Title:

The Making of the Transformational Challenge Reactor

Speaker:

Dr. Thomas Kurfess

Affiliation:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

When:

Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 11:00:00 AM   Add to Calendar

Where:

Boggs Building, Room 3-47

Host:

Dr. S. I. Abdel-Khalik
said.abdelkhalik@me.gatech.edu

Abstract

The vision of the Transformational Challenge Reactor TCR program is to manufacture and operationally test a fueled microreactor core fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques. It will also create a digital platform for coupling data analytics with nuclear core design, manufacturing, and testing data to certify component performance. It is a new concept in both manufacturing and nuclear power generation that will reduce deployment costs and timelines for new nuclear technologies, integrate digital data for rapid nuclear innovation, and accelerate the adoption of advances in manufacturing, materials, and computational sciences for nuclear applications. Dr. Kurfess, who is the Chief Manufacturing Officer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will discuss the concept and status of the TCR as well as the ensuing opportunities from the overall effort of manufacturing the reactor, as well as the technologies that are being advanced to enable the systems production.

Biography

Thomas R. Kurfess received his S.B., S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from M.I.T. in 1986, 1987 and 1989, respectively. He also received an S.M. degree from M.I.T. in electrical engineering and computer science in 1988. He currently serves as the Chief Manufacturing Officer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. At present, he is on leave from Georgia Tech where he is the HUSCO Ramirez Distinguished Chair in Fluid Power and Motion Control and Professor of Mechanical Engineering. During 2012-2013 he was on leave serving as the Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President of the United States of America. In this position he had responsibility for engaging the Federal sector and the greater scientific community to identify possible areas for policy actions related to manufacturing. He was responsible for coordinating Federal advanced manufacturing R&D, addressing issues related to technology commercialization, identifying gaps in current Federal RandD in advanced manufacturing, and developing strategies to address these gaps. He was President of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in 2018, and currently serves on the Board of Governors of the ASME. His research focuses on the design and development of advanced manufacturing systems targeting digital manufacturing, additive and subtractive processes, and large-scale production enterprises.

Notes

Refreshments will be served.