Current CNERG Projects

Radiation Transport and Nuclear Analysis Methods

Unstructured Adaptive Mesh Algorithms for Monte Carlo Transport
Lead PI: Prof. April Novak (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Nuclear Energy University Program, Office of Nuclear Energy, US Department of Energy
Period of performance: 2024-08-01 to 2027-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Recent growth in computing now permits large-scale multiphysics modeling using Monte Carlo methods, considered state-of-the-art for particle transport. The Monte Carlo method is well-suited for benchmarking lower-fidelity tools, guiding multigroup cross section library development, and aspects of reactor design. However, Monte Carlo methods remain expensive, especially in multiphysics workflows where simulations are performed iteratively. Significant expertise is also needed to pre-divide phase space for scoring tallies, taking into account competing effects including spatial detail, runtime, memory usage, and propagation of truncation/statistical errors to coupled physics solvers. Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is a technique which adaptively refines (or coarsens) a mesh to preferentially add Degrees of Freedom (DOFs) where the error is highest, and remove DOFs where the solution is already well-captured. Despite the remarkable success of AMR in other fields, there has been very limited use of AMR for Monte Carlo tally meshes, especially in the context of multiphysics or in combination with hand p-refinement. This proposal will develop the fundamental methods and techniques for unstructured mesh AMR with Monte Carlo tallies to enable a transformative leap forward in speed, accuracy, and robustness of Monte Carlo methods for advanced simulation.
HiFiStell
Lead PI: Prof. Amitava Battacharjee (Princeton University)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Fusion Energy Sciences SciDAC program, US Department of Energy
Period of performance: 2023-10-01 to 2027-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Rapid Assessment of Fusion Material Activation
Lead PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Fusion Impacts funded by WARF
Period of performance: 2024-01-01 to 2027-06-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:

Nuclear Systems Analysis

High-fidelity Power Distribution and Burnup for Load-Following Microreactor
Lead PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Unfunded project; students may be supported by various sources
Period of performance: 2021-09-01 to 2026-12-31
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Foundational Research to Support Fusion Systems Safety Assessment
Lead PI: Dr. Adriaan Riet (Idaho National Laboratory)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences Program
Period of performance: 2025-05-01 to 2028-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Neutron Activation Research For Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic Steels
Lead PI: Dr. Nick Woolstenhulme (Idaho National Laboratory)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Idaho National Laboratory Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Period of performance: 2025-05-01 to 2027-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
  • Prof. Charlie Hirst (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)
FIRE Collaborative: Fusion Neutrons for Integrated Blanket Technology Development Through Advanced Testing and Design
Lead PI: Prof. Ben Lindley (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences Program
Period of performance: 2025-09-01 to 2029-08-31
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
REDUCE
Lead PI: Dr. Ross Radel (SHINE Technologies, LLC)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Advanced Research Projects Agency ‑ Energy (ARPA-E)
Period of performance: 2025-10-01 to 2029-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
  • Prof. Ben Lindley (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)
  • Prof. Adrien Couet (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)
SHINE Technologies will develop an innovative method to reduce used nuclear fuel (UNF) and the disposal impact through its Recover Elements - Destroy Undesirables - Create Energy (REDUCE) procedure. The proposed approach will reduce the volume, longevity, and hazard level of reactor waste, and will improve the economics of its reprocessing/transmutation. After recovery of uranium and plutonium (for advanced reactor fuel) and other valuable elements, the remaining UNF constituents will be incorporated into a molten salt transmutation target designed to be coupled to an external neutron source. This program will design, simulate, and test game-changing technologies that will reduce the environmental impact of nuclear energy through the recycling and transmutation of used nuclear fuel.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Analysis

Illuminating Emerging Supply Chain and Waste Management Challenges
Lead PI: Prof. Madicken Munk (Oregon State University)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Nuclear Energy University Program, Office of Nuclear Energy, US Department of Energy
Period of performance: 2023-10-01 to 2026-09-30
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Running out of Fusion Gas
Lead PI: Prof. Ben Lindley (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc (EPRI)
Period of performance: 2025-11-01 to 2029-10-31
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
  • Dr. Mohammad Amer Allaf (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)

Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation

Consortium for Enabling Technology and Innovation 2.0 (ETI 2.0)
Lead PI: Prof. Anna Erickson (Georgia Institute of Technology)
CNERG PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Office of Nuclear Non-proliferation R&D, National Nuclear Security Administration
Period of performance: 2025-03-15 to 2030-03-14
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
  • Prof. Ben Lindley (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics)

Techno-economics and Energy Transitions

Agent-based Capacity Expansion
Lead PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Unfunded project; students may be supported by various sources
Period of performance: 2020-09-01 to 2028-08-31
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
Wisconsin Nuclear Energy Siting Study
Lead PI: Dr. Paul P.H. Wilson
Funding source: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Period of performance: 2026-01-05 to 2027-01-02
Other CNERG Collaborators:
Other Collaborators:
† Denotes alumni of the CNERG group

icon for email icon for github icon for bluesky icon for instagram icon for zotero

© 2020-2026 Computational Nuclear Engineering Research Group
Reliable Software Tools for the Analysis of Complex Nuclear Energy Systems

Powered by Bootstrap 4 Github Pages