Reactor Technology Integration Group (ReTI)

Fission Reactor Modeling & Design

We develop and apply computational methods to study the behavior of fission reactor systems under realistic operating conditions. This work includes light-water reactors, high-temperature gas reactors, pebble-bed reactors, and small modular reactor concepts. Across these projects, we use reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, coupled multiphysics simulation, and benchmark data to understand how design choices affect reactor performance, safety margins, licensing confidence, and deployment risk.

Energy Systems & Techno-Economics

We examine how nuclear technologies fit into changing energy systems and markets. As grids add more variable renewable generation, nuclear plants may need to provide value through flexible operation, process heat, desalination, energy storage, microgrids, and other applications beyond steady electricity production. Our work uses techno-economic analysis, optimization, power-cycle modeling, and systems-level design to study what makes nuclear energy easier to build, operate, and integrate with future energy infrastructure.

Fusion Nuclear Technology

We study the nuclear systems needed to turn fusion reactions into practical energy systems. Our work focuses on fusion blankets, tritium management, and fuel-cycle constraints using computational modeling, systems engineering, and conceptual design. The group leads and contributes technically to a multi-institution effort on fusion blanket technology, while also developing computational methods for tritium monitoring and accountancy and studying how tritium supply may shape the startup and growth of fusion energy.