuel Cycle Extension in APR-1400 Reactors: Examining Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Enrichment Design,” *Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering*, doi:
I. Afgan, et al., “Cross flow over two heated cylinders in tandem arrangements at subcritical Reynolds number using large eddy simulations,” *International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow*, doi:
M. Amidu, et al., “A critical assessment of nanoparticles enhanced phase change materials (NePCMs) for latent heat energy storage applications,” *Scientific Reports*, doi:
M. Alaleeli, et al., “The effects of cladding thermo-physical and thermo-chemical properties on the coping time during a PWR unmitigated LB-LOCA,” *Progress in Nuclear Energy*, doi:
M. Alrwashdeh and S. Alameri, “Extended Fuel Cycles in APR-1400 Reactors: A Neutronics Study,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
R. Shittu, et al., “Chloride Diffusion in Concrete under Temperature Gradient Condition in Arid Climates,” in *International Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation Engineering*, doi:
H. Alnuaimi, et al., “Part Strength Control Element Assemblies Effectiveness in APR1400 Reactivity Management During Transient Operation,” *Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering*,. doi:
C. Verma, et al., “Coordination bonding and corrosion inhibition potential of nitrogen-rich heterocycles: Azoles and triazines as specific examples,” *Coordination Chemistry Reviews*, doi:
R. Selvakumar et al., “Unipolar Charge Injection Induced Melting Rate Enhancement in a Cylindrical Thermal Energy Storage Unit,” in *Proceedings of the 20th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2023*, . doi:
R. Vishnu, et al., “Active vortex generation and enhanced heat transfer in a 3D minichannel by Onsager–Wien effect,” *Applied Thermal Engineering*, doi:
R. D. Selvakumar, et al., “Role of dielectric force and solid extraction in electrohydrodynamic flow assisted melting,” Journal of Energy Storage, doi:

Year 2022

M. Alrwashdeh, et al., “Review activities of Accident Tolerant Fuel in United Arab Emirates,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
A. Ayodeji, et al., “Deep learning for safety assessment of nuclear power reactors: Reliability, explainability, and research opportunities,” *Progress in Nuclear Energy*, doi:
I. Khurshid, et al., “Influence of corium temperature, concrete composition and water injection time on concrete ablation during MCCI: New insights,” *Progress in Nuclear Energy*, doi:
Y. Addad and M. Amidu, “Numerical prediction of slug flow boiling heat transfer in the core-catcher cooling channel for severe accident mitigation in nuclear power plant,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
M. Amidu and Y. Addad, “The influence of the water ingression and melt eruption model on the MELCOR code prediction of molten corium-concrete interaction in the APR-1400 reactor cavity,” *Nuclear Engineering and Technology*, doi:
M. Alaleeli, et al., “Neutronic Analysis of SiC/SiC Sandwich Cladding Design in APR-1400 under Normal Operation Conditions,” *Energies*, doi:
A. Alraisi, et al., “Effects of ATF cladding properties on PWR responses to an SBO accident: A sensitivity analysis,” *Annals of Nuclear Energy*, doi:
M. Ali, et al., “CFD simulation of an integrated PCM-based thermal energy storage within a nuclear power plant connected to a grid with constant or variable power demand,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
P. A. Rasheed, et al., “Degradation of Concrete Structures in Nuclear Power Plants: A Review of the Major Causes and Possible Preventive Measures,” *Energies*, doi:
M. Ali, et al., “Thermal analysis of baffle jetting in fuel rod assembly,” *Physics of Fluids*, doi:
M. Amidu, et al., “Severe accident in high-power light water reactors: Mitigating strategies, assessment methods and research opportunities,” *Progress in Nuclear Energy*, doi:
N. Nelli, et al., “Characterization of the atmospheric circulation near the Empty Quarter Desert during major weather events,” *Frontiers in Environmental Science*, doi:
M. Riahi, et al., “Combined Newton–Raphson and Streamlines-Upwind Petrov–Galerkin iterations for nanoparticles transport in buoyancy-driven flow,” *Journal of Engineering Mathematics*, doi:
I. Khurshid, et al.,, “Thermochemical Modeling of Metal Composition and Its Impact on the Molten Corium–Concrete Interaction: New Insights with Sensitivity Analysis,” *Energies*, doi:
M. Alaleeli and M. Alrwashdeh, “Neutronics Analysis of Silicon Carbide Composite Sandwich Cladding Design in APR-1400,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
M. Weston, et al., “The First Characterization of Fog Microphysics in the United Arab Emirates, an Arid Region on the Arabian Peninsula,” *Earth and Space Science*, doi:
P. Raj, et al., “Conceptualization of arid region radioecology strategies for agricultural ecosystems of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” *Science of the Total Environment*, doi:
H. Haddar and M. Riahi, “Eddy-Current Tomographic Inversion Mathematical Tools for Non-Destructive Evaluation of Boiling Tubes,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
M. Amidu, et al., “Sensitivity Analysis of Ex-Vessel Corium Coolability Models in MAAP5 Code for the Prediction of Molten Corium–Concrete Interaction after a Severe Accident Scenario,” *Energies*, doi:
R. Abida, et al., “Evaluation of the Performance of the WRF Model in a Hyper-Arid Environment: A Sensitivity Study,” *Atmosphere*, doi:
M. Jouini and M. Riahi, “Spectral reconstruction of Magnetite deposits in Steam Generator Tubing: An Artificial Intelligence Approach,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
N. Alhattawi and M. Alrwashdeh, “A Sensitivity Analysis for Utilizing Alternative Cladding Materials in APR1400,” *Transactions of the American Nuclear Society*, doi:
M. Alrwashdeh and S. Alameri, “Chromium-Coated Zirconium Cladding Neutronics Impact for APR-1400 Reactor Core,” *Energies*, doi:
M. Ali, et al., “Numerical investigation of a vertical triplex-tube latent heat storage/exchanger to achieve flexible operation of nuclear power plants,” *International Journal of Energy Research*, doi:
K. Jena, et al.,”Efficient and cost-effective hybrid composite materials based on thermoplastic polymer and recycled graphite,” *Chemical Engineering Journal*, doi:
M. Alrwashdeh and S. A. Alameri, “SiC and FeCrAl as Potential Cladding Materials for APR-1400 Neutronic Analysis,” *Energies*, doi:
P. Raj, et al., “Transfer of Natural Radionuclides from Soil to Abu Dhabi Date Palms,” *Sustainability (Switzerland)*, doi:
B. An, et al., “Effect of Temperature Gradient on Chloride Ion Diffusion in Nuclear Reactor Containment Building Concrete,” *Energies*, doi:

Year 2021

S. Olatubosun, et al., “Safety assessment of AP1000: Common transients, analysis codes and research gaps,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
M. Alrwashdeh and S. Alameri, “Preliminary neutronic analysis of alternative cladding materials for APR-1400 fuel assembly,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
H. Haddar and M. Riahi, “Near-field linear sampling method for axisymmetric eddy current tomography,” *Inverse Problems*, doi:
I. Khurshid, et al., “A new insight into molten corium concrete interaction with concrete ablation analysis for mitigation scheme,” in *International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, Proceedings, ICONE*, doi:
B. Benaissa, et al., “YUKI Algorithm and POD-RBF for Elastostatic and dynamic crack identification,” *Journal of Computational Science*, doi:
K. Jena, et al., “Comprehensive Review on Concept and Recycling Evolution of Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs),” *Energy and Fuels*, doi:
O. Al-Yahia, et al., “The feasibility study on development of porous ceramic composites for ion-exchanger,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
M. Amidu, et al., “Numerical investigation of nanoparticles slip mechanisms impact on the natural convection heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids in an enclosure,” *Scientific Reports*, doi:
J. Alsuwaidi, et al., “Studies on the optimal mitigation strategy of extended SBO for the isolated multi-unit NPP site,” *Annals of Nuclear Energy*, doi:
O. Nesterov, et al., “Validation and statistical analysis of the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature data in the Arabian Gulf,” *Oceanologia*, doi:
M. Ali, et al., “Overall efficiency analysis of an innovative load-following nuclear power plant-thermal energy storage coupled cycle,” *International Journal of Exergy*, doi:
R. Bose, et al., “Self-Supportive Bimetallic Selenide Heteronanostructures as High-Efficiency Electro(pre)catalysts for Water Oxidation,” *ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering*, doi:
A. Razali, et al., “Effect of corrugating the cold orifice of a vortex tube on its flow and energy separation features,” *International Journal of Fluid Mechanics Research*, doi:
M. Amidu, et al., “Investigation of the pressure vessel lower head potential failure under IVR-ERVC condition during a severe accident scenario in APR1400 reactors,” *Nuclear Engineering and Design*, doi:
M. Amidu, “Toward Mechanistic Wall Heat Flux Partitioning Model for Fully Developed Nucleate Boiling,” *Journal of Heat Transfer*, doi:
C. Verma, et al., “N-heterocycle compounds as aqueous phase corrosion inhibitors: A robust, effective and economic substitute,” *Journal of Molecular Liquids*, doi:

Year 2020

O. Al-Yahia, et al., “Numerical analysis of single-phase thermal hydraulic parameters along nanostructured coating film,” *International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, Proceedings, ICONE*, doi: https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16316.
M. Amidu and Y. Addad, “Numerical prediction of the reactor pressure vessel melting under IVR-ERVC conditions,” *ATH 2020 – International Topical Meeting on Advances in Thermal Hydraulics*, pp. 582–590, 2020.
O. Al-Yahia, et al., “Experimental study of bubble flow behavior during flow instability under uniform and non-uniform transverse heat distribution,” *Nuclear Engineering and Technology*, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2020.05.025.
J. Alsuwaidi, et al., “The risk analysis of the electrical Cross-tie for extended Station Blackout in Multi-Unit site,” *Annals of Nuclear Energy*, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2020.107660.
Adam D. Williams, Alexander A. Solodov, Amir H. Mohagheghi, Philip A. Beeley, Saeed Alameri, “The Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute: A Multidisciplinary Educational Approach for Integrated Nuclear Energy Safety, Security and Safeguards in the Middle East”, Journal of Nuclear Materials Management, 2020 Volume XLVIII, No. 1, 4-21.
Amidu M.A., Addad Y., Riahi M.K., “A hybrid multiphase flow model for the prediction of both low and high void fraction nucleate boiling regimes”, Applied Thermal Engineering,
Amidu M.A., Addad Y., “An enhanced model for the prediction of slug flow boiling heat transfer on a downward-facing heated wall”, Annals of Nuclear Energy,
Moon J., Jeong Y.H., Addad Y., “Design of air-cooled waste heat removal system with string type direct contact heat exchanger and investigation of oil film instability”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology,
Alameri S.A., King J.C., Alkaabi A.K., Addad Y., “Prismatic-core advanced high temperature reactor and thermal energy storage coupled system – A preliminary design”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology,
Kim J.H., Alameri S.A., “Harmonizing nuclear and renewable energy: Case studies”, International Journal of Energy Research,
Lee M., Lee D., Ko E., Park K., Kim J., Ko K., Sharma M., Cho G., “A Pulse Pileup Correction Method for High Dose Gamma Spectroscopy”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology,
Ho Joon Yoon , Waleed Al Naqbi, Omar Al Yaihi , Daeseong Jo, ” Validation of RELAP5 MOD3.3 code for Hybrid-SIT against SET and IET experimental data”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Feb 2020,
In Seop Jeon, Ho Joon Yoon, Hyun Gook Kang,” Feasibility estimation of new mitigation system through causal inference analysis with functional model’, Annals of Nuclear Energy, Volume 137, March 2020, 107087.

Year 2019

Alrwashdeh M., Alameri S.A., “Reactor Monte Carlo (RMC) model validation and verification in compare with MCNP for plate-type reactor”, AIP Advances,
Amidu M.A., Addad Y., “Bubble-induced enhancement of single-phase liquid forced convection heat transfer during subcooled nucleate flow boiling”, Annals of Nuclear Energy,
Al-Nuaimi A., Alameri S.A., Alkaabi A.K., Shimazu Y., “New monitoring procedure of axial xenon oscillation in large pressurized water reactors”, Annals of Nuclear Energy,
Alrwashdeh M., Alameri S.A., “Evaluation review of the 250Cf neutron cross section”, Applied Radiation and Isotopes,
Mohamed S., Shatilla Y., Zhang T., “CFD-based design and simulation of hydrocarbon ejector for cooling”, Energy,
Kim S.G., Addad Y., Liu M., Lee J.I., Lee Y., “Computational investigation into heat transfer coefficients of randomly packed pebbles in flowing FLiBe”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer,
Al-Yahia O.S., Yoon H.J., Jo D., “Bubble dynamic parameters during subcooled flow boiling under uniform and non-uniform transverse heat distribution”, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, ��
You B.-H., Jeong Y.H., Addad Y., “Assessment of advanced RANS models ability to predict a turbulent swept liquid metal flow over a wire in a channel”, Nuclear Engineering and Design,
Remache A., Addad Y., Sabeur-Bendehina A., Ouadha A., “Thermal design optimization of passive cooling capability in a dry-storage system by adding wall undulations or semi-circular fins”, Nuclear Eng. and Design,
Abutayeh M., Addad Y., Abu-Nada E., Alazzam A., “Doping solar field heat transfer fluid with nanoparticles”, of Solar Energy Eng.,
Kim J.H., Song M.M., Alameri S.A., “Emerging areas of nuclear power applications”, Nuclear Engineering and Design,
Kim D.Y., NO H.C., Yoon H.J., Lim S.G., “Thermal-hydraulic study of air-cooled passive decay heat removal system for APR+ under extended station blackout”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology,
Alrwashdeh, M., Alameri, S.A., Alkaabi, A.K., “Preliminary Study of a Prismatic-Core Advanced High-Temperature Reactor Fuel Using Homogenization Double-Heterogeneous Method”, Nuclear Science and Eng.,
Alkaabi, A.K., King, J.C., “Benchmarking COMSOL multiphysics single-subchannel thermal hydraulic analysis of a TRIGA reactor with RELAP5 results and experimental Data”, Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations,
Chen J., Nurrochman A., Hong J.-D., Kim T. S., Yi Y., “Comparison of oxide layers formed on the low-cycle fatigue crack surfaces of Alloy 690 and 316 SS tested in a simulated PWR environment”, Nuclear Eng. and Technology,
Takahashi S., Kawashima S., Hidaka A., Tanaka S., Takahashi T., “Estimation of the Release Time of Radio-Tellurium During the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident and Its Relationship to Individual Plant Events”, Nuclear Technology,
Hidaka A., “Formation mechanisms of insoluble Cs particles observed in Kanto district four days after Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident”, Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology,
Park K., Kim J., Lim K., Kim J., Chang H., Kim H., Sharma M., Cho G., “Ambient Dose Equivalent Measurement with a CsI(Tl) Based Electronic Personal Dosimeter”, Nuclear Engineering and Technology,

Year 2018

Al Hanaee S., Yi Y., Schiffer A., “Ultimate pressure capacity of nuclear reactor containment buildings under unaged and aged conditions”, Nuclear Engineering and Design,
Baghdad M., Ouadha A., Addad Y., “Effects of kinetic energy and conductive solid walls on the flow and energy separation within a vortex tube”, International Journal of Ambient Energy,

Year 2017

Choi M.K., Lee S.M., Ha J.S., Seong P.H., “Development of an EEG-based Workload Measurement Method in Nuclear Power Plants”, Annals of Nuclear Energy,
Byon Y.-J., Ha J.S., Cho C.-S., Kim T.-Y., Yeun C.Y., “Real-Time Transportation Mode Identification Using Artificial Neural Networks Enhanced with Mode Availability Layers: A Case Study in Dubai”, Applied Sciences,
Al Mehrzi A., Yi Y., Cho P.Y., Al Saadi S., Lee J.S., Choi D.S., “Deliquescence of NaCl and Atmospheric Corrosion of 316L Stainless Steel”, Advanced Materials Research,
Addad, Y., Abutayeh, M., Abu-Nada, E., “Effects of Nanofluids on the Performance of a PCM-Based Thermal Energy Storage System”, Journal of Energy Engineering,
Lee W.W., Bae S.J., Jung Y.H., Yoon H.J., Jeong Y.H., Lee J.I., “Improving power and desalination capabilities of a large nuclear power plant with supercritical CO2 power technology”, Desalination,
Park Y.J., Kim J.W., Ali G., Kim H.J., Addad Y., Cho S.O., “Fabrication of Uniform Nanoporous Oxide Layers on Long Cylindrical Zircaloy Tubes by Anodization Using Multi-Counter Electrodes”, Nanoscale Research Letters,
Solodov A., Williams A., Al Hanaei S., Goddard B., “Analyzing the threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to nuclear facilities”, Security Journal,

UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry Launches Emirates Nuclear Technology Center at Khalifa University’s Sas Al Nakhl Campus in Abu Dhabi

The new center will support research, innovation and capacity building in the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy industry
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by UAE’s MoEI, and the Korea’s MoFA to cooperate in research projects

��The UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry opened the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center, at Khalifa University’s Sas Al Nakhl Campus in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to support the long-term sustainability of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program by creating a dedicated innovation hub for peaceful nuclear technologies.

��A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged by His Excellency Suhail Bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Industry, and His Excellency Lee Taeho, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea, during the opening ceremony, attended by His Excellency Engineer Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, Christer Viktorsson Director General of the Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation (FANR), Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Executive Vice President of Khalifa University, and senior officials from all five entities.

The MoU between the UAE MoEI and the Ministry of Science, and Information and Communications Technology of Korea, under the UAE-Korea Consultation Committee on Nuclear Technology, outlines the framework of cooperation on research projects between the center’s relevant partners.

The Emirates Nuclear Technology Center will engage in research projects designed and approved by ENEC and FANR, and will be conducted by students, academics and researchers from Khalifa University. The Center’s initial research projects will focus on three areas – nuclear safety and systems, nuclear materials science and chemistry, and radiation safety in the environment.

Through the MoU, the ENTC will benefit from sharing of knowledge and expertise from the Korean nuclear energy industry, which has been operating for over 40 years, along with experience in developing nuclear research reactors.

“It is my pleasure to launch the Emirates Nuclear Technology Centre in Abu Dhabi, which is an outcome of our collaborative approach with our South Korean government counterparts and all UAE nuclear stakeholders, who are working to further Nuclear Science & Technology Research and Development. Investing in research and innovation are prerequisites for the long-term success of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy industry. It will further position the UAE as an international role model for the development of a peaceful nuclear energy program by building UAE National capabilities and conducting industry-leading research on radiation safety and nuclear energy technologies,” said His Excellency Suhail Al Mazrouei.

“Within the frame of the High-Level Consultation on Nuclear Cooperation, we and our UAE partner are expanding areas of cooperation in the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant construction and operations, new nuclear energy project in third countries, nuclear R&D, and safety regulations. I believe that the MoU on nuclear energy and R&D cooperation will serve as a catalyst that will further accelerate our bilateral nuclear energy cooperation”, said His Excellency Lee Taeho,.

H.E. Eng. Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of ENEC, said: “We are delighted to be part of this initiative to establish the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center. As the UAE’s emerging peaceful nuclear energy industry continues to grow and develop, collaboration and cooperation between academia and industry will allow us to ensure the long-term sustainability of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, as well as enhancing our global competitiveness and high standards of safety. Through its projects and research the Center will provide talented UAE Nationals with the opportunity to work alongside international experts in conducting cutting-edge research, thereby developing their skills and capabilities within the field of peaceful nuclear energy.”

��Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “We are delighted to join the official launch of the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC), hosted on our campus, in collaboration with our stakeholders including our partners ENEC and FANR. The ENTC reflects another strong commitment from Khalifa University to contribute to enhancing the UAE’s nuclear technology research capability and support our key stakeholder’s goals for the delivery of safe, clean and efficient nuclear technology to meet the UAE 2030 vision. The center will significantly optimize the multidisciplinary capabilities through Khalifa University’s diverse community of faculty and researchers to meet the national objectives.”

“We are delighted to join our national and international stakeholders in launching the Emirates Nuclear Technology Centre. Investing in research and innovation in nuclear technologies is indispensable to ensure the sustainability of the nuclear program. We will work closely with our partners to identify priority areas, focus on strategic nuclear sector research, ensure continuity of projects and provide support to national and international initiatives in line with FANR’s R & D Policy, which was launched in 2017. FANR will support the mandate of the new center by utilizing its Research and Development Program. FANR’s Research and Development Program aims to develop and attract Emiratis by providing opportunities for postgraduate education and research in the nuclear field. It also aims to ensure sound technical basis for all regulatory activities, mitigate risks related to safety, security and safeguards in the UAE nuclear sector,” said Christer Viktorsson, Director-General of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) in the UAE.

The establishment of the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center will cement the UAE’s position as an international role model for the development of a new peaceful nuclear energy projects around the globe. Innovation and continuous development are essential to the sustainability and long-term success of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy industry, as well as the UAE’s ongoing transition to a knowledge-based economy and society.

The MoU comes at a pivotal time for ENEC, with the 4 Units of Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant more than 93% complete. Unit 4 is over 82% complete, Unit 3 is more than 91% and Unit 2 is more than 95%. Unit 1 construction has been completed and is currently undergoing operational readiness preparations pending regulatory approval and receipt of the Operating License for Unit 1 from FANR, anticipated in early 2020.

After the launch of ENTC and the MoU signing, His Excellency Suhail Al Mazroui, His Excellency Lee Taeho and members of the official delegation from Korea, ENEC, and FANR along with Khalifa University senior management team, faculty members and researchers toured the research facility.

Later, delegation members from the two countries attended the second meeting of the ‘UAE-Korea high-level consultations on nuclear cooperation’.

Modeling of Radionuclides Dispersion in the UAE Environment (MORAD) research project (7 million AED), PI: Dr. Yacine Addad, CO-I: Diana Francis.

Dr. Yacine Addad, Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Theme-1 lead of the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC), is leading collaborative research project with IRSN, France and FANR, UAE. The project is being funded by the Federal Authority for the Nuclear Regulation, UAE.

The aim of this research program is to enhance the capabilities of the UAE to simulate radionuclides dispersion in marine, atmospheric and continental environments taking account for regional and local features. Since UAE has started the nuclear program by constructing four nuclear power plants, UAE is putting intensive efforts in increasing human capability on nuclear safety. This objective is in-line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 as it serves the purpose of the development of a highly-skilled, science-oriented, workforce of UAE Nationals, and it lays the foundations for research & development in the field of nuclear energy safe usage, which not only supports the Plan’s goal of diversification of the Emirate’s economy but also minimizes the impact of this newly adopted sustainable energy source on the natural environment.

ENTC won high value MOE grant: Collaborative Research Program Grant 2019

The safe, reliable, and economic operation of the UAE’s nuclear power plants at Barakah has been at the heart of the nation’s nuclear energy program since its inception in 2008 with the publication of the “UAE Policy on the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy” document. Following the events at Fukushima, Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATFs) became a focus within the nuclear fuel R&D community. Using ATFs in the existing APR1400 Barakah reactors would help endure loss of active cooling in the reactor core for a considerably longer period of time, and therefore would be safer, than the current fuel system while maintaining or improving performance during normal operations. To achieve this goal, many assessments will be needed including neutronics, thermal-hydraulic, thermo-mechanical/chemical, and fuel performance analyses for several candidate ATF concepts. In performing final assessments, the “do no harm” principle will be observed, meaning that the selected ATF concepts must, under all operating conditions, perform as well as or better than the current fuel system used in the APR1400 reactor core.

Recently, a KU team lead by Dr. Saeed Alameri and 6 more faculty members, along with 3 external collaborators from MIT, KAIST and University of Manchester won a high value grant of the Ministry of Education Collaborative Research Program Grant 2019 in which just 4 awards were selected out of 238 proposals in the whole country. The topic is about (Evaluation of Using Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts in APR1400) with a total amount of almost AED 7M. The following are the main objectives of this research:

Evaluate the impact of using ATFs on the safety of APR1400;
Evaluate the performance of ATFs in APR1400;
Determine the allowable ranges of reactor critical parameter values; and
Assessment studies on the suitability of using ATFs in APR1400.

Thermal hydraulic studies on Design Basis Accident and Design extension conditions of APR1400 via OECD-ATLAS experimental program (2 million AED), PI: Assist. Prof. Ho Joon Yoon

ATLAS (Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation) facility has been constructed to develop new safety concepts and verify their performance in APR1400. Valuable large-scale integral effect test (IET) data were produced and effectively utilized for domestic standard program (DSP) and International standard program (ISP).�� ATLAS has been recognized as one of the important IET facilities worldwide since the ISP-50 was successfully completed in 2011, where 14 organizations from 11 OECD countries participated.

OECD/NEA ATLAS project has been initiated in 2014 for further international cooperation to deal with common safety issues relevant to PWR, and proposed five topics related to beyond design basis accidents.�� UAE is participating in the project to increase local human capability on safety analysis. To this end, FANR and Khalifa University are planning to cooperate in the UAE participation to the ATLAS project, which will consist in conducting numerical simulations, using RELAP5; the blind pre-test and post-test simulations. The blind pre-tests rely on only specification of experiment given by the operating agency. The post-test simulation can be performed after acquiring experiment data from the operating agency.

At the start of the project, the Operating Agency (OA), KAERI, has provided the steady-state input deck of RELAP5/MOD3 for ATLAS facility to all participants.�� Then each participating agency has to generate its own transient input in accordance with proposed experiment scenarios. Although this might seem a trivial exercise at first glance, the generation of transient input is strongly dependant on experience and know-how level of the user groups. The given steady-state inputs also need to be modified and some component have to be remodelled to cope with the newly proposed scenario. For this reason, previous similar projects revealed that each participating agency come up with different results even though they have been using the same safety analysis code.

Preparation of input, running simulation, debugging process, interpretation of results and all lessons learned will be consolidated as a training material for increasing local human capability on safety analysis.

Additionally, at least one local component will be selected from each proposed scenario to investigate the detailed thermal hydraulic phenomena using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. Simulation results from RELAP5 will then be compared with both; the CFD predictions and the experimental data from ATLAS facility.

Protecting Nuclear Installations Against Natural Hazards and Climate Change Effects.

We recently hosted a seminar at the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC) with Dr. Hervé, titled “Protecting Nuclear Installations Against Natural Hazards and Climate Change Effects.” The session provided valuable insights into the challenges and solutions for safeguarding nuclear installations in the face of natural hazards and climate change.

Nuclear Engineering Educational Programs and R&D Activities at Khalifa University

We are delighted to have hosted the ANS group from the American Nuclear Society at Khalifa University. During their visit, Dr. Yacine gave a brief presentation about the Nuclear Engineering Educational Programs and R&D Activities at Khalifa University, followed by a tour of our advanced labs. The tour was supported by our lab engineers, who provided detailed insights into the facilities and ongoing research. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our work and engage with the group.

MSc students’ activities on the integrity of reactor containment buildings in Barakah nuclear power plants

Reactor containment buldings (RCBs) as the last barrier to the release of radioactive materials play a critical role in the nuclear power plants (NPPs). Thus, the integrity of RCBs has been studied as one of the projects in the ENTC.

Several MSc students in Nuclear Engineering have participated in the project and after graduation they are actively working on the safety and security areas of NPPs at FANR and ENC/NAWAH. Sara Al Hanaee, one of the MSc graduates, completed her MSc Thesis titled ‘Effect of aging on ultimate pressure capacity of nuclear reactor containment building, which was published in a journal named ‘Nuclear Engineering and Design’. She was one of the three winners of the competition at the 10th anniversary of the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) operation in 2018. Also, while working at FANR, she was a winner of FANR Annual Award “Exceptional Employee Award” in 2019.

ENTC fulfilling its educational mission: A national MSc student presented her research at Program Review meeting and international conference

Nourah Alyammahi is a full-time MSc student in nuclear engineering under the supervision of Assist. Prof. Ho Joon Yoon. She is also a FANR nuclear safety assessment engineer, was selected to participate in the ATLAS-2 Project. Her MSc thesis is to conduct the numerical analysis using one of the thermal hydraulic safety analysis code, RELAP 5, whilst conducting experiments and tests developed by the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute. She participated in every test and experiment over the last two years and put UAE on the global stage regarding thermal hydraulic safety analysis by presenting Five of her research findings at ATLAS Project Review Meetings. On each occasion, the Emirati demonstrated vast improvements in her skills and knowledge, and in her ability to convey technical analysis to a highly-skilled and knowledgeable audience. In May 2019 She also delivered a paper on RELAP 5 simulation of intermediate break loss of coolant accident at the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power (ICAPP) in France.

The 2nd Program Review Group / Management Board Meeting of OECD/NEA ATLAS project was hosted by UAE on April 17~18, 2018, Khalidiya Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi

The 2nd Meeting of the Program Review Group and Management Board of the OECD/NEA ATLAS Phase 2 Project was hosted by UAE. ATLAS stands for Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation (ATLAS) Project. The project is led by The Nuclear Energy Agency framework of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development . The ATLAS project is aimed at topics of high safety relevance for both existing and future nuclear power plants. The main objective of the NEA ATLAS Project is to provide experimental data for resolving key LWR thermal-hydraulics safety issues related to multiple high-risk failures and highlighted in particular from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, by using the ATLAS facility at KAERI. UAE has participated in the ATLAS project since 2014. The UAE research team consisting of KU, FANR, and ENEC started to receive recognition from an international expert group in the nuclear safety field and hosted one of the important meetings in Abu Dhabi. The international expert groups participated from Belgium (BelV), China (SPICRI, CGNPC, NPIC), Czech (UJV), France (CEA, EDF), Germany (GRS, Framatome), Spain (CSN), Switzerland (PSI), UAE (FANR, ENEC, KU), USA (NRC), Korea (KAERI, KINS, KEPCO E&C), Japan (JAEA).

Khalifa University Students Present Their Research to the American Nuclear Society

Students spoke at the American Nuclear Society student conference held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

In August 2013, two Khalifa University Master’s students in Nuclear Engineering presented their initial research findings at the 2013 American Nuclear Society Student Conference held at MIT.��

Students Amal Salah Bin Hraiz and Mouza Abdulla Alhebsi presented their research papers to over 600 students and professionals who were in attendance at the conference, including a large number of international representatives. Their papers were selected for the conference by a panel of reviewers from ANS who assessed hundreds of submissions from students around the world.

Both students are currently receiving full scholarships from the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) as part of its Energy Pioneers program, in order to pursue their masters. ENEC also fully funded their trip to MIT.

Amal’s paper was titled “3D Full Core Calculations of Westinghouse AP1000 Using WIMS/PARCS/SNAP Code System,” and Mouza Abdulla Alhebsi paper was titled “Numerical Investigation on the Dissolution of a Light Gas Stratification in a Safety Containment Model”. Both papers were well received by the audience who showed a great deal of interest in the research.

Amal is currently working on her M.Sc. research in the area of modeling and simulation of nuclear reactors while Mouza is working in the area of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applications in nuclear reactor safety analysis. The students were under the supervision of Khalifa University’s Nuclear Engineering faculty members, Dr. Mohamed Elsawi, and Dr. Yacine Addad respectively.��

The conference presented both women with the opportunity to learn about the latest nuclear developments from industry, research, and academia. It also gave them the opportunity to listen to their peer’s research in a variety of subjects related to nuclear engineering including law, nuclear medicine, quantum physics, computer science and thermodynamics.

“We are very pleased that our students had the opportunity to present their work at such an important international conference, in front of their peers, and industry and academic leaders,” said Dr. Philip Beeley, Professor and Program Chair, Nuclear Engineering at Khalifa University. “The safe and secure use of nuclear energy is one of the main focuses of the government of the UAE at the moment; in fact the country just broke ground for the construction of its second nuclear reactor, so to see our students focused on such an important endeavor is very encouraging for the future of the UAE. Khalifa University is dedicated to providing our students with a high quality education, and with ample opportunities to meet with industry and academic leaders, in this way we are helping to build the knowledge economy envisioned by the Abu Dhabi 2030 Vision.”

“We are proud to support such talented and dedicated students and congratulate them both for their hard work and achievements,” said Ahmed Al Mazrouie, Deputy Chief Nuclear Officer of ENEC. “Nuclear energy is an industry of critical importance to the future of our nation – and we need a large, highly trained and determined team of Emirati women and men to lead the industry forward. We look forward to welcoming them both to ENEC when their studies are complete.”

ENTC Attends ENEC’s Annual R&D Roadshow

ENTC Attends ENEC’s Annual R&D Roadshow We are pleased to share that ENTC recently attended the annual R&D Roadshow hosted by ENEC, where stakeholders from across the UAE gathered to explore the latest initiatives aimed at enhancing operational activities and advancing nuclear technologies. It was an invaluable opportunity for us to engage with industry leaders and collaborate on our shared goal of nuclear excellence. We appreciate ENEC’s efforts in promoting safety, performance, and efficiency in the nuclear sector and look forward to continuing our partnership in these vital areas.

Dr. Saeed Alameri, Director of ENTC, joins Khalifa University

Dr. Saeed Alameri, Director of ENTC, joins Khalifa University students in celebrating the launch of the new American Nuclear Society (ANS) Student Section at Khalifa University.

Jassem Alhammadi, a senior Chemical Engineering student at Khalifa University

Jassem Alhammadi, a senior Chemical Engineering student at Khalifa University with a minor in Nuclear Engineering, became the first Emirati intern at Tokamak Energy. He spent two months in Oxfordshire, UK, learning about the company’s mission to advance clean, secure, and affordable energy solutions.

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Emirates Nuclear Technology Center