Advanced Nuclear Research Centre University of Strathclyde's experts
Professor Becky Lunn
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Professor in ground engineering, research with the nuclear industry focusses on radioactive waste containment and ground barriers.
Professor Bradley Wynne
Professor and Education Director, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Dr Charles MacLeod
ANRC Academic Director
Additionally, Babcock International Group / Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Sensor-Driven Automated Welding and Director of the Sensor Enabled Automation & Robotics Control Hub, a £24M research innovation and technology transfer laboratory.Research is primarily associated with the inspection and manufacturing enhancement of high-value assets and components.
Professor Edoardo Patelli
Centre for Intelligent Infrastructure
Professor in Risk and Uncertainty Quantification and the Head of the Centre for Intelligent Infrastructure. Also a member of Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board.
Dr Gordon Dobie
Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering
Runs the Sensor Enabled Automation & Robotics Control Hub mobile robotics lab and considers novel measurement systems for applications including structural inspection and medical imaging.
Professor Matthew Revie
Strathclyde Business School
Professor of Practice in Management Science and Associate Dean for User Engagement.
Professor Paul McKenna
Physics
Professor of Laser-Plasma Physics, Vice Dean Research in the Faculty of Science and a member of the Faculty Executive Team.
Professor Weijia Yuan
Cryogenic Propulsion
Professor in Applied superconductivity, and Electric and Cryogenic Propulsion.
Dr Graeme West
Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Area of research is intelligent decision support systems, which involves the development and deployment of novel AI and data analytic approaches to support engineering decision making, with a particular focus on through-life asset management.
Dr Jannik Giesekam
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research and consultancy focusses on whole life carbon assessment and mitigation in the built environment.
Dr Joanna Renshaw
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Reader, microbiologist, radiochemist and representative on the Nuclear Universities Group.
Dr Paul Murray
Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Reader at the University of Strathclyde working in the area of signal, image, video and hyperspectral data processing.
ANRC Management Team
Dr Charles MacLeod
ANRC Academic Director
Additionally, Babcock International Group / Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Sensor-Driven Automated Welding and Director of the Sensor Enabled Automation & Robotics Control Hub, a £24M research innovation and technology transfer laboratory.Research is primarily associated with the inspection and manufacturing enhancement of high-value assets and components.
Professor Michael Ward
CTO & Professor of Practice
Leads the technical direction of the centre and a member of the support team at the ANRC to move the centre forward by assisting academics to gain work, translate work from academia for industrial purposes and take new propositions to new partners. A key part is ensuring that what’s delivered by the ANRC has a good chance of being used in industry.
Paul Appelquist
Partnership Director
Paul's primary role at ANRC is the link between industry and academia, to ensure that the research programme meets the needs of the nuclear sector. This is achieved though collaborative and bespoke projects, forming a portfolio of activities ranging from fundamental research to the application of technology for current and operational issues, using the full academic capabilities of Strathclyde researchers.
Steve Young
ANRC Business Development
Dr Blair Brown
Knowledge Exchange & Translation
Blair’s main focus within the ANRC is to support the translation of both ANRC-commissioned research and also knowledge that exists in academia more generally. Ultimately, this ensures fundamental research and concepts become available, are deployed and derive value for the industry partners, society and the economy.
Strathclyde Researchers and Projects Exhibition Posters
A sample of ANRC PhD / Researchers and their work
Aasim Mohamed
Dual-Tandem Sensor-Enabled Robotize Plasma Cutting System
My research project focuses on developing a sensor-enabled robotised plasma arc cutting system. Currently, most techniques include mechanical and thermal cutting that requires manual settings and operations, leading to a longer operating time, higher cost, and lower productivity. Here comes ultrasound technology to play a role in improving the process and meeting the demands of Industry 4.0. The use of ultrasound technology will help in increasing operational safety, quality control and production efficiency of systems alongside digitizing the process.
Developing an advanced robotic plasma cutting system capable of adapting to various decommissioning tasks, will revolutionize the way we approach nuclear facility dismantling and radioactive material handling. The benefits of the system include increased efficiency, operating speed, remote operation, versatility, precision, safety, and cost reduction.
I envision my career taking me to the forefront of technological advancements, collaborating with experts in robotics, artificial intelligence, and nuclear engineering. Through continuous innovation, I strive to contribute to safer and more efficient decommissioning processes, ultimately making a significant difference in the field of nuclear research and ensuring a sustainable future.
Aoife Keane
Optical Imaging and Analysis Techniques for the Early Detection and Quantification of Corrosion on Special Nuclear Materials Packages
My work looks at the combination of different optical sensor modalities (hyperspectral imaging, RGB imaging, Raman spectroscopy etc.) to train machine learning models to detect corrosion at the earliest possible point. This work is done in collaboration with Sellafield Ltd, where the corrosion detection algorithms are optimised specifically to monitor the state of the stainless-steel packages which house Special Nuclear Materials (SNM).
Monitoring and assessing these packages in a store is important in a decommissioning context, as it can flag packages that have been compromised, without the need for in-situ human inspection. The a final inspection tool can be used to support decision-making.
I hope my career in nuclear research will take me far and wide! There are opportunities in decommissioning which are interesting and exciting to me, but also: every industry is impacted by rust! The skillset I have developed through this research has applications in many different areas of nuclear research.
Adam Gilmour
Using Phased Array Ultrasound to Localize Probes During the Inspection of Welds
The research focusses on remote automated Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of maritime structures through robotics and in developing the next generation of inspection platforms. Off the shelf products are often limited in their usage case and lack a general-purpose design, therefore, this research - and that within SEARCH - look to create a flexible solution for a variety of inspection requirements. The poster describes a novel method of positioning an ultrasonic NDE probe by using the live feedback of data as means of updating the probe location during a scan to achieve maximum coverage of the area of interest, allowing for reliable remote inspections to take place.
During decommissioning, the structural integrity & upkeep of radioactive environments is still a crucial aspect towards complete shutdown. Remote solutions that are flexible in the tasks they can complete can support those on-site by accessing certain areas with minimal associated risks.
I am thoroughly enjoying the work here at the university and working with our industrial partner. I hope to continue on the path of automated NDE and continue to develop supportive technology for on-site inspectors.
Andrew Campbell
Automated X-ray Classification of Special Nuclear Materials as an Operator Aid
One of the responsibilities of Sellafield Ltd (UK) is storage and management of a variety Special Nuclear Materials (SNMs). This material is typically stored in layered packages of multiple metallic canisters. The material within the packages can be of different morphological types, such as pellets, powders or clinker among others. These different SNM types should always be stored and transported accordingly. By using X-Ray imaging and advanced signal processing techniques it is possible to examine the content of each package to ensure it is managed correctly. This project combines traditional image processing approaches with recent deep learning methods to maximise classification performance and explainability. This is part of a growing portfolio of research with the nuclear sector which aims to improve a variety of inspection activities which includes hyperspectral imaging techniques, AI classification techniques and more traditional and explainable algorithms.
Andrew Young
Calandria Tubesheet Bore Inspection Decision Support
Visual inspection of assets is performed throughout the nuclear sector, this I also the case within nuclear decommissioning. In most cases, an engineer has to view the inspection videos in order to make a decision. My research focus on automating or semi-automating the analysis process while still keeping the human in the loop to make the final decision.
My current research focus is on the development and application of explainable AI systems. In a heavily regulated environment such as the nuclear sector, in my opinion it is critical in order for AI to adopted readily is to move away from black box approaches, and move to transparent and interpretable models that provide understandable explanation for their decisions and actions.
Catriona McFarlan
On-Line Monitoring to Facilitate Next-generation Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
Optical spectroscopic techniques can be applied to provide on-line, real-time monitoring of the Advanced PUREX process. The ability to accurately quantify nitric acid, uranium and tributyl phosphate concentrations in PUREX-relevant model mixtures was demonstrated using Raman and mid-infrared spectroscopy in conjunction with chemometrics. Application of these methods on-line will allow deviations from the optimum operating conditions to be quickly detected, enable optimisation and control of the process, and provide accountancy of the radioactive components.
The methods demonstrated in this work could be applied to provide real-time quantification of key analytes during nuclear decommissioning.
I think my career in nuclear research will allow me to provide process monitoring expertise to facilitate next-generation nuclear fuel reprocessing and manufacturing operations.
David Morrison
Colloidal Silica Grout as an Injectable Sub-surface Barrier for Nuclear Site Remediation
CS grout has unique properties which allow it to be employed in certain applications in nuclear decommissioning where conventional materials cannot, or are highly undesirable. If it can be shown that its behaviour is well understood and its cost is not prohibitatiavely expensive, then CS grout has the to potential to significantly reduce risk of contaminant release during decommissioning operations, amongst other benefits. The findings of my research are intended to be used in support of a future safety case for CS grout in nuclear decommissioning.
After completing my PhD, I intend to work in the nuclear decommissioning industry, in site remediation or radioactive waste management, ideally employing the results of my reseach, as well as the skills and knowledge I have acquired through my PhD, to real-world scenarios. I hope that I can make a positive contribution to the industry and help make nuclear decommissioning safer and more efficient.
Gloria Castro Quintero
Biomineral Sealing of Cracks in Degraded Concrete Nuclear Structures
Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation MICP is a bio-mediated cement alternative where microorganisms assist in the precipitation of calcium carbonate crystals. Our research focuses on developing a strategy to deploy this biotechnology as a concrete repair technique with applications to recover and decommission nuclear infrastructure. With this goal in mind, we have demonstrated the efficiency of this technique in repairing naturally fractured degraded concrete at the core scale with significant reductions in permeability and strength recovery, as well as the efficient treatment of vertical fractures in 25 cm concrete blocks, which simulate cracks in concrete walls.
Our research provides an alternative to current carbon-expensive grouting methods (Portland cement), achieving as well better penetrability into fractures due to the low viscosities of the treatment fluids. This will be a key component in nuclear decommissioning as part of the environmental restoration of the site.
Nuclear emerges as a key component of a net zero future which is very appealing for a young researcher. Therefore, my career in nuclear research will continue evolving, bringing innovation from science into engineering solutions.
Konstantinos Tzaferis
Quantitative corrosion monitoring at inaccessible locations
Corrosion under insulation is a significant concern in the nuclear sector, including during nuclear decommissioning, as it can compromise the safety and efficiency of dismantling and waste management processes. For this purpose, a novel electromagnetic acoustic transducer is designed and manufactured, to monitor corrosion defects. The transducer is permanently installed under the insulation and emits ultrasonic guided waves to determine the maximum wall loss. This cost-effective and non-destructive solution enables effective asset management and minimizes environmental and safety risks associated with decommissioning activities. With the increasing emphasis on safety, sustainability, and efficient decommissioning processes, developing advanced inspection and monitoring technologies seems a valuable contribution to the future of clean energy generation.
Zhouxiang Fei
Automated crack feature detection in remote visual inspection of nuclear power plant structures
Remote visually inspection is regularly performed on various nuclear power plant facilities to monitor structural health conditions. In practice the inspection process is labour-intensive and requires a high level of constant concentration. This project focused on developing an automated anomaly detection pipeline to provide decision support to engineers, showcased via a successful application of automated stress-corrosion cracking features detection with human-in-the-loop verification mechanism in nuclear power plant superheaters.
By providing the understanding of structural health conditions of nuclear power plant facilities, engineers can have the correct information to decide whether to replace certain facilities or to extend its use for another period of regulated time.
Nuclear research needs to be continuously nurtured via generation-by-generation engineers and scientists with nuclear-domain specific knowledge. My academic career will hopefully provide myself a platform to share and evolve my capabilities in the nuclear domain and nurture future talented nuclear specialists when the opportunity comes